CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Embattled Chula Vista City Councilmember Andrea Cardenas appears to be running for re-election after pulling nomination papers from the city clerk on Tuesday — a mere three days before the deadline to file.
The District 4 representative was issued the papers just hours after her colleagues on the City Council voted to strip her of committee appointments, including serving as a representative on the San Association of Governments board, amid multiple felonies charges for alleged fraud.
The charges against Cardenas were made public in an indictment filed by the San Diego County District Attorney at the beginning of November.
In the court filing, prosecutors accuse the councilmember, 31, and her and her brother Jesus Cardenas, 40, of fraudulently obtaining $176,227 in COVID-19 relief funds for their firm, Grassroots Resources. She and her brother both pleaded not guilty.
In the weeks that followed, there have been consistent calls from residents for Cardenas to step down from her seat on the city council. Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and Councilmember Jose Preciado have been the only two elected officials to publicly call for her resignation.
“Do not be an obstacle for the city to conduct its business. Take care of yourself and your business allow the city to move on,” said one resident, Delia Dominguez Cervantes, during Tuesday's meeting.
However, Cardenas has indicated that she does not plan to step down from her council seat, asking the public in a statement last month for the chance to defend herself.
"Our American judicial system is built on the fundamental principle that our citizens are innocent until proven guilty," Cardenas said in the Nov. 7 statement. "While the DA’s Office is tasked with the responsibility to protect our community and prosecute abusers of the law, as defendants, we are afforded the right to prove our innocence."
"As we move forward in this process, I hope to be given an opportunity by the media, folks in political circles, and, most importantly, my constituents to defend myself," she continued.
Since early November, Cardenas has been absent from two City Council meetings, citing health reasons — something that city leaders say held up commission appointments and votes on other business.
On Tuesday, the District 4 councilmember, who had shown up for the first time since the charges were filed, did agree to the council's decision to remove her from any outside committees. Councilmember Carolina Chavez will be succeeding her as the new SANDAG representative for Chula Vista, starting next month.
But Cardenas is still moving forward with mounting a re-election campaign. According to filings with the Chula Vista City Clerk, she pulled nomination papers on Monday to get on next year's ballot.
Three other candidates are also looking to get on the March 5 ballot: Delfina Gonzalez, Christine Brady and Cesar Fernandez.
All candidates have until Friday at 5 p.m. to file the completed paperwork, which includes receiving a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 30 signatures of voters in the district, in order to make it onto the ballot.
As of Thursday, Gonzalez, who lost to Cardenas in 2020, is the only candidate to have qualified for the ballot. Brady has also filed completed nomination paperwork, but the City Clerk has not yet verified that she met the qualification requirements.
FOX 5 reached out to Cardenas for comment on Wednesday, but did not receive a response.