Former City Rep. says Mayor Leeser is lying about alleged assault

El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser and former City Rep. Ann Morgan Lilly are speaking out about an alleged incident between Lilly, Lilly’s husband, Mayor Leeser, and the mayor’s wife.

It happened at a West Side restaurant Tuesday night and resulted in the filing of a police report.

Leeser said he called police after his wife was allegedly assaulted by Lilly’s husband, Rutt Lilly, inside Thyme Matters at 5857 North Mesa.

“He used some very strong language and when he reached for my phone, he pushed my wife, who was standing between us,” Leeser said. “There is an eye witness that gave an account of what happened and confirms the story.”

Leeser said there is also video of the alleged assault that police have obtained from the restaurant.

Lilly and her husband told ABC-7 Leeser was staring at them and taking pictures of them after an initial discussion about Tuesday’s vote to take the historic Duranguito neighborhood off the list of proposed sites for the Downtown arena.

“I wish it had never happened,” said Ann Morgan Lilly, who told ABC-7 no assault occurred. “(My husband) didn’t touch (Lisa Leeser). She was facing the other way.”

Rutt Lilly told ABC-7 no assault occurred and he cannot understand why a police report was filed.

“(Lisa Leeser) got up, she was facing her husband, as though her next move was to hold him back,” Rutt Lilly told ABC-7, which asked him how Leeser’s wife got assaulted. “She didn’t. He just said it. It’s a misrepresentation of what happened.”

The Lilly’s said Leeser came into the restaurant with his wife and approached their table. Lilly, who was a city representative for 10 years, said Leeser asked her what she thought of Tuesday’s decision by City Council to move the proposed location of the new $180 million arena from the Duranguito area and look at the Convention Center property as a possibility.

Lilly said she told Leeser she didn’t like the decision and the conversation escalated from there, eventually resulting in Leeser calling her husband “rich boy” and her husband calling Leeser “a wimp.”

Leeser told ABC-7 he didn’t ask for Lilly’s opinion, she just decided to voice it.

“That would be very innaccurate,” Leeser said. “I did not take any pictures.”

He admitted to using his phone to “record” the conversation, however, something he often does with the media.

“My wife is very offended by him touching her,” Leeser added. “She felt she was pushed and very offended by it.”

ABC-7 has made several attempts to get a copy of the police report. After originally being told it would be ready Thursday or Friday, ABC-7 was told on Thursday it will take up to two weeks.