Ethics review commission hearing over city gas card use

FOR CHOOSING KTSM HAPPENING TODAY… THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION WILL MEET AGAIN TO DISCUSS A COMPLAINT THAT WAS MADE AGAINST DISTRICT THREE REP. CASSANDRA HERNANDEZ OVER HER ALLEGED MISUSE OF A TA PAYER GAS CARD. THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED BACK IN MAY. NUMEROUS EL PASOANS SPOKE DURING YESTERDAY’S PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE ETHICS COMMITTE MEETING. Jesus Bautista: <"If you don't recommend removal then she would just go ahead and do whatever she wants to. That's not the way things worin in our community. People trust her, trusted her. I can't trust her anymore." AS WE REPORTED… AN INTERNAL AUDIT FOUND

THAT IN 2022 HERNANDEZ PURCHASED CLOSE TO 3PERCENT OF ALL THE FUEL PURCHASED BY THE COUNCIL IN THE CALENDAR YEAR. FROM JANUARY TO APRIL 2023… HERNANDEZ PURCHASED CLOSE TO 40 PERCENT OF ALL THE FUEL PURCHASED BY THE COUNCIL. AN ETHICS COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN MAY BY EL PASOAN GEORGE ZAVALA WHO IS CALLING FOR THE "One time, it's a rumor, It happens twice a coincidence, three times a shown that there's a pattern of her behavior. I'm using the card not only for herself as the supporter, as identified, but for her husband. And now another person." <BUTTWO Rep

Cassandra Hernandez District 3 "As a result of an incredibly flawed administrative review and the lack of communication with me, with my office, or any person in my staff to

date. No person in the internal audit office to date. No city officials have communicated with me of any concerns of wrongdoing or concerns of authorized or unauthorized expenditures." THE COMMISSION CAN DECIDE TO EITHER DISMISS THE COMPLAINT AGAINST HERNANDEZ OR ISSUE A SANCTION. THE COMMISSION WILL HAVE 30 DAYS TO ISSUE THEIR DECISION FOLLOWING THE HEARING. THE MEETING RESUMES