District 10 City Councilman Marc Whyte abused his authority when he intervened in a family law dispute back in April, the City of San Antonio's Ethics Review Bo
District 10 City Councilman Marc Whyte abused his authority when he intervened in a family law dispute back in April, the City of San Antonio 's Ethics Review Board voted late Wednesday evening.
In July, the ERB voted to have a public hearing in which Fischer could present the facts to the board, and where Whyte and Phipps could each make their case. That hearing occurred at 7 p.m. Wednesday night and lasted for nearly four hours. Instead, Phipps said, the officers told him they were there to investigate a complaint. A police report states Phipps’ ex wife called authorities alleging a juvenile at Phipps’ home was possibly in jeopardy. Whyte said Phipp’s ex wife also called his wife, Lorien, who then contacted him suggesting the potential need to involve San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
Pelaez, whom Whyte called as a witness in the hearing, told the board that it was him who had done most of the speaking with Salazar and the deputy. Fischer, in his presentation of facts, also revealed Pelaez had texted City Manager Erik Walsh, Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez and McManus about the situation, though Pelaez told the board that Whyte was unaware of his efforts to get in touch with Walsh, Villagomez and McManus.
“If the police officer said I said to look into Mr. Phipps carefully, I never spoke to this deputy or this officer,” Whyte responded. “I don’t know where, or why he would have said that.” Though, he said he did stress the seriousness to McManus via text message. ERB Chair Patrick Lang took a poll of the room to see how many individuals – that are not city employees – had McManus’ cell phone number, and few hands went up.
Pelaez replied that under the Texas Family Code, he and Whyte must report suspicions of child abuse to law enforcement – so he reached out to satisfy that obligation. At the conclusion of the hours long hearing, Whyte expressed his disagreement with the findings but did not share whether he would appeal.
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