I told you that the "ethics complaint" against the mayor was an egregious abuse of the ethic committee's time and duties. Disguising your hate for an individual in a frivolous complaint is just low. Especially since we pretty much know it was done as a favor to the previous mayor who is looking to be the current mayor again. That's not very mayoral and an indicator that our previous mayor is getting awful advice.
Having the ethics committee chair refer to the complaint a "waste of our time," is exceptional. Having the committee vote unanimously to flush the complaint is absolutely unheard of in modern El Paso politics. I mean, each member of the ethics committee is pretty much controlled by the council member who appointed them. At least three council members hate the current mayor with all of their heart and soul. So, for the complaint to be so off base that even the Margo haters had to vote to dismiss - it must have been seen as almost negligent or even a flat out a lie.
Usually there's some kook on the board who thinks they are McCarthy reborn. No matter what the complaint is, they've got their own weird agenda and line of questioning - "November 22, 1963 - can you prove you weren't in Dealey Plaza that day?" So it's extraordinary that not one member objected to dismissal. I can't say enough how rare this is.
The person who lost the biggest in this debacle was He That Shall Not Be Named Because He Has a Team of Lawyers and Will Sue You For Relating Facts About Him. Oh he must be crying in his Chianti today. He sent out an email all so excited about the hearing... but then no update. His personal beef with the Mayor was not solved by ethics committee. In a sense it gave the mayor new life.
I too was shocked the Ethics Commission declined to hear this complaint. Blaugrund should be thoroughly embarrassed for wasting everyone’s time.
Posted by: Westsider | October 18, 2019 at 09:53 AM
It did work for Jim Tolbert, didn't it?
Posted by: JerryK | October 18, 2019 at 02:09 PM
In hindsight no. He eventually recanted publicly and apologized. He admitted it was all orchestrated by Byrd and Escobar. I watched the hearing. It was a kangaroo court. We now have an ethics commission that seems to be more reasoned and serious.
Posted by: Westsider | October 19, 2019 at 08:40 AM
I have no qualm with the commissions determination but I wish they would have been more cognizant of the optics and credibility of their ruling by following their own commission rules.
Appointees of accused are supposed to recuse themselves.
Since the complaint was determined to be out of their purview, Margo's campaign donors should have also recused.
Members of board that cleared Mayor of wrongdoing supported his campaign
https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/members-of-board-that-cleared-mayor-of-wrongdoing-supported-his-campaign
Posted by: Mary | October 19, 2019 at 02:35 PM
The optics are bad. The professor has an issue with the mayor and Lessor has something to gain. Tolbert had an issue with the representative. Complaints like this smell before they ever make it to the ethics committee. It renews my faith in justice that Margo's complaint wasn't even heard.
Posted by: Luis | October 22, 2019 at 01:23 AM