Last week, Chula Vista Councilmember Andrea Cardenas attended her first council meeting since she was indicted on fraud charges. Cardenas had been absent from the past three meetings and could have been removed if she had missed a fourth.
Cardenas may be able to keep her seat for now, but residents sent a clear message that they won’t make it easy on her. One by one, public commenters blasted the councilwoman for betraying the public’s trust.
“Andrea, you should be ashamed of yourself," one resident said. "What you did to the city, I trusted you. You lied, and you lied and you lied."
Cardenas and her brother, political consultant Jesus Cardenas, are accused of fraudulently obtaining $176,227 in pandemic protection loans. Prosecutors say they used the money for personal items and expenses for Cardenas’ city council campaign.
Cardenas has pleaded not guilty to the charges.