POSTED: Friday, September 23, 2011 - 5:02pm
UPDATED: Tuesday, October 4, 2011 - 4:01pm
EL PASO - Enough voters have spoken, but the attorneys for local Pastor Tom Brown say the mayor is still trying to prevent the recall.
Theresa Caballero and Stuart Leeds say the legal fight over the recall is not over. In fact, they say there's another hearing set for Monday.
"They're going to keep trying to interfere with the people's right to vote," Leeds said.
Leeds and Caballero are defending Brown. He's the man leading the effort to recall Mayor John Cook, and City Representatives Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega. As you know, Brown wants them kicked out of office for restoring benefits to the domestic partners of city employees after voters took them away. Mayor Cook tried to stop the recall effort by saying Brown shouldn't have circulated his recall petition in city churches, but a judge let the recall move forward and now Caballero says Mayor Cook is trying to stop it again in appellate court.
"In non-legal speak they filed motions saying we're confused," Caballero said.
Caballero says the hearing is set for Monday. She also wants people to know it's not an issue about gay rights.
"It's no longer about gay rights or partner benefits. It's about a group of schmucks in office being financed by we need to find out whom," she said.
Caballero says she's filed her own motion for the same hearing to find out who's paying for Mayor Cook's legal fight.
"The population says we don't want any more of Cook, Susie Byrd or Steve Ortega. We need to get rid of them. Then you have this oligarchy. These individuals who really run the town propping them up cause they need their men in power," she said.
As it stands the hearing and the voter-led initiative for a recall election are moving forward.
"They want to send the message to all politicians that you need to learn. You guys need to listen to the voters and listen to the people. We elected you to be representatives of the people and not to be a king or a God," Leeds said.
Again, the hearing is set for Monday. That's when we'll find out if the recall election will be stalled in any way. We might also find out who's paying to win this fight.
NewsChannel 9 also spoke with Mayor John Cook today, look for our team coverage KTSM.com.