Councilman Accused of Job Threat
A city employee has accused Councilman Luis Hernandez of threatening him with loss of his job if the employee campaigns for Councilman Thomas E. Jackson, who is seeking reelection April 14.
Angel Melendrez, the city’s business license coordinator, alleges that Hernandez threatened him on March 16 at City Hall. The councilman apparently thought Melendrez had been campaigning for Jackson, Melendrez said.
Melendrez said Hernandez told him: “ ‘I’m warning you right now. Be careful, because you’re still a city employee.’ ”
Hernandez, who has no formal power to fire a city employee, said he discussed the election with Melendrez but denied that he had threatened him. “I would never make any threats like that to city employees,” Hernandez said. “They’re all entitled to their opinion.”
Melendrez said he plans to file a grievance against Hernandez. Melendrez said he attended Jackson’s campaign kickoff at the Huntington Park Casino but that he has not campaigned for the veteran councilman.
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