CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi's City Council appointed Tuesday a new commissioner to replace Rick Valls, the City's current appointee on the Port of Corpus Christi Authority Commission.
Gabriel Guerra was appointed to serve on the Port Authority Commission starting Dec. 31, when Valls' term comes to an end.
Tuesday's vote came not long after City Manager Peter Zanoni and City Attorney Miles Risley received a letter from Valls' attorney, Mikal Watts, asking that the City delay the vote pending an investigation into "false, slanderous and defamatory comments" that were made.
The comments Watts' letter refers to stem from allegations that were allegedly leaked by City of Corpus Christi officials and reported on by other media outlets last week -- that Valls had approached Councilman Billy Lerma with a bribe.
3News confirmed last week that those allegations had been brought to the Nueces County District Attorney's attention and were put before a grand jury. District Attorney Mark Gonzalez told 3News the grand jury determined that the incident did not rise to the level of criminality.
Along with the unheeded demand that Council indefinitely postpone their vote on Valls' reappointment, Valls' attorney asks for the immediate suspension of several City of Corpus Christi officials, including the city manager, city attorney and multiple councilmembers.
The letter also asks for the preservation of all documents and communications regarding Valls and another candidate for appointment to the Port Authority, and for the City to provide that information to Valls' attorneys.
Still, despite the request to postpone Tuesday's vote, Council went forward with the vote and appointed Guerra, effective Dec. 31.
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