BERNALILLO COUNTY TREASURER MANNY ORTIZ HAS FILED A CLAIM AGAINST THE COUNTY IN STATE DISTRICT COURT, NAMING ALL FIVE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND TWO FORMER TOP EXECUTIVES. ORTIZ TELLS THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL THAT THEY VIOLATED HIS RIGHTS AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST HIM BECAUSE HE’S LATINO. HE SAYS IT WAS PART OF A CONSPIRACY TO BOOT HIM OUT OF OFFICE.
THE CASE STARTED TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE COUNTY WOULDN’T PAY FOR A LAWYER FOR ORTIZ IN A LEGAL RECALL PETITION AGAINST HIM. THEN ORTIZ’S LAWYER IN THE RECALL CASE … CHRIS LUCERO JR. … SUED HIM AND THE COUNTY TO RECOVER 27-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS.
