San Antonio City Council Meeting – February 27, 2026

In a special meeting on February 27, 2026, the San Antonio City Council voted to censure Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones for violating the city’s code of conduct and anti-harassment policies during a heated exchange with Councilmember Courtney Core on February 5, 2026. The meeting included public testimony, council members’ comments, and a formal vote. Mayor Jones apologized, voluntarily recused herself for the rest of the meeting, and agreed to step aside for three months and undergo additional leadership training.

Consent Calendar

• None recorded.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lauren Hughes – Expressed support for Mayor Jones but called for censure, urged council to learn from the incident, and highlighted critical issues including ICE detention centers in the community.
• Antonio Díaz – Opposed censure, calling it "ridiculous" and argued that the incident was a private matter that should have been resolved with a conversation over coffee. He said the council should not be spending time on this with so many difficult federal actions affecting the community.
• Diana Flores Uriegas – Sang a religious song and urged council to learn from mistakes, stating that everyone makes errors.
• Mario Bravo – The only person previously censured by this council; criticized the process as broken, lacking fairness, and argued that the investigation did not allow for due process or defense witnesses. He stated the current system protects neither the accuser nor the accused.
• Michelle Solis (President of Democratic Party of the County) – Opposed censure, emphasizing pressing city issues such as the new detention center, federal workforce cuts, and rising utility rates.
• Jacqueline Aldrete Tacarante – Supported censure, arguing that leadership requires accountability and that ignoring violations of safety regulations sets a dangerous precedent for all businesses.
• Molly (speaker) – Opposed censure, accusing specific council members of political retaliation and urging them to focus on constituent protection.
• Leticia Vela – No position stated in transcript, but speaker noted that they followed.
• Christian Carranza – Former staffer for Mayor Jones; expressed strong support, describing the mayor as principled, disciplined, and focused on helping people. He said the mayor takes responsibility and teaches others to learn from mistakes.

Discussion Items

• Investigation Findings and Censure Resolution – Interim Mayor Andy Segovia presented the timeline and process: On February 5, 2026, Councilmember Core filed a formal complaint against Mayor Jones for verbal abuse during a public safety discussion. An independent investigation by Natalie Ruggie (former councilmember and labor law expert) found that Mayor Jones had used abusive language, screamed, and pointed a finger at Councilmember Core, violating the city’s code of conduct and administrative directives 4.67 (equal opportunity/anti-harassment) and 4.8 (workplace violence prevention). The council received the confidential report on February 23, 2026, and in executive session discussed next steps.
• Councilmember Comments – Most councilmembers (Castillo, Galván, White, Alderete Gavito, Mesa González, Munguía, Villagrán, and Acting Mayor Segovia) supported censure, citing the need for accountability, professionalism, and a safe workplace. Several noted that Mayor Jones had shown a pattern of disrespectful behavior and that the findings were clear. Councilmember Spears voted no, expressing concerns about due process and stating that a public apology and intent to improve were sufficient. She said she could not vote for censure because the process did not allow for public transparency and she wanted to extend grace.

Key Outcomes

• Censure Vote Passed – The council voted to adopt the censure resolution. The exact tally was not read aloud, but the motion passed (majority in favor; Councilmember Spears stated she voted no).
• Mayor Jones’s Actions – She apologized for raising her voice and using inappropriate language, agreed to voluntarily step aside as presiding officer for three months starting February 27, 2026, and stated she would participate in additional leadership training the following week. She excused herself from the remainder of the meeting.
• Next Steps – The council will move forward under the interim mayor, with the expectation that the censure will allow the body to refocus on policy issues such as public safety, infrastructure, economic opportunities, and utility rates.