MAYOR JOHN COOK BAILS OUT GRANDDAUGHTER HELD ON POT WARRANT

EL PASO -- The granddaughter of Mayor John Cook was arrested and
jailed briefly on an outstanding warrant for possession of marijuana.

Amanda Ward, a student at the University of Texas at El Paso, was
arrested about 3 p.m. Wednesday after a police officer alleged that
she jaywalked across Schuster Avenue. Cars had to stop in order for
her to cross the street, said police spokesman Darrel Petry.

He said a background check showed an arrest warrant for her from
Lubbock.

Ward, 21, was booked into the Downtown jail at 4:45 p.m. and was
released on $1,000 bond two hours later, according to the county's
website.

Ward declined to comment Thursday.

Cook said he went to a Lolitas Bail Bonds for Ward's bond. He said he
did not know the details of the charges.

"The only thing I know is the warrant number and the charge and the
bond. I have a one-page information sheet from the sheriff's
department and that's all I have," he said.

Ward was arrested for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana, a
Class D misdemeanor, according to the Lubbock County Clerk's website.

Cook said he did not talk to anyone at the jail about his position as
mayor or his granddaughter's relation to him. He said he spoke only
with the bail bondsman.

But a jail employee told Cook on Thursday that Ward's release was
expedited as a courtesy, he said.

Cook said, "I called and I asked if she got preferential treatment and
the response I got is that, 'Any time we have a high-profile person
that we do expedite them for their own safety. 'We wouldn't want
something to happen because they were related to you and you've taken
a stance against the cartels and the criminals.' "

Chris Acosta, spokeswoman for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office,
said that no such policy exists and that jail employees did not
expedite Ward's release.

"She or someone else had made bonding arrangements prior to her
arrival at the jail. She was booked in the order she arrived and was
not put at the front of the line," Acosta said.

Acosta said the jail commander reviewed the jail's records to ensure
Ward's paperwork and release were processed fairly.

She said Ward was in the jail's custody for the same amount of time as
everyone else who had been brought there and then released on Wednesday.

"Whoever he talked to had no right giving a statement like that," she
said.

Cook has opposed City Council resolutions advocating legalization of
marijuana.