Houston City Council’s Ethics Committee Postpones Meeting Amid Tensions between Mayor and Controller

Houston City Council’s Ethics and Governance Committee Postpones Meeting

Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media

FILE – Houston Mayor John Whitmire at City Hall on May 8, 2024.

Houston City Council’s Ethics and Governance Committee has postponed its meeting, marking the fourth missed meeting since Mayor John Whitmire and Controller Chris Hollins traded barbs over event-related fundraising practices.

Background on the Conflict

The city’s chief financial officer and mayor called for inquiries into each other in October. Whitmire accused Hollins of engaging in “pay-to-play” after the controller’s office solicited donations to a nonprofit ahead of an event for investors, and Hollins pointed out the fundraising practices were similar to those used by the mayor’s office for his State of the City event. The city’s Office of Inspector General did not respond to questions this week about the status of the inquiry.

Ethics Committee’s Role

Council Member Twila Carter, who serves as vice chair of the ethics committee, said in December that the committee was “waiting on next steps internally as far as the mayor’s office” before addressing Chapter 18, the part of city code governing ethics rules.

Mayor’s Office’s Response

However, a spokesperson for Whitmire this week pointed the finger at the ethics committee.

“He is relying on the leadership of the ethics committee to provide proposed changes, but he has not received any,” the mayor’s spokesperson wrote. “He looks forward to seeing their recommendations on how to move forward.”

Ethics Committee’s Response

After hearing about the mayor’s statement, Carter said she was unaware of direction from the mayor’s office but was “certainly appreciative that he would have the trust to refer it to the committee for direction.”

Ethics Committee chair Joaquin Martinez said in a statement that his office has “been in conversation with the administration regarding the proposed Chapter 18 ethical reform changes.”

“I look forward to bringing these proposals to the committee in the coming month for an open discussion on ways we can improve transparency and accountability at the city,” Martinez wrote.

Meeting Postponed

According to the committee’s website, the meeting has been postponed from Feb. 27 to March 27.

Background on the Controller

Hollins was a candidate in the 2023 mayoral race before dropping out and praising the late congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who lost to Whitmire in a runoff election. Tensions between the mayor and controller were strained throughout Whitmire’s first year in office.

Recent Tensions

Before the spat in October, Hollins raised financial concerns about Whitmire’s $1.5 billion deal with the firefighters’ union — which contributed to two credit ratings agencies lowering their outlook on the city’s finances from “stable” to “negative.” Recently, Whitmire accused Hollins of “playing politics” as the controller called for a joint emergency task force to address a daunting $330 million budget deficit.

Controller’s Perspective

In a statement this week, Hollins said the city’s public servants “have a duty to uphold the highest ethical standards.”

“That’s why I’ve always been committed to supporting stronger ethics rules that apply equally and fairly to everyone, regardless of office,” Hollins wrote.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of the Ethics and Governance Committee?
A: The Ethics and Governance Committee is responsible for ensuring that city officials uphold the highest ethical standards and promoting transparency and accountability in city government.

Q: Why has the meeting been postponed?
A: The meeting has been postponed due to the ongoing tensions between the mayor and controller, as well as the lack of proposed changes from the mayor’s office.

Q: What are the next steps for the Ethics and Governance Committee?
A: The committee will continue to work on proposed changes to Chapter 18, the part of city code governing ethics rules, and will hold an open discussion on ways to improve transparency and accountability at the city.

Q: How can the public get involved in the process?
A: The public can stay informed about the committee’s meetings and activities by visiting the city’s website or attending the meetings in person.