From the El Paso Times:
“The city of El Paso is complying with the order [suspending demolition in Duranguito] issued by the Eighth Court of Appeals,” [Mayor Dee] Margo said. “The city does not yet own or control the property within the MPC (Multipurpose Center) footprint and did not initiate — I repeat, the city did not initiate — the demolition.”
City Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth said the original injunction that was requested by the legal team of demolition opponent Grossman contained an action that would have required the city to revoke demolition permits that were issued to private property owners.
She said that action did not make it into the emergency ruling that was issued by the court Monday. Borunda Firth said when the city learned of this, it sent the property owners letters advising them of the order and requested their voluntary compliance.
“The answer that we got, which is correct, is they are not bound by this order,” Borunda Firth said. “They were going to proceed with their demolition.”
Wow. The order from the Eighth Court of Appeals didn’t come down till way after five. And then, the City Attorney sent letters to the property owners advising them of the order and requesting voluntary compliance. And the demolition team was in Duranguito at seven the next morning.
Who sends letters like that? Who delivers letters that fast?
Do you suppose that the letters looked something like this?
Dear Mr. Restrepo,
The Eighth Court of Appeals today issued an emergency order halting the destruction of the properties you own in Duranguito. However, the Appeals Court ruling only applies to the City. You could still destroy them, if you wanted to, and that way we could buy your properties and pay you all that money we promised you.
I’m writing to ask you to please, on a strictly voluntary basis, to not destroy those buildings, in which case we will not pay you the money we promised you.
I repeat, the court order doesn’t apply to you, and you can destroy them if you want, and we’ll pay you if you do, but we’re asking you not to.
Please.
Not too sincerely,
Sylvia Borunda Firth
City Attorney
City of El Paso
You’d think, with all the practice they get, they’d be better liars.
Is that the actual letter that went out from the City to the property owners?
Not as far as I know. But do you suppose it was something like that, hand-delivered by someone in the City Attorney’s office in the middle of the night?
Um, satire and sarchasm.