SAN ANTONIO – The Ethics Review Board will hear a complaint on Monday regarding Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ solicitation of the Democratic National Convention to come to San Antonio.
Bexar County GOP Vice-Chairman Kyle Sinclair filed an ethics complaint against Jones on July 16, more than two weeks after the new mayor sent a letter to top DNC officials promoting San Antonio as a destination for the party’s 2028 national convention.
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Sinclair argued it was improper for the mayor to use her position and city resources to pursue a “partisan political event.”
An outside attorney for the city, Nadeen Abou-Hossa, reviewed the complaint and allowed a portion of it to proceed for the city’s Ethics Review Board (ERB) to consider.
The mayor’s use of the city seal and letterhead on the letter, she wrote to Sinclair, “may” fall under a portion of the city’s Ethics Code that forbids the use of city property or resources for private or political purposes.
The board will review the complaint and decide if any civil sanctions should be applied.
In a recent interview, Sinclair said he wants Jones to offer the same opportunity to his party for its 2032 convention.
“Look, if she does both, that’s phenomenal. I will withdraw my entire thing,” Sinclair said. “My advice to her is to do both. Be fair to the city, and that’s all I’ve been saying since I’ve been the vice chair.”
Sinclair said his concern is that Jones, who ran twice for Texas’ 23rd congressional district as a Democrat, only reached out to the DNC.
“By only going after one, you stake the highly partisan political realm is what you’re doing,” he said in a follow-up phone conversation. “You are a nonpartisan mayor. You represent both. Go for both. Represent both. Be the mayor for both.”
Jones, who was sworn into office on June 18 after defeating former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, maintains she didn’t do anything wrong.
“The Mayor plays a legitimate role in bringing major conventions of that scope to the City and the letter to the DNC was reviewed by the City Attorney and no legal issues were identified,” a spokeswoman from her office told KSAT in an emailed comment.
The spokeswoman had no additional comment on whether the mayor planned to reach out to the GOP.
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