Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb and Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales aren't saying much about the lawsuit they face over their decisions to periodically close beaches to vehicular traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This is the lawyer in me, but it’s probably best not to comment on pending litigation," Canales said.
“I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t want to venture to guess (what will happen with the lawsuit)," McComb said. "I’ll let (the city's legal team) deal with it.”
Nueces County resident William Rickertsen recently filed the lawsuit in Nueces County Court At Law No. 2.
He accuses Canales and McComb of breach of contract -- the contract he says he entered into with the city and county when he bought two beach parking permits earlier this year.
The lawsuit alleges the two leaders breached that contract by closing beaches to vehicular traffic, now and over the Easter and Independence Day holidays.
McComb and Canales both expressed their support for Rickertsen's right to sue, but they didn't indicate what they thought would happen in this case.
"It’s a free country, and God bless America," McComb said. "They can (file lawsuits), but we’ll see where it goes.”
"I welcome the opportunity to have our day in court," Canales said. "I think that’s what the law is for, and I think it’s important that citizens have the right to speak."