Murillo Ousted as Martinez Aide

Rudy Murillo, under investigation along with his boss, Councilman Uvaldo Martinez, over alleged misuse of city credit cards, was ousted Monday.

“He didn’t give me any single reason,” the council aide said in describing Martinez’s request for his resignation, made at 5 p.m. Monday.

Martinez’s only comment was: “I don’t discuss personnel matters publicly.” But, with two people under investigation, the working atmosphere in the District 8 council office was “like a pressure cooker,” sources said.

Adding to that pressure, Murillo, 38, was arrested Friday on suspicion of drunk driving.

Another source close to Martinez said that the resignation was unrelated to the credit card investigation. “It’s a staff matter,” that person said.

The county grand jury is to begin an investigation Feb. 25 into $9,500 worth of credit card expenditures by Murillo and Martinez in the year ended June 30. Dist. Atty. Edwin Miller’s office investigated the matter for three months before opting to turn it over to the grand jury.