On its face, it’s a picturesque small-town event: vintage cars, weekend sunshine, and community gathering around chrome and horsepower. But behind the polished bumpers and family selfies at the Historic Hays County Courthouse, a deeper story is emerging — one involving government power, private gain, and a trail of inconsistent records.

The event is called “Classic Rides on El Camino Real.” Promoted heavily across the official social media of Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, the car show has grown over the past year into a recurring community spectacle — often hosted on county grounds. But newly uncovered records show that the show is more than just a side project: it is directly tied to the Judge’s own household.

Public Office, Private Interests?

The March 30, 2025 event at the courthouse square was formally organized by a nonprofit named Empower Hays — created just five weeks earlier, on February 21. Its registered directors? Ruben Becerra, Cristian Becerra, and Monica Becerra — all members of the Judge’s immediate family. The listed address? Mimosa Circle in San Marcos — the same neighborhood frequently spotlighted by Judge Becerra on his official Facebook page.

And here’s the kicker: the person who signed off on Empower Hays’ request to use the historic courthouse was none other than Judge Becerra himself.

Even if the Ruben Becerra listed as a director is his son (a possibility given shared names), the conflict is inescapable. A family-run nonprofit applies to use government property, and the family patriarch — who holds the keys to the courthouse — grants approval. This is not just bad optics. It’s a breakdown of the public-private boundary that ethics laws are designed to protect.

Records Tell a Conflicted Story

The Hawk’s Eye first started asking questions about the show months earlier. On January 11, 2025, we submitted a formal records request to Judge Becerra’s office asking for any documentation related to the event or who was behind “Hays Classic Rides.” On January 24, his office responded flatly: no responsive records exist.

But weeks later, after the March show, a second request finally turned up the truth — a signed property use agreement and a county license application submitted by Empower Hays and approved by the Judge.

So which is it? Either Judge Becerra’s office failed to provide public records that did exist in January — or the documentation was withheld until asked more directly.

Money, Mystery, and Missing Paperwork

The website for the event, haysclassicrides.com, still solicits payments for vehicle registration, vendor booths, and swap meet entries. But those payments don’t go to Empower Hays. Instead, buyers are told to send money to “Hays Classic Rides” or someone named Derek Ortiz — whose name appears nowhere in nonprofit or business records tied to the event.

Despite its public presence, “Hays Classic Rides” has no registered business name on file in Texas. The only vaguely related filing is an assumed name certificate for “Classic Cars of Hays County,” filed in February 2024 by Cristian Becerra.

That means funds are being collected under an unregistered name, for an event run by a family-affiliated nonprofit, taking place on government property — authorized by a government official related to the people behind it. The layers of overlap are not just concerning — they’re textbook red flags.

Why It Matters

This isn’t about a car show. It’s about power and accountability.

When a sitting elected official uses his public platform to promote a family-run event, green-lights its use of county property, and declines to disclose records until pressed — it raises critical questions. Are taxpayer resources being used to support a private venture? Has anyone reviewed the financials of Empower Hays? And if the event is collecting money under a name that’s not even legally registered, who is holding that money, and where is it going?

Judge Becerra’s official social media accounts have repeatedly showcased the event as a community gem. But nowhere does he disclose that the nonprofit behind it includes his own family members — and may even include himself.

We’ve submitted a follow-up request for applications and approvals related to prior 2024 shows, and we are awaiting answers.

But one thing is already clear: Hays County residents deserve transparency, not tire smoke.

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