The Corpus Christi City Council tribunal on Friday found Mayor Paulette Guajardo guilty on all three charges in a petition tied to a 2024 tax-incentive agreement and ordered a formal reprimand plus a 30-day suspension from office.
Tribunal findings and sanctions
Council members concluded the mayor committed “misconduct, malfeasance, incompetence, or inability or willful neglect of performance” related to a tax incentive that awarded developers of a downtown hotel project $2 million. The tribunal also formally reprimanded Guajardo for perjury during a deposition in a lawsuit concerning the agreement and found she violated confidentiality rules for a meeting of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation.
The proceedings came after a petition signed by six registered voters alleged wrongdoing in connection with the hotel incentive. While other local, state and federal probes previously found no criminal wrongdoing, the City Charter allows council action on conduct that does not require a separate criminal finding.
Removal votes and closing statements
Council members considered votes to remove the mayor from office but those motions did not gain the necessary support. The executive session before the vote lasted about two-and-a-half hours. Attorneys for both sides made closing statements before the council cast its votes.
"Ask yourself, 'How much evidence is it going to take for a handful of elected officials to remove another elected official from office?'"
The line above was delivered by attorney John Flood, who represented Guajardo, during closing arguments. Attorney Doug Allison, representing the petitioners, urged the council to make its findings and said, "Make the hard findings, and she should be removed … what we tolerate, we become."
Background: the hotel incentive and prior investigations
The contested issue stems from a 2024 decision to award a $2 million tax incentive to developers of a downtown hotel. The petition alleged the mayor was aware an altered slide was presented by the developers during their funding request. The tribunal examined whether that alleged awareness and related actions met the City Charter's standards for misconduct.
Local, state and federal investigations into the matter did not produce findings of criminal conduct, but the City Charter's threshold for council action is distinct from criminal standards. That distinction allowed the council tribunal to pursue its review and render the reprimand and suspension despite the absence of criminal charges.
What the sanctions mean for Corpus Christi governance
The council’s decision places the mayor on a monthlong leave from official duties but leaves her title intact. The tribunal's reprimand for perjury and the confidentiality breach finding will remain part of the public record and could influence public trust and future council relations.
- Sanctions: Formal reprimand; 30-day suspension from office.
- Charges found: Misconduct/malfeasance/incompetence/willful neglect; perjury in deposition; breach of confidentiality.
- Removal: Votes to remove did not pass.
| Allegation | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Misconduct related to tax incentive | Found guilty; 30-day suspension |
| Perjury during deposition | Formally reprimanded |
| Breaking confidentiality of EDC meeting | Found guilty |
The tribunal followed four days of removal proceedings held over the past two weeks. City residents and observers can expect debate about the implications of the decision, both for conduct standards in city government and for how future disputes over incentives and development will be handled.
Council and city officials did not immediately announce additional administrative steps following the tribunal’s findings. The decision underscores the difference between legal and administrative accountability in municipal governance and highlights the council’s authority under the City Charter to address alleged misconduct by an elected official.
