Yesterday, the City’s Ethics Review Commission met to discuss the Tommy Gonzalez and Larry Romero pending ethics complaints and other complaints that were dismissed by the city attorney. As you likely know by now, the commission and Larry Romero agreed to a finding that Romero violated various ethics rules by having an alleyway on Polk Street paved. According to the discussion, Romero agrees that his actions benefited political contributors by the paving of the alleyway. Although the Ethics Commission has the authority to remove a city council person, the fact that Larry Romero has resigned made that penalty moot. Romero’s acknowledgement, in writing, settles the various current ethics investigations into his activities.
Romero’s written reprimand has no bearing on the ongoing ethics investigation into Tommy Gonzalez. In addition to the ongoing ethics investigation into Gonzalez, the City Attorney presented two more ethics complaints. You are aware of the one against Claudia Ordaz, that I shared with you last month. The other ethics complaint was filed by a resident that was dissatisfied with a vehicle purchase made at Leeser’s dealership.
As many of you know, the ethics ordinance has the city attorney in the position of accepting or declining to forward, to the commission, ethics complaints based on a determination by her office on whether the complaint is in compliance with the ordinance and whether she feels the ethics commission has jurisdiction over the complaint.
During her presentation, the City Attorney, Sylvia Borunda Firth, advised the commission that the ethics ordinance does not have an appeal process. Firth stated that the lack of an appeal process is “awkward.” She asked the Ethics Review Commission to start thinking about creating an appeals process. Firth told the commission that the Leeser and Ordaz complaints were dismissed by her. Firth presented the complaints and her dismissal letters to the commission. Under the current system, the commission cannot take action on Firth’s dismissals.
However, on Monday, of this week, Firth stated that she received documents titled “appeal” by Carrasco in regards to her original complaint against Ordaz. Firth stated that she “has 20 days” to take action on it with it but hopes to “deal with that more quickly.”
Firth reiterated to the commission that she would like for them to set up a process for appeals. The commission did not discuss a timeline for when they will take up the appeal process request. However, it is expected that they will take it up soon after they conclude their investigation of the Tommy Gonzalez matter.
In regards to Gonzalez, by the discussion, it appears that Ross Fischer may have found at least one item that can be sustained and thus it is possible that an agreed settlement may be forth coming by April 26.
The City has not made Carrasco’s appeal public as of this morning. As soon as I get a copy of the appeal I will update this post with it.
As an aside, these are the types of news items that are important to the community that should be reported to you by the news media outlets. Instead, it is left to me to report it to you.
Good for Barbara ! It’s being kept quiet because it reaffirms what is wrong with city council.
For one, there was an Ethics committee in name only, then it was determined it has no bite. Fox watching the hen house ? Ordaz and county clearly stepped over themselves on this one. This one is the only one that we can prove. County officials interfering with a city council meeting while on the county’s dime and with a convicted perv and fired employee calling the shots. Where’s the investigation on that one. ? Why isn’t Wilson being forced to testify and after that millions off lost dollars isn’t she fired ? Why hasn’t Lilly “dukes” Morgan been prosecuted for assault charges? Where’s the investigation ? Why hasn’t there been an investigation about the plaza?
We live in a time when people have no ethics, no values, greedy, sense of entitlement, corrupt and self promotion. If those are acceptable, how in the heck can we expect good candidates for office ? Especially where everyone has a “hook” to get things done, El Paso. If it wasn’t for “no standards”, El Paso wouldn’t have any standards.
We have such terrible selections that we can no longer scrape the bottom of the barrel. Until the region changes it culture and attitude, forget about it ! The few that do vote and I mean few, have to choose the lesser of evils.
Today I decided to post many comments on the Larry Romero case on Bob Moore’s own page where he was gloating about how good his reporters did on their stories. He now feels the the ELPT is the watchdog of city government. when I asked why his newspaper was not as aggressive against Joyce wilson, he kicked me of his FB page. I guess the only time I can talk to him is if I see him at the baseball game at his season ticket seats.
Abel
Seems Bob is having a hard time when some real hard questions are asked about our corrupt local government. Seems Bob is like many in El Paso, especially in local government, they do not want anyone asking or tell who got some of the corruption. Bob doesn’t like it when the Times is shown to be one of those who got some to so the need to protect weak link Wilson.
Abel, the Times is the watch dog that gets stolen when burglars break into a house or the dog that barks and growls then licks your hand. Nope, he doesn’t qualify for a tax write off as a watch dog. The Times was one of the media that was telling everyone that El Paso was the safest city when the correct title holder was Irving California ! So much for truth.
I am curious as to how many of the council use the box seats that are worth more than 50.00 which over the gifts level. Ethics lacking!