As we know, City Rep. Cassandra Hernandez and former City Rep. Claudia Lizette Rodriguez abused their city gas card privileges by ringing up huge tabs on the backs of the taxpayers.
Hernandez not only purchased 1,944 gallons at a cost of $6,691, but made her purchases on consecutive days 23 times. Moreover, her gas card was used several times while she was physically present in City Council, including this year (more on this later).
NO REMORSE
Far from expressing remorse, Hernandez released a statement on May 3 accusing the Financial Oversight and Audit Committee (FOAC) of using their power to “attack minority members of city council by cherry-picking gas card expenses.” She claimed her expenditures were all related to work and accused her detractors of “petty politics.”
ADMITS GUILT
Facing a title wave of outrage, Hernandez issued a second statement on May 5 in which she again accused FOAC of misconduct. Paradoxically, she then admitted her guilt by announcing her “family” would pay $6,700 to the City of El Paso in order to cover what she calls “a year of authorized gas expenses.”
PREVIOUSLY ARRESTED FOR STEALING
In 2006, Hernandez was arrested for shoplifting lingerie, shirts, socks and a jacket from an El Paso business and booked into the County Jail. At the time she was an adult and worked as a Clerical Assistant for the City of El Paso. (see attached) The DA declined to prosecute and instead referred her to the Misdemeanor Diversion Program, which she completed in January 2007.
Now she is accused of another theft, but this time she is not a Clerical Assistant but a City Council Representative responsible for a $1.17 billion budget and issuing certificates of obligation $100 million at a time.
As an elected public official who serves at the pleasure of the taxpayers, she may not be let off so easy this time, especially since Title 8, Section 39.02(c)(4) of Texas law makes it clear that her actions may qualify as a “state jail felony.”
OPPOSES PROP J IN HER OFFICIAL CAPACITY, VIOLATING RULES
The City Attorney explicitly warned the City Council not to take a stance on the current ballot propositions in an official capacity. Nevertheless, Rep. Hernandez stated her opposition to Proposition J in her May 3 news release, beneath her official title. She did the same on April 26 at a City event while wearing the City emblem on her t-shirt and standing on City property, and then she posted a photo of herself at the event on Instagram, stating her opposition to Proposition J.
It is no surprise that “Gassandra” Hernandez opposes Prop J, since it would bring the Chief City Auditor under the direct supervision of City Council—the same City Auditor who exposed her unlawful gasoline purchases.