A Grandma's Retaliatory Arrest: IJ Takes Her Fight to the Supreme Court
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- Опубліковано 7 бер 2024
- Americans have a long tradition of running for office with the goal of improving their local communities. After a fulfilling career in communications, Sylvia Gonzalez did just that. She knocked on the doors of 500 residents in Castle Hills, Texas, and squeezed out a win, beating a well-connected and powerful incumbent.
ij.org/case/castle-hills-reta...
After her election, Sylvia got right to work. Acting on her campaign promise, she helped spearhead a citizens’ petition advocating for the removal of Castle Hills’ city manager Ryan Rapelye. The petition was a non-binding vote of no confidence in Rapelye, who had come under criticism for mistreating his employees and failing to address citizens’ concerns, such as fixing their streets.
The petition did not sit well with Castle Hills’ incumbents, whose interests were well-represented by the city manager. Within weeks of winning her election, the harassment began. First, the city attorney, who was aligned with the mayor and the city manager, claimed Sylvia wasn’t properly sworn in and replaced her on the city council with the woman she’d just beaten. When a judge reinstated Sylvia, the city officials didn’t give up.
In fact, that was only the beginning. In the midst of their attempt to unseat her, the mayor and police chief used bogus charges and a rarely-used law to have Sylvia arrested, booked, and thrown in jail-but she had done nothing wrong. Once the county prosecutor got involved, he dropped the case against her.
Finally, after beating back the city twice, a group of citizens aligned with the mayor filed a lawsuit claiming Sylvia was incompetent. Sylvia stood her ground and won-but by then the damage had been done. Sylvia’s mugshot had been splashed across the news and her reputation dragged through the mud. Exhausted-with tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills-she stopped the fight to reclaim her seat.
The city’s retaliation clearly violates Sylvia’s First Amendment rights. If America’s democracy means anything at all, it means that a city can’t arrest its residents for speaking out against a city manager. The fundamental right of political speech is high in the hierarchy of First Amendment values and the courts exist to ensure that it is protected.
On September 29, 2020, Sylvia partnered with the Institute for Justice to file a federal lawsuit against Castle Hills to vindicate her First Amendment rights and hold the city officials accountable. On October 13, 2023, after a prolonged fight with the government over qualified immunity, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari to Sylvia to review whether the Fifth Circuit correctly sided with the Castle Hills officials on that issue.
The people that conspired against Sylvia should be criminally charged.
That conspiracy was likely a violation of the Texas Open Meetings act. If you have a voting majority of the council at anything other than a come and go social event, it must be posted 72 hours in advance according to the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) in the Texas Government Code. Even emergency meetings must be posted so citizens can see what their government is doing.
Qualified immunity harms the public thousands of times a year. End qualified immunity. Government needs to be held accountable and use common sense.
I love IJ. I cannot tolerate bullies, but way too often people rely upon karma to make things right which is essentially just an excuse for them not to stand up to the bully.
True, many don’t have the financial resources to fight the fight and that’s when IJ steps up like a big brother. God Bless!
I have seen QI work in favor of the claimant, for example, a while back a man was arrested, he was treated brutally because he was drunk and not following orders but he did not strike police. The policeman threw him down and broke his neck making him quadriplegic. The payout was huge, something like 30 Million dollars. Now if the officer lost Qualified immunity, that man would never have received funds in the Millions because you can't get blood from a stone, officers simply don't have that kind of money, even if they own a home, cars, boats, bikes etc it would not be enough to take care of this man until his death. He needs constant 24 hours nursing in his home. Anyhow, because of QI, the sum of money came from the Police Insurance fund and about $10 million more came from the Police Union. So you see, in some circumstances it comes in handy. You've got to be careful what you wish for because if there was No QI, this poor man would have received a few hundred thousand dollars, perhaps attached himself to the Officers pension getting a tiny part of that and that's all folks.
"Trumped up" takes on new nuances' w the blatant abuses against Mr. Trump.
I agree on the QI and accountability for our public servants. The problem with you statement is that "common sense" is not that common, and is actually quite rare now.
Also stops activist from bringing about numerous slap suits to achieve their partisan means, which is an extremely negative stance for all sides when all someone has to do to get their way is file the most paperwork
Abolish Qualified Immunity. Take away the brazenness of public employees to abuse their office against the citizens.
The other thing that needs to be eliminated are the agreements on settlements of legal issues and damage by public officials where both sides agree to non-disclosure. The public never gets to figure out the crooked stuff that goes on and no-one will comment because either the lawsuit is pending or it is settled with a non-disclosure agreement in place.
city council members ONLY have "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but they do not have the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
Thats the concept of "qualified immunity" but that is not usually the case when it is claimed by the accused OR when it is declared by the judiciary. Qualified immunity has moved from a safeguard to a legal means of sidestepping culpability by everyone from cops to administrators
Whoever is doing this understands they are destroying our society. I've lost everything to them.
The 9 member SCOTUS is listed on Dun & Bradstreet as a PRIVATE Corporation owned by the Crown Corporation of the Rothschilds, and Patrick is a member of the BAR, another PRIVATE Corporation also owned by the Crown Corporation. "You have owners. They OWN you." - George Carlin (No Joke) "You are a slave, Neo." - The Matrix
Or CONSPIRACY
…unless you can prove intent and prior knowledge of the laws being violated.
“It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.” Thomas Sowell
Great quote about Donald Trump from Sowell.
I hope no muppet comments about any uniparty member when this is about humans in power with QI. I don’t know or care what party Sylvia votes for
@@acspicer Joe Biden pays no price for his possession of illegally obtained documents because of his age and cognitive issues.
All politicians not just him.
@@aywitb911 I’m sure it’s fun to imagine so.
If it was not for IJ the people would have NO RIGHTS! Thank You... IJ.
We are the government. We have allowed criminals in to our leadership positions.
The levels of corruption in small-town America are quite staggering. What is being done to bring this under control?
Apparently nothing! Fear's an extremely powerful weapon! People need to fight back by any means necessary!
Nothing because it starts at the top and sh&t rolls down hill. We have been sleeping too long and the house is filthy and stinks to high heaven! If we unify we can clean this mess up.
Look around. Corruption and all out CAPTURE has infiltrated every nook and cranny of governance in this country. What we are currently witnessing is a Modern Age Fall of Rome
If you don't help your neighbors when the cops attacks them. Why would your neighbors help you when they eventually come for you.
We are their employers and are responsible for what they are doing.
"Little fiefdoms" - thats a great label for these petty tyrants. I hope that creep who tightened her handcuffs is not able to hide from the wheels of justice as they grind very fine.
Many towns I and people I know have been to and lived in, that's what they are. Even HOAs are little fiefdoms. It's all about power. Shame, isn't it?
An elected legislator in Ohio was arrested at a meeting, while she was representing those who elected her.
I'd never heard of Castle Hills, Texas before. Now I'll remember as a cesspool of corruption.
Don’t drive or stop in this town; might end up in the clink.
And a place to avoid.
The entire state
A looooot more cesspools out there.
This is not a one-off, when you hear the term good ole boys network, this is the sort of stuff that is done. This is not a redneck thing, as it can happen in either conservative or liberal based towns and cities. It probably hides a little better in larger cities. It exists all over this country and around the world.
wtf is wrong with those cops? treating an old lady like that.
Many of them ‘just follow orders’ and are skum
This is a very good and important question you ask. Sadly, there is no short answer to it; volumes could be written but that would only scratch the surface.
What's wrong is they've been in their gilded cages too long nobody's reached out and touched these people like they need to be touched
@@katwiltz1134 not in the fun touch way either..
Blame JR Trevino, the mayor is behind this.
She should sue for defamation the city and the each person involved.
Malicious prosecution. It is a charge you can put into a 1983 for like police officers for making stuff up and stacking charges. It sounds like it's for prosecutors but in the 1983 it can be for cops and other officials involved in the charging process.
You really think that's gonna work? Godbless your heart.
The 9 member SCOTUS is listed on Dun & Bradstreet as a PRIVATE Corporation owned by the Crown Corporation of the Rothschilds, and Patrick is a member of the BAR, another PRIVATE Corporation also owned by the Crown Corporation. "You have owners. They OWN you." - George Carlin (No Joke) "You are a slave, Neo." - The Matrix
@@Montross4440obviously it can work if IJ is representing her and they are going to the Supreme Court to argue their case. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
That is why she's going to the Supreme Court
What a nice Lady who seems to care about her city, pity she's been shafted by the Mayor and the other council members who don't . I hope she gets the justice she wants or needs.
That's what happens to nice people who care about their community.
@@laurabutler6253 It's what can happen when "the little people" actually make an unexpected win against those in power. Only the powerful and politically connected are supposed to play according to the corrupt officials in her town and in many other towns across the US. It's criminal.
Hopefully SCOTUS will bring in a clear decision in Sylvia Gonzales' favour, the people of Castle Hills will see it and turf the mayor, the mayor's political henchmen and any judges involved at their next elections.
Did the DA who said she committed no crime immediately press charges on the officers who arrested her?
We need to get rid of Qualified Immunity across the board.
Four STATES have abolished QUALIFIED IMMUNITY. All STATES NEED TO FOLLOW SUIT. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, NO ONE.
How stupid and corrupt have the justices and judges below the level of the Supreme Court become, in order for it to be necessary to take a case like this to the Supreme Court. It's mind-boggling to me that an attorney would even take the case on behalf of this criminal organization of a city, and then to push it through the courts is just insane.
Psychopathy is one hell of a disease.
You at least can hold em accountable, try that with SCOTUS, they explicitly decided ages ago they didn't want to be held accountable and thus only had to sign a nonbinding ethics agreement, one that can't even be enforced at all. Talk about making the ram the gardener!
@@EnraEnerato the American people need to accept evil is real and the only way to expel it is to actually do it ourselves, or at least, not rely on COMPLETE strangers to do it.
@@WhoDatGuyJJust remember that "rules and consequences" are what makes us different from animals. You have to do things like that from by the book, or what ever else you put in place will just as easily crumble to corruption.
@@EnraEnerato if the 'book' is our collective conscience then I agree. If the 'book' is penstrokes of Psychopaths then there's an issue. We just need to reject violence and aggression against others. Stop forcing opinions on others. Stop turning peaceful ppl into criminals.
Sylvia is a rockstar!! I followed this from the start. She is the ideal American citizen who wasn’t prepared for the horrendous crimes that were perpetrated against her. She is so courageous to take on this fight with IJ. She the epitome of grace under fire. Thank you, Sylvia!!!
What a lovely, smart articulate lady, I hope the people of Castle Hill realize the corruption in their town and elect her Mayor to clean up this fiefdom.
It sounds like she's done with political life after this, and who can blame her? Unless Castle Hills voters remove these corrupt officials at the next election, they've won. It'll be up to others now to take up the fight.
There needs to be a meticulous investigation of the city government.
We should dissolve the department of Justice. The fact that they cannot bother themselves to investigate this at a federal level and bring this mayor and police chief in on racketeering charges is shameful. We don't need a department of justice if they dont take on cases like this.
While I agree this case is larger than what happened to her, the correct place to start is gbe the state attorney general. As this lady stated it's onky because of the IJ she can take this up to the supreme court.
@davepirtle9790 and that's why this will continue to happen. The US constitution is a list of things that no government within the US is supposed to be able to take from a citizen. Unfortunately, it has no teeth. No one who violates the rights of citizens is held accountable. They don't fear jail time or even getting fired. The only way to get it to stop is if every right violated is considered a law broken and the perpetrators go to jail. The state can have them when the feds are done, and they can serve consecutive sentences if they also violated her rights on a state level.
Qualified immunity is little more than a license to commit crimes under the color of law. Need to ban and void all corporate charters of government offices and their departments and return them back to their original non corporat form for accountability.
Q. I. ONLY is "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but not the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
@@pnuttheclownh2254 Regulatory tyranny is based on tyranny under the color of law; just like self decreed "qualified immunity" is color of law.
UA-cam deleted my reply
@@Oldhogleg yes because it was offensive.
@@pnuttheclownh2254 Yes. The truth always is.
Smells like a good old boys club.
It could just be your upper lip that woman cop she smelled like corruption to me no black or white no man or woman this is just about the blue
So now she is being gangstalked because she tried to clean up the town. Absolutely abhorrent
This incident just shows how badly we need to have term limits. not just for Politicians but also for bureaucrats.
Little fish, little pond. We'll see if they can tread water in the deep end. And the attorney that aided this conspiracy should be disbarred.
You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "Conspiracy!"
Too bad NOTHING will come of THEIR crimes against HER!
The aiding DA, judges, police department and officers etcetera.
@@ClarityDeterminationDidn't the DA repeatedly drop the charges the moment they reached his desk? Looks like the council and police were going behind his back in order to get the charges filed and make the arrests.
@@karlrovey If that's true then maybe the DA should be investigating the council and the police for racketeering.
Keep fighting against the corruption. You're doing the people's work.
Evil at its finest.
The swamp is being exposed.
If the city officials have qualified immunity, how is it that Sylvia did not have qualified immunity? Laws have to be consistent.
Civil vs criminal. They cannot sue Silvia easily but dan make up BS to charge criminal,y
I hope and pray that the institute for Justice is richly rewarded by generous benefactors for all the good work they do.
It's about power and corruption. They want no one that can possibly challenge their corruption and bring it to light.
The Constitution dictates that we should lean towards innocence first, officers should be required to lean this direction as well and use caution.
So shameful. Thank God for IJ 👏👏👏
Prayers for Miss Gonzalez. May her attorney be swift and cunning and expose the misdeeds of petty local tyrants!
Could this be the end of qualified immunity? SCOTUS seems to be willing to reverse themselves on Chevron, so why not this?
That would stop most of the government corruption.
Q. I. ONLY is "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but not the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
@@pnuttheclownh2254Except that it is FAR too often awarded to those who act criminally UNDER color of law. Justbecause something was written, initiated and installed with a certain use in mind does not mean that it will forever be viewed NOR used in that manner. Words are wind when the ones that should be the watchers on the watchtower maintaining the vigilance become complacent and distracted from their duty
One thing is certain “The Law is always the Law but it isn’t always RIGHT!”
@babskaz74fuck department of homeland security
I am an English man and I have watched this video in utter disbelief, I felt a tear in my eye as your awful story unfolded.
Bless you Mam, be strong, I sure every decent person wishes you well.
I guess I'm much older than you I was born in 1940, but as we get older we can feel vulnerable and alone, however I feel sure there are millions backing you, I hope you can feel the strength of our feeling toward you.
But what happened to you was an utter disgrace, it must be changed.
I wish you well in the upcoming supreme court case, and I wish that those that did that despicable thing to you face justice.
I hope the result of the case will be published on video, so that we will be able to comment on it.
Ed
I had similar issues when joining a board of a corporation for our homeowners and ended up getting all the directors removed after fighting them.
Absolutely disgusting!!!
Wish Sylvia would run for Texas Senate. I'd vote for her.
💯
Are you insane or stupid?
The lady had no idea what she was getting into and she doesn't have the will or strength to fight.
Sweet as pie, totally good person but absolutely not a leader.
Vote with your heart if you want to fail. Vote with your brain if you want to eat.
Every person that tried to take this lady out, they were voted on or put in by those who were voted in.
Don't blame the few, the many are necessary for this to happen. Every vote was needed.
It isn't possible to only give power to the good, they can turn bad. It is the power that is required for this type of corruption.
Might be better not giving the power rather than hoping you give it to the right people.
What exactly did Sylvia say that made anyone think she would be able to make laws or direct the spending of an entire state?
She didn't offer any policy ideas or political views, yet you would vote for her because, she's nice?
I can't imagine why we are in this mess.
Just look at DC the swamp how can that ever be fixed .
You got democrats stuck together like their glued can anybody think biden family is not corrupt an then you got RINOS ain't looking good
I've been falsely arrested many time in the San Jose and San Francisco area and they do their best to humiliate the person being arrested. Like the police force, laws need to be changed, thought the United States to change the power from the government to the people. And if the government does commits these kind of violation they need to be ousted and arrested themselves with fines.
cops ONLY have "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but they do not have the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
Only way things'll change is when the people stop it PERIOD!
The People now NEED to be PROTECTED From The Police.
@@ksemery protection from only the BAD COPS.
Thats what ksmery said, "protected from the police." We know all cops are bad.
Qualified immunity breeds criminality.
'How can someone like me be arrested for trying to help people?'
How can a pizza arrive to your house 15 minutes before a cop does...
Priority man.....
Silvia is exactly the kind of person you want in local government. Chilling participation requires consequences from voters.
Thank you IJ for standing up for the common American that needs help so much today with obvious corruption and tyranny.
She decided not to get involved, the corrupt city won and will be a lot worse on the next person who speaks out.
Oh Lord ...
Thank you I. J. Team! Liberty & Justice for ALL!
“If you have a right without a remedy [when that right is violated] then what use is that right”. That is a perfect statement and so important especially right now.
I'd like an update on what's happening with the city government.
Me too.
Thank you, Ij, you are doing awesome work!
Looks like it was planted. How'd he know to look?
cops ONLY have "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but they do not have the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
May you heal dear lady.
Thank God that IJ can help her and really help us all
I grew up in a corrupt small town. My father was approached about a bribe in the middle of a borough meeting by the mayor’s brother to get a variance on a building permit. And that was the tip of the iceberg.
The beginning of the end of the society is the corruption and vague laws.
You guys do great work. Keep it up. I’ve long been concerned about our justice system where police can arrest you, violating your rights, either through ignorance or retaliation, and it costs the citizens thousands to defend yourself. The scales of justice are titled against you. Abolish qualified immunity across the board. Thank you for what you do.
Keep fighting the good fight, guys. Y'all are awesome!
This will be a test for our constitution and our highest
It's always a test to see if the people are tired of it & change it themselves!
Police unions (and Republican congress people) were able to push back against a Bill put forth by Pres Biden. Pres Biden tried to remove Qualified Immunity two+ years ago and it is in the news that he was stopped by pushback from police unions!
If that is true then there isn't any hope that citizens can do to stop QI and the tyranny that accompanys it.
God bless all of you fighting for justice!
Please, IJ, investigate a police union.
Unions don’t really have any power. I don’t know why people are always blaming police unions. It’s the corrupt prosecutors judges council members and police themselves
Bexar County! I know what is happening. The County and towns are known nationwide for corruption.😒😡😡😡
I've been following this story. I'm so glad IJ has taken on this case; it warms my heart.
Q. I. ONLY is "qualified immunity to be wrong'', but not the ''right to do wrong under color of law".
Yes that is true in theory however how can you get a police department to charge someone if they refuse?
Thanks for pressing forward!
Looking forward to the outcome as well.
You do have rights, both in and out of jail. The issue is the retaliation against anyone who would dare to exercise those rights, or even talk about exercising them.
Yes, true.
I think it is important that we say it this way.
Then rights are not the law. Rights are null and void if exercising rights are rejected. That's not a democracy. It's window dressing to appear legit.
Countries like Russia use that concept.
This type of public corruption and abuse of power should result in the harshest of penalties available under criminal law. I doubt any of the perpetrators will get prison time. Private prosecution needs to be back on the table for government corruption cases. The people cannot rely on government prosecutors in these cases.
My dad and brother quit working for the town because they were for the people. They don't play favorites and they both resigned due to not being politically biased..
GOD bless you all!🙏
Your dad and brother were outstanding american citizens for standing aside.
They should sue them. At the very least they should be paid for the entirety of their commitment. Plus what could have come from that commitment. Those for the people need to be protected at all cost. That's what IJ is standing up for.
This City Council should be dragged in front of a court and jailed for these crimes. They should also be banned from ever holding public office again.
THIS is the government our Founders warned us about.
They all need to be held accountable, No One is ABOVE THE LAW NO ONE!
What an adorable woman,
thank you for fighting this.
Go get 'em Silvia! You're standing up for all of us.
This case is among the main reasons I started donating to the IJ.
I've been following her case as soon as it broke.
What a well spoken wonderful woman. I sure hope she can get some justice. 🤞🏻🤬🤞🏻
Thank you IJ 🎉
Sylvia is great. I remember when this happened to her.
I need to give IJ another donation.
Also, I wish they’d look at the Aidan Kearney case in Massachusetts. His journalism exposed Mass State Police and Norfolk County District Attorney corruption and negligence. The State Police (the same ones he was investigating) arrested Kearney on the Witness Intimidation law (which is so broad the Overbreadth Doctrine could knock it down easily).
The DA and State Police also filed witness intimidation charges against a group of 9 protesters who were on a public sidewalk and showing their support for a woman they believe was framed for murder by the DA and State Police.
That is a problem if the law is vague and can be extended to any imaginary line.
Great advice. "I have not learned anything from those that agree with me, but I uave learned a lot by those that don't." Mrs. Gonzalez.
What an absolute incredible story.
Let’s give a shout out to the good cop and prosecutor that did the right thing and told them there was no crime.
Institute for Justice you are amazing! If I could help right now it would be you! Mrs. Gonzalez you are an amazing woman! What they have done to you is disgusting and disgraceful! God bless IJ. Going to jail is very traumatic.
Mrs. Gonzalez you are an American hero. If it means anything you have the best mugshot I have ever seen. Lol. God bless you! I know what being lied on will do to you. Hardest time I have ever suffered through. Thank God for IJ!
If i was rich enough i would give the IJ a lot of money to right the wrongs that are becoming more frequent.
Five dollars is enough if we all give.
Thank you for standing up for the people and your rights.
“A right without a remedy is not really a right… Ensure that every right has a remedy under our Constitution”. Thank you IJ for doing God’s work
Not just an issue in the US, we have an almost identical situation in my home town in Ireland. You get a kabal of corrupt individuals who get into power and do not want to relinquish it at any cost. There needs to be term limits at local government and an easier way to get corrupt individuals out of power at the request of the people or following conviction.
She doesn’t want to run again which means they won. Disgusting. These people are pure evil
The corrupt city government was upset to have such a good person in their midst.
If this was my mom or grandma there would be serious accountability. Lawsuits, jail, whatever I could do.
No good deed goes unpunished.
This sounds like Levy County Florida! Thank you IJ for your tireless efforts!
Thank you for all you do to defend our rights against what is quickly becoming a tyrannical government.
To late they have been doing this for decades. It's SHOWING the LIES OF THE GOVERNMENT ARE TELLING.
Sociopaths are drawn to positions of power.
What happens in our jails is disgraceful, especially when someone innocent is incarcerated
Gotta love "democracy" ....
The US has never been just a Democracy, rather it began as a Democratic Republic. Unfortunately, it has become a Corporatocracy which is the real issue
This incident is not democracy
12:16 Jaywalking exception:
"a plaintiff presents objective evidence that he was arrested when otherwise similarly situated individuals not engaged in the same sort of protected speech had not been.”
Respect to Silvia Gonzalez and IJ.
This type of city and county level corruption is widespread. Retaliation is the norm for those challenging corruption.
The Institute for Justice is doing great work. I wish they had a billion dollar budget.
Five dollars from each of us?
That 2 Step Test for any "RIGHT" is 1 Step too many.
Qualified Immunity Is Dead (Texas 2A Attorney CJ Grisham)
When you win, don't forget to get back in to office and sue all those tyrants.. Good luck.
The city councel in that city belong in prison. And the police dept as well for enforcing this bs.
The Mayor had to have place the document in her binder. Clearly he knew where it was.
I'd love to see IJ do videos on the outcome of many of the cases they are involved in. Seems like we only hear about IJ joining a case, but seldom hear about outcomes.
I have seen this case before, thanks @InstituteForJustice, great new information, didn't know about the "Sheriff unauthorized to swear in plaintiff"
That would have stripped her of her own QI.
What a coincidence, the mayor just happened to go take a peak at the document in her folder right after the person they paid to put it there. No mention of "oh, the document missing! How ever will we find it." It was so obvious that the mayor knew it was there, wonder how he knew?
I J is a great group that helps people that have been taken advantage of thank you for what you do