Texas Mayor Grace Saenz-Lopez has resigned soon after her indictment over the on-going sage of a a Shih Tzu named Puddles. Saenz-Lopez and her twin sister were indicted in the conspiracy to steal Puddles — who appears to hold a strange hypnotic effect over humans.
Saenz-Lopez has been indicted on two felony counts of tampering with physical evidence in a case related to her neighbors pet. She faces the charges with her twin sister, Graciela Garcia.
It reportedly began when Saenz-Lopez took in Puddles as a favor for her neighbors while they were on vacation over the summer. One day later, while on vacation, the neighbors, Rudy Gutierrez and Shelly Cavazos, received a call from the mayor that Puddles was dead.
Then, three months later, the neighbors received a call from a relative who spotted Puddles at a groomer. Now called Panchito, the dog was clearly the same. They filed a police report that led a television crew to track the dog down to the home of the twin, who insisted that a “mysterious lady” had found the dog and dropped it off.
Garcia will face a charge of concealing evidence. Both could also face tort lawsuit for trespass to chattel and even intentional infliction of emotion distress over their treatment of the neighbors.
In the meantime, it is the lawyer who has ended up with the prize. Attorney Homero Canales, who represents the mayor and her twin sister, is keeping Puddles in his office.In the meantime, Canales insists that his clients acted to save Puddles from abuse. He has insisted that “She loves the little dog . . . She told me that if she were a single woman, she would not care if she went to jail for the rest of her life before she would give the dog back.” She may not have a choice.
In her resignation letter, the former Mayor states that “I am sorry for the division that the events of these last few weeks have caused. It was never my intention to bring any negative exposure to our city.”
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/02/17/freedom-of-speech-and-freedom-from-knowledge-only-one-in-1000-americans-polled-could-name-the-five-freedoms-of-the-first-amendment/#comment-6774
“jonathanturley 1, February 18, 2008 at 8:43 am
Patty C:
I have the same view of Geraldo that Deeply Worried has of the Simpsons. However, I must confess some interest in this canine siren of human destruction. I hope that you took a lesson from Perseus in facing the Medusa and used a polished shield to avoid looking directly at Puddles.”
JT, I’m telling you there’s something other-worldly about this little ball of fluff.
First of all, I was channel surfing, after the Simpsons btw, as I am not a Fox regular, much less a Geraldo fan. And there he was-Panchito aka Puddles. What were the chances?
And, ‘No’, as I got up and drew nearer, to get a good look, he turned his little head to the camera for the long awaited close-up and we were literally nose to nose. Ack! I was mesmerized.
Everybody was on – the former owners, the guardian/lawyer, the sisters.
Maybe they’ll all be doing the circuit…soon.
Wild update from Detroit (Feb. 5, 2008):
Judge has ordered release of ALL documents pertaining to the sudden settlement of a $9 million lawsuit brought on by three police officers against the mayor. The officers had evidence that the mayor was carrying on an extramarital affair probably using city tax dollars; the mayor subsequnetly and unjustly fired the three. The judge ruled a city cannot enter into “confidentiality agreements” assumed to have been doen to supress the embarassing details of the mayor’s activity.
The mayor denied under oath during the trial of the affair. Since then, new evidence (probably leaked from the confidential settlement agreement) indicates he lied under oath. A 2004 Michigan Supreme Court ruling says perjury does NOT have to be material.
After the judge ruled today to release ALL documents, the mayor (apparently not in need of city council affirmation) announced “the city will immeidately appeal this decision”.
Will this all end up staying in state court or do the feds move in and take it over?
Check it out at wxyz.com
Now that is funny.
Pretty soon he’ll have his own show – ‘The Man Whisperer’
Patty C:
I regret that there is no way to stop the madness. It is just part of the dark reign of Puddles and his control over humans.
You stepped in it, now…
Jonathan started it – tell HIM to stop!
Now both of you just stop it. Just stop it right now! 🙂
This is shocking considering her doggedly persistent denials…
This story gives one “paws”….