SAN ANTONIO – Outgoing Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales confronted DA candidate Luz Elena Chapa during a meeting of the Northwest Democrats on Saturday morning, videos obtained by KSAT show.
Gonzales is seen in the video endorsing Chapa’s opponent, saying that the position requires experience.
According to an online meeting agenda, attendees heard from runoff candidates in various races on the Bexar County Democratic ticket.
Chapa is running for District Attorney against Jane Davis after previously serving as the judge for the Fourth Court of Appeals. Gonzales announced last June he would not seek reelection.
The winner of the runoff will face Ashley Foster, who secured the Republican nomination, and any independents who recieve enough signatures to make the ballot.
Gonzales said the reason he attended the meeting was to defend his office.
“It offends me when you attack our people for working hard,” Gonzales said to Chapa, before endorsing Davis.
In another video, a woman attending the fourm then said that the organization gives everyone an opportunity to speak and does not endorse candidates.
“This is the first time that this has happened,” the woman said.
KSAT reached out to Luz Elena Chapa for comment on the incident. Read her statement below:
“This morning, I was verbally attacked and berated in public by Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez. At one point, he had to place his entire arm behind his back to contain his physical aggression.
“Even more troubling, his handpicked successor spoke publicly this afternoon and doubled down on Mr. Gonzalez’s outrageous behavior. She chose to remain complacent with his unprofessional conduct toward a woman, rather than denounce it.
“Today, I felt compelled to not only stand up for myself and my daughters, but also for every woman in Bexar County who has felt powerless and voiceless in our justice system.
“To be clear, as DA and under my new leadership, I guarantee every victim of domestic abuse and family violence will be seen and heard; the huge backlog of these cases will be tackled immediately. Victims deserve justice that has been denied to them for years. Bexar County deserves better. Change is coming, and the days of complacency are over.”
Luz Elena Chapa
KSAT 12 also reached out to the district attorney’s office and Jane Davis for comment. We will update this story once a response is received.
Judge Frank Castro said he also saw the video and sent the following statement to KSAT:
“I saw video of a Democrat candidate forum held today & I was disturbed how District Attorney Joe Gonzalez treated former Justice Luz Elena Chapa, & as a father of two daughters I was even more offended how he treated a woman – I don’t know candidates Ms. Davis or Ms. Chapa well but as a sitting Criminal District Judge I felt I had to speak up.”
Judge Frank Castro
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