Removal proceedings against Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo moved forward Tuesday with a pre-trial hearing at city hall that included public comment and about an hour of executive session.<\/p>\n
The mayor has not been removed, but the process advanced when the city council voted to schedule two additional pre-trial hearings \u2014 May 27 and June 2.<\/p>\n
Corpus Christi mayor removal proceedings begin with pre-trial hearing at city hall<\/p>\n
Those hearings will finalize elements of the actual trial, including what witnesses and evidence will be used. The mayor’s attorney, John Flood, said the June 2 hearing could be a turning point.<\/p>\n
“Presumably at the June 2nd one is where they would set the actual trial date,” Flood said.<\/p>\n
During Tuesday’s meeting, the council also appointed Terry Shamsie, a longtime trial attorney, as special counsel. His role is to “advise on procedural, admissibility, or evidentiary issues.”<\/p>\n
The petitioners want the mayor impeached on 4 counts of public mistrust, directly related to an altered FEMA document that led to $2 million of taxpayer money<\/a> going to a hotel development. The incident was investigated by the FBI, the Texas Rangers, and the Corpus Christi Police Department<\/a>. No charges were filed.<\/p>\n Mayor Guajardo acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.<\/p>\n “You know… it’s been difficult,” Guajardo said.<\/p>\n She also addressed the varying perspectives surrounding the case.<\/p>\n “There are different perspectives of this and different things that have already happened that have proven… it is what it is,” Guajardo said.<\/p>\n Under the city charter, only 5 people are needed to initiate the removal process. <\/p>\n The June 2 pre-trial hearing falls on the same day the city council is scheduled to vote on the Level 1 water emergency plan and on whether to move forward on the Inner Harbor desalination project.<\/p>\n “We’ll see where it goes… one day at a time,” Guajardo said.<\/p>\n For the latest local news updates, click here<\/a>, or download the KRIS 6 News App. <\/a><\/p>\n