January 14, 2021
Dear Citizens of McAllen:
My name is Mary Katherine Brand, former wife of Othal Brand, Jr. who has recently chosen to declare his candidacy in this year’s 2021 Mayoral election for the City of McAllen.
As a nation, we all have witnessed the heightened animosity and utter brutality that any candidate who rises to serve in an official capacity must face when making his or her voice known in the public eye, laying bare some of the most painful moments in one’s life. Our opponents become our enemies, unnecessarily so, to destroy one another’s characters in a most vicious way to gain personal advantage.
I have heard the rumors, the hateful allegations, the vitriol spoken against Othal Brand concerning an incident that occurred in our marriage twenty-five years ago, and I would like to address that.
We were both unprepared for the challenges we were to face over the ensuing years. Immense pressures came from within and from outside sources whose intents were to tear us apart. And to complicate matters, we were both facing insurmountable family, social and political dynamics that demanded more than what either of us were capable of sustaining at that juncture in our lives. All of this culminated into a single incident that somehow developed into a skewed characterization of Othal and myself, neither of which is true. OthaI and I had our issues, but he was not a “wife beater.” And I do not stand by that characterization of him.
A person’s character should never be defined by a moment in time. We all have moments where we wish we would have done things differently. Are we to be judged our whole lives for a single decision we make in our youth? I think it wise that we all take note of our own lives. We have forgiven one another for the things we both did wrong in our relationship so long ago.
Today, I see a man of sound judgment, one who stands for justice, one who loves his fellow man and cares for his community, a man who will fight for the rights of every citizen to have their voice heard, successful businessman uncorrupted by politics with the skill set to implement great change and accomplish great things for the citizens and residents of McAllen, Texas.
That Man is OTHAL BRAND
May I suggest that you as voters give little credence to what others say. Decide for yourself what Otha l’s leadership qualifications are as one who has been exposed to the business world from childhood, and what he can do to resolve difficult matters that arise within your great city. His credibility stands on its own. For the record, Othal is a respected member of his church. He is happily married and is a good family man.
I hope this will help you as voters to focus on what truly matters in this election.
With Best Regards,
