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Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones looks down at her notes during a press conference at City Hall. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\nMayor Gina Ortiz Jones looks down at her notes during a press conference at City Hall. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has called one of her most vocal City Council opponents\u2019 chief-of-staff an \u201cinsider threat\u201d and accused the person of conspiring to leak specifics about her security detail to the press.<\/p>\n
The allegations, which Jones aired in a Wednesday memo, stem from a KSAT report in October<\/a> that detailed the unprecedented security detail she demanded after a disgruntled Spurs fan in an online group<\/a> allegedly threatened her life over her opposition to Project Marvel.<\/p>\n Although KSAT disclosed in its reporting that the information came from sources inside the San Antonio Police Department, Jones maintained in her memo that the true source was District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito\u2019s chief of staff, James Branch.<\/p>\n Jones\u2019 allegations against Branch are outlined in the memo she addressed to the City of San Antonio Council Aides Corp. Personnel Committee. In the message, the mayor demands the City of San Antonio\u2019s Administrative Directives (ADs), or code of ethics, apply to council aides.<\/p>\n \u201cAt present, the inapplicability of those [Administrative Directives] to [council staffers] creates the ability for one to escape accountability, which runs contrary to the Code of Conduct we signed committing to \u2018fostering a safe and productive work environment,\u2019\u201d Jones wrote.<\/p>\n Jones\u2019 office was unavailable for immediate comment on the memo. <\/p>\n Following KSAT\u2019s October report, San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus ordered a sweeping investigation into the alleged leak, interviewing 115 officers, according to Jones\u2019 memo. During those inquiries, one SAPD officer disclosed that Branch \u201chad access to the security information,\u201d the memo states. <\/p>\n \u200bThe memo contained no other information linking Branch to the leak. <\/p>\n Through his attorney, Branch provided a statement to investigators but refused to participate in a sit-down interview with them. <\/p>\n \u201cMy understanding is a City of San Antonio employee would have been required to comply with SAPD\u2019s (Internal Investigation\u2019s) request for an in-person interview, in accordance with applicable ADs,\u201d Jones wrote in the memo. \u201cMoreover, had they continued to refuse, a likely outcome of such refusal would have been termination.\u201d<\/p>\n Council staff is hired by the Council Aides Corp., not the city, to ensure their independence from the City Manager\u2019s office and provide staffers \u2013 who previously served as contract workers \u2013 with benefits, longtime political consultant Laura Barberena told the Current.<\/p>\n Branch\u2019s attorney, former News4 reporter Mariah Medina, told the Current Jones\u2019 memo was \u201cbizarre\u201d and \u201cdemonstrably false.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are obviously imbalances of power here,\u201d Medina said. \u201cIt\u2019s obvious that the mayor is leading this investigation and is trying to arrive at a certain conclusion. It\u2019s just unfortunate that James is in her crosshairs.\u201d<\/p>\n Medina also maintained that Jones\u2019 assertions that her client is a \u201cthreat\u201d are completely untrue, and that Branch isn\u2019t responsible for leaking information to KSAT.<\/p>\n Branch\u2019s boss, Alderete Gavito, has been among Jones\u2019 most vocal critics over the past year, and sources familiar with San Antonio politics said she may be eyeing a mayoral run herself in 2029.<\/p>\n \u201cI stand firmly with my Chief of Staff and will continue to defend his integrity and his right to due process,\u201d Gavito said in a statement to the Current. \u201cThe Mayor should immediately retract these unfounded accusations and allow us to focus on the real challenges facing our city, rather than manufacturing conflicts that serve no public purpose.\u201d <\/p>\n This also isn\u2019t the first time Jones has gone after alleged leakers.<\/p>\n In August, Jones ordered Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai to \u201cinvestigate leaked footage of District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez\u2019s magistration hearing following her DWI arrest.\u200b\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I understand, such a leak is unprecedented,\u201d she told Sakai at the time.<\/p>\n Sakai responded by informing the mayor that all magistrate hearings are livestreamed and available for public viewing, per Texas state law.<\/p>\n Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tThe decision comes after San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones accused a council member\u2019s chief-of-staff of leaking security information to the press. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779615204_661_JJM_Triumph-8.jpg\")
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