Ms. Hernandez presents herself as a stable woman who has fought adversity to get where she is today. The truth is, she has had a great deal of help along the way – and most certainly hasn’t been “on her own” at any point.
In an October 24 Facebook post, Matt Mackowiak (UT Austin grad, Political Commentator and CEO of Potomac Strategy Group) said this about his recommendation of Joe Martinez for the office of Travis County Sheriff (copied and pasted from his post):
Travis County Sheriff: Joe Martinez — The Democratic candidate for Sheriff has pledged to make Austin a ‘Sanctuary City,’ a position so extreme and irresponsible that she has united the outgoing Democratic Sheriff, Greg Hamilton, and the much more qualified Republican candidate, Joe Martinez, in opposition to her dangerous proposal. Would she release dangerous criminal aliens on her first day? How can the Sheriff refuse an ICE detainer issued by a federal judge? Who conducts the national security background checks in our county jails if ICE is thrown out? How much is Sally Hernandez prepared to cost Travis County when the Texas Legislature defunds Sanctuary Cities this spring? Joe has 40 years of law enforcement experience, a ten point platform (read it at MartinezForSheriff.com), and is the only bilingual candidate and the only Austin native running. To my Democratic friends, this race alone should persuade you not to vote straight ticket this year. Sally Hernandez, who has been married nine times to four different men, would be a disaster and she is manifestly unqualified.
Now…You might say what possible bearing does Sally’s married life have on her ability to be sheriff? Following is a Cliff’s Notes timeline. Ask yourself what this says about her personal values, her decision making skills, her interpersonal communication skills, integrity, follow through, problem solving skills and commitment. One of my proofreaders asked me “well, what if it wasn’t all her fault?” And my answer is the same as I give my friends who wonder why all of the people they date are rotten people: Guess who was one half of every one of those failed relationships? At some point you can’t blame being young and stupid, just stupid, needing a father figure, having a bad childhood….at some point you have to admit that you make shitty decisions, and are having a bad adulthood.
Without further ado, I present: Sally’s Timeline of Love
21 Feb 1958 Birth of Sally Irene Riedle (Probably somewhere in Texas
*****circa 1973 Sally claims “I ran away from an abusive home when I was 15 years old but a woman named Jeannette took me in, kept me in school, and gave me a second chance. ” (http://capdaustintx.org/docs/capd_candidates_questionnaire.pdf see page 25 for more of her answers to a candidate questionnaire)
20 May 1975 Luckily, Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Riedle, the parents Sally ran away from about 2 years prior, were on hand to announce her pending nuptuals in the The Llano News.
15 Jul 1975 High school Junior Sally marries 22 year old Cleo Gene Wooten (b. 1953 – d. 2002) in Llano, Tx. It sure was nice of her estranged parents to show up and presumably consent to the marriage of a girl who’d celebrated her 17th birthday 5 months prior, to a 22 year old man. The age of consent in Texas, for both sex and marriage, is 18.
28 Jun 1979 Birth of Son William Cody Wooten (1979–2003) in Llano, Texas. According to Sally “I had a child with special needs” (from same questionnaire as above). I am not trying to pick on a special needs kid or a mom who is doing everything she can, but it seems a bit odd that I can’t find anywhere that Sally has mentioned what her deceased son’s special needs were. Most people in the public eye would use their fame to help others afflicted with whatever condition their loved one had, and try to raise awareness for acceptance or prevention or a cure.
6 Oct 1982 Sally Riedle Wooten and Cleo Gene Wooten divorce in Llano County.
START PAYING ATTENTION NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT TO GET FUN
20 May 1983 Sally Riedle Wooten marries Mickey Joe Whitley (1957 – ) in Llano County. Mickey Joe went to Llano High School with Sally.
01 Mar 1985 Birth of Son Thomas Gregory Whitley (1985 – ) in Travis County
24 Jul 1987 Sally Riedle Wooten Whitley and Mickey Joe Whitley divorce in Llano
31 Dec 1987 Sally Riedle Wooten Whitley marries MICKEY JOE WHITLEY. Again. 5 months after their divorce was final. (Llano County)
14 Nov 1988 Less than a year after remarrying, Sally and Mickey Joe Whitley call it quits again, this time divorcing in Travis County.
18 Dec 1988 34 days after her second divorce from Mr Whitley is final, Sally Riedle Wooten Whitley Whitley marries Dan Howard Best (1950 – ) in Travis Co.
22 Mar 1990 A year and 3 months later, Sally Riedle Wooten Whitley Whitley Best bids adieu to hubby number 3 (or 4, depending on how you are counting) Dan Best, in Travis, Co.
15 Sep 1990 A whole six months later, Sally marries…….Mickey Joe Whitley. Again. That’s the third time, if you are keeping score. (In Travis County, for the record. And actually, the records are all available online. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.)
13 Sep 1995 I bet you’re just shocked to learn that the third time was not the charm… Mrs. Riedle Wooten Whitley Whitley Best Whitley divorces Mickey in Travis County.
19 Dec 1995 Mickey Joe Whitley married somebody else! He tied the knot with his brand new bride, Karen, in Travis County
14 May 1996 According to the County of Travis, on this date Sally and Mickey Joe Whitley trotted on down to the Travis County Courthouse and either applied for a marriage license OR got themselves married for the FOURTH time. I imagine that Karen Whitley was surprised, seeing as how she is STILL married to Mickey Joe, and haven’t even divorced once. If you need to see it with your own eyeballs, the info is found by searching for Mickey Joe Whitley marriage licenses in Travis County, or look for: Certificate #73553; Date of Application 5/14/1996; Book 242; Page 172 http://traviscountyclerk.org
25 Oct 1997 Always a bride, never a bridesmaid – Sally married Doroteo Salas Hernandez Jr (1961 – ) in Travis County, making her Mrs. Sally Riedle Wooten Whitley Whitley Best Whitley Whitley Hernandez. The happy couple have not divorced at all since their first marriage to each other.
Now, go back up and look at the second date on the timeline. The one about Sally running away, and a kind woman named Jeannette – dang, I guess Sally couldn’t remember Jeannette’s last name, or how they met….Don’t worry. I am delighted to help out! See the next post to find out who the apparent good hearted stranger took in a 15 year old girl off the streets of Llano. Wait, why would anyone run away to Llano??