EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Metropolis Rep. Cassandra Hernandez accused ABC-7 of taking her out of context after we aired her response to a query about the usage of her taxpayer-funded fuel card. However you could be the decide. You’ll be able to see that response on the video participant above.
Hernandez was a visitor on The Buzz Adams Morning Present on KLAQ on Friday. She mentioned the usage of her city-issued gasoline card and her run for mayor of El Paso.
As a member of the Monetary Oversight and Audit Committee, Hernandez voted to approve the audit that discovered that her fuel card was used to spend almost $6,700 in 2022.
The Metropolis of El Paso’s Chief Inner Auditor stated he discovered Hernandez’s card use extreme. The audit confirmed she spent thousand of {dollars} greater than different metropolis representatives.
An individual referred to as KLAQ and stated that KVIA aired a clip the place she instructed us that she was the one one who used her fuel card.
“Has anybody in your loved ones or any buddies used your fuel card? Are you able to say immediately if it is simply you?” ABC-7 requested Hernandez in Might of 2023.
“Sure, I can confidently say I am the one one who makes use of it,” Hernandez responded. “The truth is, I’ve hundreds of {dollars} of non-public bills that we used for our household, for gasoline bills.”
When ABC-7 aired that response, we had been clear and aired our full query and her reply.
However on the radio phase Friday, she stated she was taken out of context.
“You talked about the KVIA story. I’ve requested them to share your entire assertion that I’ve stated,” Hernandez instructed the radio host. “Within the context of that dialog, it wasn’t associated to my husband. The query was referencing, , my primas, my cousins, , my mother, my household. What I thought-about to be my bills is together with my husband.”
Hernandez mantained she stated she did not lie.
“So, no, that was not a lie, however it was a missed alternative to make clear. KVIA refuses to do this,” Hernandez stated.
“Why would KVIA refuse to do this?” Buzz Adams requested Hernandez.
“I’ve requested, present your entire assertion and likewise it was fully taken out of context,” Hernandez stated.
However as you possibly can see on the video participant on the prime of this text, an extended clip exhibits the context earlier than the query and after the query.
ABC-7 didn’t ask her about her prolonged household. ABC-7 straight requested her to substantiate whether or not she was the one one utilizing her fuel card.
ABC-7’S query was clear and our reporting was full.
“We stand by our reporting concerning Cassandra Hernandez’s use of city-issued fuel playing cards,” stated Sean Flanagan,  ABC-7’s information director.
It is essential to notice, on the time, ABC-7 did not know her husband was the one who additionally used the gasoline card.
This is the timeline in 2023, when ABC-7 started to report on this.
Might 3: El Paso Metropolis Council mentioned the audit report that states Hernandez’s fuel card was possible used to gasoline two autos.
Might 9: Hernandez instructed ABC-7 she was the one one who makes use of the cardboard.
Might 25: ABC-7 obtained safety video that exhibits Hernandez’s husband utilizing her fuel card.
The footage captured him fueling his pickup truck with premium fuel.Â
We hope this places any inquiries to relaxation.
Hernandez ended up paying again town the $6,700.
The El Paso Ethics Fee discovered she discovered town’s ethics code in July of 2023. The fee issued a letter of reprimand.
The El Paso Police Division additionally investigated and stated investigators couldn’t discover something felony of their evaluation.
Town did not have any guidelines like spending limits concerning the fuel playing cards. Using the gasoline playing cards was terminated final yr.
Nevertheless, most not too long ago ABC-7 realized El Paso’s FBI accomplished an investigation into the usage of the fuel playing cards. It is now within the fingers of federal prosecutors who will resolve whether or not to pursue fees.