Did Reyes use ‘weight’ to help kidnapped relative in Mexico?

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington charges just that, charging that Texas Congressman Silvestre Reyes somehow helped get Erika Possert, whom Reyes described as the aunt of his sister-in-law's son's wife, freed from Mexican captors on payment of ransom.

Behind that story, whether true or not, lies the bitterness of many south Texas families with relatives kidnapped in Mexico who feel Reyes has turned a deaf ear to them in the past. And it sounds to me like that’s the key story.

It doesn’t look like Reyes has any impropriety in the Possert case, but he’s made enough constituents disgruntled they’re more than ready to seize on the appearance of impropriety.

While he’s not likely to lose his seat in this year’s general election, you never know, and I’m sure he’ll get a noteworthy Democratic primary challenger in 2010.