Donna city leaders voted to fire city attorney Robert Salinas during a Monday special meeting.

Salinas was fired a week after a temporary restraining order that blocked place three and four council members Ernesto Lugo and Oscar Gonzales from voting on Salinas’ employment was dissolved. 

READ MORE: Temporary restraining order accuses Donna city council members of violating open meetings law

The TRO was dissolved after a judge ruled that the TRO case should be transferred to district court.

During the meeting, city council members Joey Garza said he lost trust in Salinas. 

The TRO also restricted Lugo and Gonzales from voting on the employment status of Donna City Manager Carlos Yerena.

Dennis Ramirez will take over as interim city attorney.

Salinas said he believes the decision was retaliation after he provided his legal opinion in August that said Garza and Gonzales’ seats in the city council should be up for reelection. 

“They have a right to terminate, but if they terminate they should do it rightfully and not based on an opinion that I gave,” Salinas said.

The city previously voted to postpone a November 2024 election for the city council seats occupied by Gonzales. A legal petition was filed with the 13th Court of Appeals, which directed the city to hold the November elections. 

RELATED STORY: Donna city council to hold November elections

Donna Mayor David Moreno said he agrees with Salinas.

“They are fighting tooth and nail… and now all of a sudden the appeals court says we have to hold an election, and now all of a sudden it's ‘OK, let’s see who I can fire,” Moreno said. 

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