FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The City of Fresno fired back Friday night after State Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) made heated comments towards her former city council colleagues. 

Soria spoke during Thursday’s city council meeting during public comment. She defended her husband, Terrance Frazier, who operates Granite Park through his non-profit, the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation. 

“When you have a sitting elected official that is trying to involve herself in her husband’s business and trying to put pressure on a city to do something than what’s in the best interests of the city, I think that, you know, I think that shows us why it has there’s been such hesitation on the part of the city to do something about Granite Park for so long,” City Manager Georgeanne White said. 

Soria spoke passionately during Thursday’s meeting, stating she was appearing on her personal time and as a taxpayer. 

“What is the end goal here? Why the obsession by some with Granite Park? After years of litigation, enormous public expense, and countless hours spending fighting a nonprofit. What has Fresno gained even after the eviction? The legal disputes continue. There’s an appeal pending, and initial lawsuits remain unresolved. The fight is not over,” Soria said.  

Soria, who served on the Fresno City Council from 2014 to 2022 and is currently running for the State Senate in District 14, used every second of her three-minute public comment period to defend her husband.

“When it comes to Granite Park, City Hall has chosen to spend years in litigation against a nonprofit that has been actually providing services for Fresno families while the city has not,” Soria said. 

She spoke for so long that her mic was turned off. 

City Manager White says Frazier and the CVCSG have breached their lease for multiple issues over the past few years.  

In 2022, trouble started when the park faced issues from the city over not having proof of liability insurance.

In 2024, the city claimed Frazier owed them over $1 million in unpaid rent and fees. The city then started the process to terminate its lease with the foundation at Granite Park. 

All of this culminated in May, with a judge siding with the city of Fresno, and said they could terminate their lease. Last week, a judge allowed the city to take immediate possession of the park. 

White said baseball and other activities previously scheduled may continue. 

“I think it just shows that she’s been attempting to use her influence to have the city do something different than what we ultimately decided to do,” White said.