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City Attorney Rene De Coss
Long time observers of city government are witnessing something they've never seen before at City Commission meetings; pushback against real-time rulings of the City Attorney. These have been gentle tussles, typically with City Attorney Rene De Coss volunteering to reword some of the City Code, or, as was the case at last Tuesday night's City Commission meeting, when Mr. De Coss ruled that since the City Code called for "owners" to be counted, not simply "lots," in determining votes for renaming a city street, that would be his best legal position.
If De Coss occasionally finds himself on the proverbial hot seat, it's because he's the only City Attorney to have actually done real work on the City Charter and Ethics Code in many, many years. His predecessor, Mark Sossi, City Attorney for the better of a decade, never did.
De Coss's approach and demeanor is decidedly different, actually in stark contrast to that of Mark "It's Legal!" Sossi, who would frequently stride to the podium to pronounce anything the mayor and city commission proposed as "legal."
Simply put, Sossi, pictured at left, was an enabler, ever conscious of job security. while De Coss is conscientiously trying to render a legal opinion.
Note what De Coss told the commissioners at the December 3 meeting: "That's my best legal opinion, but the commission has the final say."
Looking back, Mark Sossi was simply not a good hire in March of 2009. His previous employer, Willette & Guerra, had proven in court that Sossi had pocketed $167,363 intended for the firm, while the Texas Workforce Commission found that he'd done the same thing with $20,711.66 earmarked for unemployment benefits. A $100,000 IRS tax lien and multiple malpractice lawsuits in Sossi's private practice further spoke to his character.
It's noteworthy as well, that, while retained by the City of Brownsville at a salary or $120,000 annually, Sossi also did part-time lawyering for the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation at $60,000 per year.
De Coss, given the same opportunity, declined, indicating it would be a conflict of interest working for both entities.
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Friday, December 6, 2019
NOTING THE SHARP CONTRAST BETWEEN THE CURRENT AND FORMER BROWNSVILLE CITY ATTORNEY
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You fool, there hasn't been a tough-ass city attorney since Rey Cantu!
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ReplyDeleteRacially polarized politics started long before Trump, Trump just lit a match to it. Republicans began exploiting race -e.g., "welfare cadillacs," Willie Horton - as a means to demarc the party of white Americans (GOP) from the Democratic Party.
It cynically appropriated religion, family values and patriotism and presently characterizes the Democratic Party as the party of "free stuff" and "open borders" to signal to White voters that the GOP is an exclusive club whose membership is restricted to real Americans (i.e., Whites). It trashes majority African American cities as shitholes and lionizes White voters in rural red states. Trump trolls, like Tad Hasse, who indignantly object to being tarred with the brush of racism, couldn't be more transparent if they tried. Politics today has everything to do with race and maintaining the entitlement and demographic majority of White voters.
Trump is so unethical and criminal that the law is always investigating him. He likes to commit crimes and get away with them. He cares little for those he hurts with his crimes. He really does NOT like it when he is held accountable for his crimes and is forced to face justice.
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he AP reports that there was an open microphone when Trump talked to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Trump was over heard saying how do you want us to cover this shooting up. My family and I will do whatever it takes to help you as long as you help me and my family personally.
ReplyDeleteTrump is cutting some $5 billion from food stamps program.
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1) lack of physical stamina to work what are usually grueling minimum wage jobs
2) inability to stand for 8 hours at a time because of various otherwise non-debilitating injuries
3) serious emotional depression, diagnosed or undiagnosed, that may not officially qualify as a handicap
4) moderate challenges with alcohol or drugs that may not officially qualify for rehabilitation but hamper the ability to do well in a job
5) no driver’s license and/or no private vehicle
6) unreliable bus service to get to many jobs
7) unable to live close to many jobs because of lack of affordable housing
8) discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and/or age
9) discrimination based on past criminal record
10) the need to care for family members at home
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