It looks like City Council's hasty decision to remove the Confederate monument from Travis Park could end up costing taxpayers a lot more than the nearly $250,000 they have shelled out so far, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which is the successor to the Bernard Bee Chapter which paid for and constructed the monument in 1899, is suing the City of San Antonio, the Mayor, and the City Council in federal court, claiming that the city essentially 'stole' the monument from their chapter by removing it without even discussing the issue with UDC leaders.
The lawsuit claims that City Council not only did not contest the UDC's ownership of the monument in 1899, but Council granted the use of a portion of Travis Park 'in perpetuity' for the monument to stand on. It says the Council has never revoked the grant of land, and the monument still belongs to the UDC.
When Robin Terrazas, the President of the UDC Chapter, attempted to discuss the future of the statue with Mayor Nirenberg, the lawsuit claims she got the brush-off and was told to show up 'at a City Council meeting,' 'like any other citizen.'
The lawsuit also blasts some of the comments Nirenberg made in defense of the monument removal.
"Mayor Nirenberg said clearly that the monument to the common Confederate soldier represented racism and slavery," the lawsuit says. "He said the monument glorified the 'darkest chapters' in our history. Yet, the common soldier statue contained no markings or signage which referred to the former Confederate States of America or any former leader of the CSA."
Not only was the monument removed without the permission of the UDC, the lawsuit claims the city won't tell the UDC where its property is now located, and claims the hasty midnight removal of the monument also 'lost' a precious time capsule which had been installed within it during the 1899 dedication.
"Neither the Bernard Bee Chapter or the ASJ Chapter ever gave or donated the common Confederate soldier monument to any entity," the lawsuit says. "The Travis Park statue remained at all times the property of the UDC."
In other words, the lawsuit claims that the city 'stole' the statue and destroyed it in violation of the city's own agreement and the UDC's property rights.
The lawsuit demands that the monument be returned to its rightful place and the city, meaning the taxpayers, fork over 'at least $75,000' in damages to the UDC.
So far, no comment from City Hall.