Two city representatives call out mayor for how city attorney vote played out

City Representatives Cassandra Hernandez and Alexsandra Annello penned a public letter on Monday criticizing Mayor Dee Margo and Representative Michiel Noe.

Hernandez and Annello are protesting the fact that Noe did not attend any of the interviews for the five candidates vying for the city attorney position.

” His [Noe’s] vote was disrespectful and unprofessional to the five candidates who spent a few days in El Paso touring the city and meeting members of the public and council,” the letter stated. “It was very concerning to us that, as the presiding officer, you [Margo] failed to ask him to voluntarily recuse himself, as he [Noe] did not participate in interviews or meet and greets with the candidates.”

Representatives Noe, Ordaz Perez, Cissy Lizarraga and Sam Morgan voted in favor of appointing Nieman. Representatives Hernandez, Annello, Peter Svarzbein and Henry Rivera voted against it. Margo ultimately broke the tie, giving the position to Nieman.

Noe said he does not regret his vote.

“Why would I abstain from voting on this. It’s my right to help chose the city attorney and I participated in that,” Noe said. “If I voted for someone else, I would have been doing the city a disservice.”

Hernandez said she respects Nieman as a candidate, but thinks this process was not fair.

“This city deserves a council that has fair and equitable processes, and displays transparency at a time where this country has no trust in their government, it was important for Representative Annello and I to convey to our Mayor and Council that we’re going to hold them accountable for their actions and inactions,” Hernandez said.

Margo was traveling on Monday, but did provide ABC-7 with this statement.

“Representative Hernandez and Representative Annello, Representative Noe was provided all of the information prior to the interviews, and met with members of the FOAC (Financial Oversight and Advisory) Committee. He has a right to represent the residents of District 5, just as the other members of the Council have done.”

Margo went on to add that Rivera was not able to attend the entire Special City Council Meeting during the selection of the interim City Attorney, and no objections were raised regarding his vote.

Margo also criticized the fact that the letter was sent to the media and therefore he could not “discern if this is a letter expressing concerns to me, or a press release.”

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