SAN ANTONIO — Following a complaint over her behavior, the San Antonio City Council will discuss a potential public reprimand for Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones in a special meeting on Monday.
A vote on the censure could come at a later time, if the council wants to take that action. Jones would become the first San Antonio mayor in modern history to receive a censure, which is a penalty-less action, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur filed the grievance against Jones in early February, alleging the mayor shouted and cursed at her in a staff area after a council meeting.
The Express-News said the incident stemmed from the pair’s disagreement over a deadline for gay nightclub Bonham Exchange to install required fire sprinklers. The nightclub missed an October 2023 deadline to install, and Kaur supported a resolution to give the establishment until February 2027 without adjusting occupancy.
Jones reportedly pressured Bonham Exchange’s general manager and co-owner, Joan Duckworth, into slicing occupancy in half. The fire department recommended this cut, according to the Express-News.
A Bonham Exchange attorney told the Express-News that Duckworth had described the call from Jones as “somewhat threatening.”
Five councilwomen supported Kaur with a signed memo about the investigation into Jones.
Upon reading the memo, Jones issued a statement saying she was “disappointed that some of my colleagues felt this was a necessary step” but heard their concerns. She also said her style of leadership “does not always align with the traditional templates of female leaders or my colleagues’ views.”
In an interview with Spectrum News 1 last week, councilwoman and memo-signer Phyllis Viagran said the incident came down to respect and violating the code of conduct, not difference in style.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that the San Antonio City Council will vote on censure at the meeting on 2/23, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News. This is not the case. They will discuss a potential future censure at this meeting with a potential vote in the future. (Feb. 18, 2026)