ONLY ON ABC-7: Residency of city representative candidate scrutinized again

The residency of one candidate for Northeast El Paso city representative is again being questioned. Now, it centers around seemingly conflicting information from the candidate herself.

When Diana Ramos was first questioned about her length of residency in February 2017, she told ABC-7 that she moved to the northeast in October of 2016, saying that’s when she and her husband signed the lease on their rental property.

After seeing the report on ABC-7, Elizabeth Cullen reached out to ABC-7 to say that answer doesn’t match what Ramos wrote on her sworn application for candidacy.

Cullen admitted that she does not live in the northeast — she lives on the city’s far eastside — and wouldn’t be affected by the race’s outcome. But Cullen said she has friends, fellow wives of military members, who do live on that side of town, and is looking out for the best interest of them and others who live in Northeast El Paso.

Cullen said that she wanted to spotlight one answer in Ramos’ application: her length of “continuous residence” in the area she’s seeking to represent. On the document, notarized Jan. 26, 2017, Ramos stated that she has lived at her northeast address for eight months.

That would mean that Ramos would have been there since May 2016.

“If Ms. Ramos is truly innocent in this matter, she would be forthcoming with any information saying that, ‘I’ve lived here, here is my electric bill. Or here is one of my utilities’ bills. It’s in my name. Here is the post-date.’ And then it’s done,” Cullen said.

ABC-7 reached out to Ramos to explain the different answers.

Ramos said the eight months refers to “the timeline of when my husband got (military) orders to be at Fort Bliss,” and that “the Texas law is your intent to reside, and when you consider yourself a resident.”

Ramos used to work in Washington, D.C. for El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke. She resigned her position in Sept. 2016, according to her account and documents showing her length of employment obtained by ABC-7. Ramos has maintained to ABC-7 that she kept her permanent address in El Paso, and is eligible to run for office. She also again told ABC-7 that she had cleared up any questions surrounding her residency with the Texas Ethics Commission.

ABC-7 spoke by phone to the commission’s general counsel to confirm that information, but was told that the commission does not advise candidates on residency requirements.

The attorney referred ABC-7 to the Texas Secretary of State’s office in Austin. Officials in that office said they were not aware of a law that counts “intent” as the start date of residence at a particular address.

When ABC-7 contacted the El Paso Municipal Clerk’s Office to see if there was anything about intent of residency in the city’s election code, ABC-7 was told the office simply accepts the applications of candidates.

When asked about whether there was a legal issue surrounding the different answers that Ramos told ABC-7 and that she put on her sworn application, officials with the ethics commission and Secretary of State’s office said that only rival candidates can file suit in district court to contest another candidate’s eligibility.

It is something likely not sitting well with those who question Ramos’ candidacy and her knowledge of district issues.

“At the end of the day, does she really have a vested interest?” Cullen said, adding, “Does she really know what’s going on?”

Although Ramos’ permanent address was in Far East El Paso not the northeast, city code requires that those running for office live in the district they want to represent at least six months before an election.

Whether it’s May or October of last year, Ramos meets the deadline to establish a residence in Northeast El Paso.

Candidates would need have been living in their district by Nov. 6, 2016, to be eligible for the May 6 election.

Early voting begins on Monday, Apr. 24.