The city’s longtime chief internal auditor is alleging city officials, including former City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, retaliated against him after he audited fuel card usage by elected officials.
“The harassment has been terrible, terrible,” Chief Internal Auditor Edmundo Calderon said in a phone interview with El Paso Matters. “To the point where it was cruel – this is why I had to seek legal representation.”
Calderon is pursuing the grievance process for a workplace complaint with the city’s human resources department and is giving notice to the city that a claim for a violation of the whistleblower statute will be filed with the state, according to a letter obtained by El Paso Matters. The letter was sent to Mayor Oscar Leeser and City Attorney Karla Nieman on July 21 by attorney Laura Enriquez, who is representing Calderon. The letter was first reported by the El Paso Times.
Hernandez said Calderon is “unjustly” singling her out.
“I have not lodged any complaints against Mr. Calderon, and his allegations remain unsupported and inaccurate,” Hernandez said in an emailed statement to El Paso Matters. “The auditor is well aware that decisions concerning his employment with the City of El Paso are not made unilaterally by me.”
The City Attorney’s Office declined El Paso Matters’ request for comment because it is a “personnel matter.” Leeser also declined to comment because Calderon’s complaint involves personnel matters and possible...
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