ABC-7 Investigation spurs El Paso proposal to shift campaign event costs to candidates after Trump rally

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council Representative Lily Limón is planning to propose a new policy at next Tuesday’s City Council meeting that would prevent taxpayers from covering public safety and venue expenses associated with political campaign visits.

The proposal was prompted by an ABC-7 investigation that revealed the City of El Paso did not discuss costs with President Donald Trump’s campaign before his February 11, 2019, rally.

"This item is on the agenda thanks to the investigative research you did on this topic," Limón said in an email responding to an ABC-7 inquiry about the matter. "You were able to identify the lack of a policy. Once the policy is in place, we should never have to go through this again."

The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions among city leaders and elected officials about the $569,204.63 the city says Trump’s campaign still owes for the event at the Coliseum.

At a March council meeting, Limón requested an update on the outstanding debt and called for quarterly reports. Following that meeting, ABC-7 filed an open records request to determine whether any cost discussions or agreements had existed before the rally.

Records provided by the city showed no evidence of prior discussions with the campaign, including cost estimates, quotes, draft agreements, or contracts. ABC-7 also found that the city still does not have a formal cost-recovery plan for events such as political campaign rallies.

Limón said her proposal would require candidates or campaigns to provide an upfront deposit to cover anticipated costs associated with such events.

Other cities have faced similar challenges. In Tucson, Arizona, officials declined to pursue roughly $80,000 in public safety costs from a 2016 Trump rally and about $40,000 from a Bernie Sanders rally that same year, concluding that legal action would cost more than the amounts owed, according to Andy Squire, public information officer in the City Manager’s Office. However, when Trump returned in September 2016, the city required his campaign to prepay estimated public safety and facility costs totaling $145,222, including nearly $116,000 for police services.

Squire said the change came down to “modifying the language in the facility use agreements” at the city-owned Tucson Convention Center, which is operated under contract by Legends Global.

Asked by ABC-7 whether she would continue pursuing the debt despite there being no contract in place with the campaign, Limón responded, "I will continue reviewing the quarterly reports indicating continued pursuit of payment."

The El Paso City Council hired the Law Offices of Snapper L. Carr in November 2022 to help recover the outstanding debt owed by Trump’s campaign. City records show the firm was retained on a contingency basis, meaning it is paid only if it recovers funds on the city’s behalf.

If the proposal is approved, Limón expects it to return to the City Council for consideration within 60 days.