Five members of the City Council are requesting a meeting to reprimand Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones over “repeated instances of unprofessional conduct.”

The move comes after Jones allegedly yelled at Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1) in a private meeting space last week, drawing a formal complaint from Kaur, and an investigation into whether the mayor violated the council’s code of conduct.

City Attorney Andy Segovia determined that outside counsel should look into the Feb. 5 incident, according to city spokesman Brian Chasnoff, and the City Council will receive a report once the investigation is complete.

The council created a code of conduct in 2024 to address issues like inappropriate relationships with staff members, as well as set formal standards for how council members interact with one another and members of the public.

On Monday, council members Phyllis Viagran (D3), Teri Castillo (D5), Marina Alderete Gavito (D7), Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (D8) and Misty Spears (D9) submitted a letter to City Manager Erik Walsh and Segovia saying they want a meeting within seven days of the investigation’s conclusion so they can vote on whether or not to censure Jones.

“All of the leaders of our great city should strive to act with dignity, respect and compassion no matter who they are dealing with or the time or place of
any particular interaction,” the council members wrote. “We all experience difficult days, but when a leader repeatedly fails to meet these standards, it is our duty to hold them accountable in order to preserve the integrity and trust of San Antonio’s government and the people we serve.”

Chasnoff said the city is not commenting on any details while the investigation is ongoing.

In recent years, council members have voted to censure three of their colleagues over DWI arrests, and one colleague, former Councilman Mario Bravo (D1), over allegedly berating a fellow council member and former romantic partner.

The move is mostly symbolic, but can result in minor punishments like a written letter of reprimand. The council can only vote to remove a member from office if they are convicted of crime involving “moral turpitude,” according to the City Charter.

In Bravo’s case, the censure came months before a municipal election where he was pushed to a runoff and eventually lost to Kaur.

Now the full council and mayor are serving longer, four-year terms, and won’t be on the ballot again until 2029.

Update: This story has been updated to include more information from the city.