Image Caption: Glen Eisen, the County Attorney who contracted the El Paso-based law firm Windle Hood Norton Brittain & Jay, LLP to defend Jeff Davis County in this case.
A business owner and publisher of the successful Big Bend Times has been meticulously logging every action taken in response to a series of legal challenges from Jeff Davis County. From April 27, 2024, to October 4, 2024, he has logged 34 actions and 19.25 hours for just one false citation. This effort is part of a larger lawsuit aimed at recovering damages for what the business owner describes as ongoing legal harassment by county officials.
“I’ve been logging everything as part of the lawsuit to recover damages,” the business owner explained. “This is not just about one citation. It’s part of a larger pattern of harassment, and the time my team and I have logged shows just how much of a toll it’s taken.”
A Slice of the Bigger Picture
- The 34 actions and 19.25 hours logged so far cover the handling of a single citation, from the initial encounter to ongoing procedural challenges. However, the business owner points out that this doesn’t account for the time the county has wasted on their end in pursuing this case.
- “We’ve been logging everything on our side, but the county is wasting plenty of time on their end as well,” he said. “And this is just one example of how they operate.”
Harassment Aimed at Disrupting Business The business owner contends that this citation is part of a larger, ongoing pattern of harassment from Jeff Davis County officials, designed to discredit and intimidate him. From legal threats to public confrontations, the county’s actions, he says, have made it difficult to report on local government.
“This citation is just one piece of it. I’ve been documenting everything, not just for the citation, but to show the broader pattern of misconduct,” he explained. “The lawsuit is about recovering damages for all the harm they’ve caused.”
Big Bend Times Thrives Despite Challenges Despite these legal battles, Big Bend Times continues to thrive as the leading news outlet in the region, generating over $17,000 in monthly revenue. The business owner believes that the county’s actions are specifically designed to interfere with the publication’s ability to report on local government.
“We’re just here to cover the news and serve the community,” he said. “But the county’s behavior makes it clear they’re trying to disrupt that work.”
Documenting for the Lawsuit: A Clear Picture of the Toll The business owner’s decision to log every action is part of his strategy to recover damages through the lawsuit. “Most people don’t track their time like this,” he said. “But when you’re facing constant harassment, you need to document everything for the legal process.”
While the time logged for this one citation is significant, it represents only a small part of the overall harassment the business owner and his team have faced. The hours logged are just one part of the evidence being gathered for the lawsuit.
“These folks are constant,” he stated. “We’re still dealing with this one citation, but it’s just a small part of the bigger pattern. We’re documenting everything because we’re going after them for the damages they’ve caused.”
As Big Bend Times continues to report on local issues and hold local authorities accountable, the business owner remains focused on building a legal case to recover damages from the county for its ongoing actions.
