Anthony, NM mayor seeking removal of board of trustee member through civil suit
ANTHONY, N.M. – Tension between the City of Anthony, New Mexico Mayor Diana Murillo and Board of Trustee Member Gabriel Holguin has increased in recent months, culminating in Murillo’s call for Holguin to be removed from office.
Since early 2022, when Murillo and Holguin began serving on the city's Board of Trustees together, the two policymakers have disagreed on issues such as hiring of a new city manager and inclusion or removal of meeting agenda items. This year, each has filed ethics complaints against the other.
On April 10, Murillo formally filed a civil suit in the Third Judicial District Court to remove Holguin from office.
Murillo has served as mayor of Anthony since 2016. She was reelected to office in 2021. Murillo was also elected to the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners for District 2 in 2020 for a four-year term. Holguin was elected to the Anthony Board of Trustees in 2021 at the age of 20.
Status of complaints
According to a 46-page complaint, Murillo cites Holguin’s removal of items from the board’s consent agenda, his incorrect use of city resources and wrongful involvement in city personnel matters as grounds for his removal.
An external investigation into these allegations and others against Holguin was completed by Jarmie & Rogers, P.C. an Albuquerque firm, at the request of Interim City Manager Mario Juarez Infante. The results were included in the legal complaint.
Civil suit filed to remove Gabriel Holguin from office by Leah Romero on Scribd
All complaints were sustained by the firm, apart from a complaint claiming Holguin made negative comments about the Anthony Police Department. The document notes that Holguin is permitted to voice his opinion when it comes to city departments.
Holguin held a press conference Monday, July 24 in the offices of his attorney, Yvonne Quintana, in Las Cruces. Quintana noted that the removal of Holguin from office would be essentially silencing the voices of the constituents who voted him into office. Quintana and Holguin both made it clear that they do not believe that Murillo’s claims are true.
More Anthony, New Mexico coverage:
Anthony's city council met, recited the pledge of allegiance, and adjourned. Here's why.
City of Anthony names former Wilson and Co. VP as interim city manager
“I'm challenging the status quo that has been (in) place with the City of Anthony, and when you … challenge the status quo, it doesn't go well, right? So as I'm here defending that, I took a vow to defend the people and to be transparent,” Holguin said. “I have no doubt that I will remain on the council after this court hearing.”
Roughly seven months previously, Holguin filed 13 ethics complaints against Murillo with several state entities, including the Secretary of State, the State Ethics Commission and the Office of the State Attorney General.
Gabriel Holguin Ethics Complaint against Diana Murillo by Leah Romero on Scribd
The document detailing the complaints cites Murillo incorrectly followed city ordinance when hiring a new city manager, inappropriately halted monthly budget workshops, incorrectly changed the order of public meetings, silenced public comment, does not include items introduced by Holguin on the agenda, removes Holguin’s agenda items and violates decorum policies.
Holguin said the motivation for filing the complaints was to bring attention to the issues he has witnessed, though no action has been taken by any of the government agencies he filed with. He said he was referred to the state attorney general’s office but believes nothing has been done because the issues are controversial and involve elected officials.
Holguin said he believes he has enough information and evidence to file a lawsuit against Murillo, but has not taken that action because of the damage infighting can do to the community.
Since Murillo filed her civil suit in the spring, a status conference was held on June 1 in which Murillo was not present.
Holguin’s attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the case. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 19 before District Court Judge James T. Martin.
Murillo could not be reached by email or phone for comment.
Others are reading:
Las Cruces City Councilor reflects on friendship with slain Alamogordo police officer
Local nonprofit organization launches Buck Cancer, providing full-spectrum oil to patients
Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Anthony, NM mayor seeking removal of board of trustee member through civil suit
