A candidate for El Paso City Council said he had “no legal issues” to divulge in his El Paso Times candidate questionnaire, despite having previously been charged with public indecency.
Matthew Kozik, an attorney running for the District 1 seat, was previously charged with public indecency, resulting in a warrant that was enforced June 18, 2003. In his El Paso Times candidate questionnaire, Kozik said he had “no legal issues” to divulge. The charge was brought to the media’s attention by fellow candidate Daniela Garcia in a news release Monday, Oct. 19.
Kozik did not respond to a request for comment on the charge by publication time.
"This is an example of 'boys will be boys' mentality that has paved our current political landscape, welcoming former
boys that got away with a slap on the wrist to become men that run our governments," Garcia wrote in the news release. "Matthew J. Kozik has been able to sweep a criminal sex offense away with a small fine, move across the country, and attempts to start his political career by representing the people of El Paso."
The revelation comes only weeks before El Paso voters head to the ballot box for the Nov. 3 general election. District 1 covers El Paso's West Side, stretching along the Franklin Mountains from Upper Mesa Hills to Anthony, New Mexico, and across from Desert Hills Boulevard to Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
Documents from the Franklin County Municipal Court in Ohio show that Kozik was charged with Public Indecency on April 15, 2003, and a warrant was issued for enforcement on June 18, 2003. It is unclear what actions led to the charge, but penalties for public indecency in Ohio range from a fourth-degree misdemeanor, resulting in up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine, to a first-degree misdemeanor or a fifth-degree felony if a child is involved.
Kozik's charge was later amended to disorderly conduct and he was forced to pay $169 in total fines, clearing the way for the charge to be kept off his public record. The warrant was canceled on Sept. 15, 2003.
Kozik and Garcia, along with Sam Armijo, are the three candidates looking to unseat incumbent city Rep. Alejandra Chavez in the Nov. 3 General Election.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso candidate claimed 'no legal issues.' Records show charge
