MONTEBELLO - Councilman Frank Gomez is seeking a restraining order against the husband of Mayor Christina Cortez, claiming that the man has threatened him with violence on two occasions, once by phone and a second time at a recent council meeting.
And because of his position as an elected official, Gomez has requested that the city pay for all legal costs associated with his attempts to obtain the protective order.
In two separate police reports filed last year with the Montebello Police Department, Gomez alleges that Cortez's husband, Ruben Guerrero, made criminal threats against him after a business event in June and during an outburst at a November council meeting.
Guerrero, who does not deny making the statements, said the incidents stemmed from the heated disputes and relentless attacks lodged against Cortez since she took her seat in 2010.
"Frank Gomez has been disrespecting my wife for the last two years," Guerrero said. "It's personal to me because it's my wife and the mother of my children. I don't deny it, but I was angry."
The cases are currently under investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
In the meantime, the council in closed session this week voted 2-1 to support funding Gomez's legal fees. Councilman Art Barajas voted against the move.
"I've asked the city for them personally to get a restraining order due to safety
reasons in that I feel Mr. Guerrero ... is prone to violence and may a third time come after me based on what he's done in the past," Gomez said."The city needs to support not just me but any elected official who can potentially be hurt, killed, maimed by perpetrators out there irrespective of who it is."
Whether the city has any legal obligation to do so is still being considered by the city attorney's office, city officials said.
According to Gomez, the first alleged threat occurred on June 15, a day after Cortez and Gomez got into a political dispute at a city function.
Guerrero allegedly left a voice mail on Gomez's fiance's phone, leaving Gomez fearing for his safety.
According to police reports and a recording Gomez played at Wednesday's council meeting during public comment, Guerrero told the councilman that he "crossed the line."
"You tell him that I'm going to kick his (expletive) when I see him," Guerrero said, according to reports. "He's crossed the line, tell Frank that I'm looking for him."
Gomez filed a second police report after Guerrero allegedly threatened him with physical violence at a Nov. 28 council meeting. Gomez at the time was making a case for why Cortez should not be sworn in as mayor.
"Just for the record, pick on my wife in front of me and see what happens," Guerrero said, according to a tape of the meeting and police reports.
Cortez did not return a call for comment.
Guerrero said that despite Gomez's position as a public official, he would not tolerate disrespect of his family.
"He's trying to get a restraining order just to make my wife look bad," Guerrero said. "They've always been rude to my wife. If they're supposed to be people we look up to, they need to earn the respect and give it at the same time."
"And now that the city is going to pay for this, it's bull," he added.
Gomez said safety for all elected officials is paramount.
"If I cannot be free in a public setting to voice my disagreements with (Cortez) on a political standpoint in potential fear that he may come after me, my rights as a council person and former mayor are being violated," he said.
juliette.funes@sgvn.com
626-544-0813
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