Hispanic center says it loaned Boise city councilor a painting of her. Then this happened
The Hispanic Cultural Center and Boise City Council Member Lisa Sánchez got into a dispute earlier this year over a painting the Cultural Center alleged Sánchez had not returned after it had been loaned to her, according to an ethics complaint filed with the city of Boise.
The issue has since been resolved, and Sánchez has purchased the painting, according to both parties. The commission also dismissed both inquiries, finding no wrongdoing.
In March, the Cultural Center, in Nampa, filed an inquiry with the city of Boise’s Ethics Commission alleging that Sánchez had not returned a painting the center had loaned to her for a campaign event.
The painting, which is a portrait of Sánchez, was donated to the center in June 2021 by a local artist, Alma Gomez. The artist valued the portrait at $2,000, the inquiry said.
In August, Sánchez asked to “borrow” the painting for a campaign fundraiser scheduled for September. The center agreed to loan Sánchez the painting “on condition that it be returned by September 17, 2021,” the center alleged in its inquiry.
Sánchez won reelection to the council two months later, in November.
By March 7, the date the ethics inquiry was filed, Sánchez “had refused to return the portrait because she has implied that since it is her image, she has a right to own it and felt (the center) does not deserve to have it in their possession,” the center said.
Gomez, the painting’s artist, also filed an ethics inquiry in March, alleging that she told Sánchez in November that the painting no longer belonged to her, as she had donated it, and that Sánchez “would need permission from the Hispanic Cultural Center to keep it ... I told her to write a letter to the Hispanic Cultural Center stating why she wanted to keep the painting and that I would cosign the letter with her ... Since I never received that letter to cosign with Lisa, I assumed that she had decided to return the painting to the Hispanic Cultural Center.”
Gomez made the painting in 2011, according to the inquiry. An image of a portrait of Sánchez, dating from 2011, is posted on her website.
The ethics commission dismissed both inquiries, finding that it does not have jurisdiction over the matter and that the facts — if true — do not violate the ethics code.
The commission found no evidence that Sánchez obtained financial gain from the painting, used her official position to obtain the portrait, or that the painting would affect her impartiality.
The commission also found no evidence — nor did the inquiries allege — that the painting was expected to influence Sánchez’s votes or judgment.
Council members are allowed to accept valuable gifts in connection with their campaigns.
Cultural Center and Sánchez say issue is ‘resolved’
The commission’s decision was first reported by BoiseDev.
Graciela Fonseca, a board member of the cultural center, told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday that the matter has been dealt with.
“There’s not a problem anymore, it’s been resolved,” she said.
In an email, Sánchez told the Statesman that she respects the ethics commission and is grateful for their decision.
“The parties and I have come to terms, and the matter is resolved,” she wrote. “I now own the painting, and it is in my possession.”
Gomez could not be reached for comment.
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
