GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE) – The mayor of Grants has been convicted of battery for hitting a council member following a city council meeting in 2023.
Story continues below
Trending: Ruidoso resident describes staying behind to help others while wildfires raged
News: The state responds to the water need in Las Vegas following flooding
Wildfire: Latest on South Fork Fire near Ruidoso
“This is the green chile mafia type of behavior where you just gang up and try to not try to go forward and move the city of Grants forward. People, I am trying to move this forward as you all see. We will be the safest cleanest community,” said Grants Mayor Erik Garcia at a city council meeting in May 2023.
Grants City Councilor George Garcia said after the meeting, the mayor attacked him physically. “After the meeting, my client George was standing within a doorway in which Mayor Garcia had moved in to walk past him in the doorway and that’s when he shoved him with his elbow,” said Robert Zamora, attorney for George Garcia.
According to court documents, the mayor elbowed Councilor George Garcia in the back after the meeting was over. George Garcia went to the hospital after the incident. The councilor claims the mayor also used vulgar language.
“It’s embarrassing, but he does feel that the mayor does need to be held accountable and hopefully that this does teach him that this kind of conduct isn’t appropriate and isn’t going to be tolerated by someone in such a position,” said Zamora.
Zamora said the incident last May occurred after a disagreement between the mayor and councilors on the appointment of a mayor pro team. “I’m a little shocked about our first discussion action item that you didn’t want to be mayor pro tem and how you guys collaborate and are trying to continue to do this little nonsense of whatever you guys are trying to do to me. City of Grants has not grown in a few years due to kind of stuff like this,” said Grants Mayor Erik Garcia at the same 2023 city council meeting.
A judge found the mayor guilty of battery and ordered him to write councilor George Garcia an apology. The mayor will also have to pay $50 to a local domestic violence prevention group.
Wednesday was the first city council meeting since last week’s conviction. KRQE News 13 reached out to council members to see if there are any plans to address the leadership role of the mayor but have not heard back.
“It is a battery charge, but it is still important that the message is sent that no one is above the law whether you’re the mayor of the city or what kind of influence that you have,” added Zamora.
KRQE News 13 spoke with Mayor Erik Garcia on Wednesday. He declined to comment.
