Fifth Circuit Gives Qualified Immunity to Corrupt City Officials



On July 29, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit released a published opinion in the case of Sylvia Gonzalez v. Edward Trevino, Mayor of Castle Hills that now appears to be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is an important First Amendment Retaliation case where qualified immunity is the key issue. Qualified immunity is the most important issue in the fight for the civil rights of the American people. It must be defeated, which is why you need to learn about cases like this, which the media will never tell you about.

Read more, including the opinion: https://thecivilrightslawyer.com/2022/08/03/fifth-circuit-gives-qualified-immunity-to-city-officials-after-free-speech-retaliation-arrest-of-councilwoman/

The IJ’s earlier video: https://youtu.be/bIu1s3srVWo

Institute For Justice website: https://ij.org

Info on this case from the IJ’s website: https://ij.org/press-release/texas-federal-judge-tosses-qualified-immunity-defense-in-first-amendment-retaliation-case/

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45 thoughts on “Fifth Circuit Gives Qualified Immunity to Corrupt City Officials”

  1. The title is wrong. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals didn’t decide the qualified immunity issue. It only determined that the city officials didn’t violate her constitutional rights in that the officers’ conduct didn’t fall within the Nieves exception.

  2. The police have NO incentive, under the qualified immunity doctrine to be truthful, accurate, let alone lawful. From Henry II to Present, qualified immunity really has not existed. There is no tradition of qualified immunity, whether that is from the signing of the Magna Carta, or up to the Boston Massacre and signing of the Constitution afterwords. Whether it's the Geneva Conventions, or Military Code of Uniform Justice, "law" enforcement are just civilians who are favored and privileged by the government. Qualified Immunity can't withstand equal protection because its discrimination on it's very face.

  3. It's obvious that the Supreme Court should treat this case like they have for unions for years!
    A boss can lose his business to a union for threatening employees to join.
    Employees have the right to make decisions but it's a vote that many later regret.
    It's a petition!
    Retaliation should put the imbeciles in jail. What corruption is the city trying to cover up?
    The petition should be put up for a vote.

  4. QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS NOT A LAW!!!!!! that is why this keeps going to court!!!!! the supreme court doesn't have the spine to rule once and for all on it. the people's representatives never voted for this

  5. 37.10 a3 and c1…. Intentionally destroy, conceals, removes or otherwise impairs…. A government record…
    Oohhh ..YOU MEAN LIKE WHEN COPS TURN OFF or DELET THEIR BODY CAMS ???
    How is that not EXACTLY what this law should be CRUSHING

  6. So they have detectives working misdemeanor cases? When the yuppies arrived with CCTV, in the 1980s the crime rate plummeted. Not to be put out of a job, they made virtually every minor offense bigger, and fined most people…and stopped imprisoning hardened criminals for long sentences..that just cost them money.

  7. absolute filthy dirt bag scum mayor and detective and all others involved in charging her with this trumped up crap. they deserve to be under the jail. she needs to hire a private investigator to dig up dirt on these scumbags and expose them publicly. filthy slime bags.

  8. Follow up to my last comment about a woman recklessly being accused of….,regarding the movie Meet John Doe, in my comment,a sidebar I just stumbled across,the movie made in the 30's is based on a story published in Century Magazine by Richard Connell titled A Reputation,will have to go on a hunt..yes the last name of the author is Connell, not Connelly

  9. The people that comment on the way you say Bexar must not have anything better to do, I live in BEX-AR county , I think it’s funny, and I applaud what you do for our rights , isn’t too many that will take a stand like you . Thank you for doing what you do . I could tell you how city officials/ Sherriff are putting the convinces of a wealthy gated community over the rights of us peons by letting them come out an illegal exit gate placed in a dead end that goes by my house, so the wealthy ones don’t have to drive a half mile down the access road to a turn around.

  10. "Weaponizing" indictments is transparent and cowardly…that's what's happening here.

    It's very similar to an arrest in which the DA 'adds' five or six minor charges, and then 'graciously' agrees to drop everything else if you will just plead 'guilty' to the one charge, often branding you a felon for the rest of your life.

    We can only hope the Supreme Court can see through this charade.

  11. I really enjoy most of your content, but this constant media bashing is uncalled for. It's a town of 5000 people, so it's not like it's pinging big time radar. If you want the media to cover it, make them aware of it! This is the kind of stuff 60 minutes covers all the time. I'm sure there are Austin papers that would jump all over it. Remember, while "freedom is scary" the press is the 4th branch of government in our system of checks and balances – use it, don't denigrate it.

  12. First, the reason there were no prior cases is quite probably because all prior parties were not charged — possibly none of them were caught, but also possibly none of them were political opponents. Second, 'laws' too mild to be enforced should be removed from legislation to avoid the temptation for politicians to use them for retaliation. Legislation should be reserved for acts that harm (or at least often harm) others. Third, I strongly agree regarding the Institute for Justice. I have donated several times and it is about time for my next.

  13. I live in San Antonio which Castle Hills is a small town inside of. This case is even more egregious than what is presented here for 2 MAJOR reasons.
    (1) She is the person who actually drafted the petition. Therefore, she would have obviously had her own personal copy of it… As well as saved on her home computer.
    (2) She didn't take the petition home, but it merely "accidently" got mixed up in the pile of papers she gathered together to put back in her binder, at the end of the meeting. Suspiciously, her back was turned from where she was sitting (with the binder of papers out of her possession), when she walked towards one of the council members who asked to speak to her. When she returned to get her binder, one of the other eagle-eyed tyrant's involved, somehow noticed that HER petition was sticking out of her stack of papers, and asked her about it. When she looked thru papers, she was shocked, and wondered how that petition could have ended up amongst her papers.

    Even though meeting was recorded, somehow the angle where her binder was left alone wasn't captured on video.

    Plus, the DEA refused to pursue this case and drop the charges Hmmmm….

  14. Qualified immunity is fundamentally unconstitutional.

    1. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that it does not violate the rights of the people. So, claiming that their officers and workers didn't know any better does not negate the fact that the rights were violated. Ignorance does not acquit.

    2. The constitution demands the government do nothing to interfere with the peoples ability to redress grevieinces against the government. Meaning they can't make up rules that prevent you from holding them accountable.

    There's no other argument that needs to be given.

  15. This is clearly an abuse of authority over free speech. Like you said she didn't do this with the intent to destroy or alter the petition and was taken home by accident. It sound like one of the other members of council wanted the document or maybe the city manager so they can destroy it. Who has more to gain if it goes missing? That's right the city manager because then the petition would have had him removed so he has everything to gain. This has corruption written all over it.

  16. Another prime example of a corrupt government and its over reach. Much like the jailing of Jan 6th citizens left in a prison indefinitely. Different in scope but the same retaliatory action. Suggest a go fund me site for this lady.

  17. Government officials can hide behind qualified immunity and continue to abuse the people since they are immune from laws they swear to support, obey and defend. This is complete nonsense. Abolish qualified immunity.

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