Socorro Mayor Under Investigation

The week before last, the city council voted unanimously to have an outside investigation conducted to look into matters relating to Mayor Elia Garcia.

Again showing the level of transparency synonymous of the City with a Mission, there were almost no details released as to specifics of the investigation. Apparently their city council hasn't learned from the last time there was an investigation of their mayor about being transparent with the community.

But aside for making the same blunder again, the fact that it was a unanimous vote to conduct the investigation is a pretty big development. Mayor Garcia has a very close ally on council in Ralph Duran, and even he voted in favor of the investigation.

However sources within the city of Socorro indicate that word around the water cooler is that the investigation is related to the court case I've written about in which Garcia (an attorney) took on one of her own constituents as a client and against her own police department.

Many people thought that having an attorney as mayor was going to be a major upgrade for Socorro but that turns out to have been a bust. Even with an attorney the mayor's office is still a point of controversy.

It is unclear as to what the specific ramifications of the investigation are, but in previous investigations surrounding mayors, the end result was usually removal from office. Obviously that would be yet another blow to the public confidence in Socorro city government but it could have some other ramifications for Mayor Elia Garcia.

If this investigation does surround the aforementioned court case, depending on what the investigation says, there could be some discipline leveled against Garcia. It could range from absolutely nothing to having her license to practice law in jeopardy.

If - and we don't know the specifics because council hasn't indicated what the investigation is looking into - there are any findings related to abuse of authority (possibly acting as mayor and an attorney for a party simultaneously) then there could be criminal charges.

The point is, we just don't know. Again, an investigation could result in absolutely nothing or it could involve serious criminal charges. Socorro residents are left wondering until the investigation is completed.