Michael Karlis
Ananda Tomas, executive director of police reform advocacy group Act 4 SA, accuses city attorney Andy Segovia of "undermining democracy" during a press conference at City Hall on Monday.
Supporters of the San Antonio Justice Charter said Segovia's claims earlier this month that the ballot initiative is "unenforceable" are an attempt to undermine the ballot measure before voters have a change to weigh in on it during the May election.
"We are tired of him subverting our will," said Ananda Tomas, executive director of police reform advocacy group Act 4 SA, during a press conference in front of City Hall. "He shot down paid sick leave, he shot down cite-and-release and now he's coming after the SA Justice Charter. It is time for him to side with the people."
If passed, the Justice Charter would, in theory, decriminalize possession of up to four ounces of marijuana and eliminate police enforcement of abortion care-related crimes. The Justice Charter would also codify the prioritization of issuing citations instead of arresting low-level, nonviolent offenders.
In a statement emailed to the Current, Segovia said that in his work providing legal advice to city officials, he's obligated to give sound advice mitigating legal risks for the city.
"I have met those obligations with respect to the proposed City Charter amendments.," he said. "We continue to stick to the facts and the law. A City Charter amendment cannot change State law.”
However, the passage of similar ballot initiatives decriminalizing cannabis in Austin and San Marcos should put aside Segovia's concerns that the Justice Charter is unenforceable under Texas law, Tomas said.
Advocates from immigrants rights group SA Stands also called out Segovia's decision to include language in a FAQ memo sent to city staff insinuating that the Justice Charter's aims of legalizing marijuana and abortion were "unethical."
"We disagree with the city attorneys framing [of the Justice Charter] as an issue of legalization," said Karen Muñoz, an attorney from the National Lawyers Guild of San Antonio. "We do not believe that a city attorney should be confusing voters in the way that he is."
The progressive groups gathered at City Hall said Segovia's job isn't to suppress the people's right to choose their own destiny. Rather, the attorney should be getting ready to fight for potential court battles if the ballot passes in May.
Segovia was unavailable for immediate comment.
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