Waste of the Day: Local Mayor Bills Taxpayers For Vengeful Lawsuit
Topline: No politician relishes the idea of being criticized in public, but most accept it as a basic part of free speech.
But a mayor in New Mexico recently banned the public from speaking at her City Council meetings — and then used $24,000 of taxpayer funds to sue her political rival for questioning the decision.
Key facts: Mayor Diana Murillo of Anthony, New Mexico changed the city’s Open Meetings Act last summer to stop the public from participating in council meetings. She said she would allow public comments again once “law and order” were restored, but, she says, that has yet to happen.
Mayor Pro-Tempore Gabriel Holguin blasted Murillo’s decision as an attempt to “silence” her critics and helped inspire a lawsuit from 15 members of the public to try and remove her from office.
Murillo retaliated by suing Holguin for abusing his power and causing “chaos” at the city. She also alleged that Holguin used city funds on printing and diesel fuel, though Holguin said he doesn’t drive a diesel vehicle.
Murillo filed the lawsuit through the city and paid for it with taxpayer money. But the city’s Board of Trustees voted 3 to 1 to make her repay the expenses.
Supporting quote: As of March, Murillo still disagreed that she should have to pay her own legal fees.
She told KFOX14 that “whatever was spent on that was not my decision. It's the city and I'm not going to pay something that doesn’t belong to me, it’s nothing to do with me but that’s what was told and it’s regarding the city of Anthony against Mr. Holguin.”
Critical quote: This January, the city board unanimously passed a nonbinding “no confidence” vote on Murillo’s leadership. They agreed in a resolution that the mayor’s administration is "a detriment to the well-being of the city, its residents and city employees” that is “utilizing city funds in an unethical matter” by suing Holguin.
Summary: It seems as though Anthony’s politicians should handle their office drama behind closed doors, without putting thousands of taxpayer dollars at stake.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
We're proud to make our journalism accessible to everyone, but producing high-quality investigative pieces still comes at a cost.
That's why we need your help. By making a contribution today, you'll be supporting RealClearInvestigations and ensuring that we can keep providing in-depth reporting that holds the powerful accountable.
Donate now and help us continue to publish distinctive journalism that makes a difference. Thank you for your support!
Support RealClearInvestigations →
