Editors Note: This article has been updated to include comments from District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur.
Activist groups have filed an ethics complaint accusing City Council members of breaking state law by staging campaign rallies for Project Marvel-related ballot propositions that they erroneously promoted as educational “town halls.”
During a Thursday press conference in front of City Hall, members of the Defending Public Money for Public Good PAC and watchdog group COPS/Metro told reporters they had filed a formal complaint with City Attorney Andy Segovia against four members of council.
The complaint targets council members who held town halls on Propositions A and B in the past month but failed to invite representatives from COPS/Metro or other groups opposing the ballot measures. The watchdog groups argue the gatherings were intended to promote the initiatives rather than inform the public.
“City-run events should inform voters, not be a rally to campaign for one side of an issue,” COPS/Metro leader Mike Phillips said. “City Council members have used their city social media accounts to promote town halls hosted on publicly owned property and public facilities, have used staff time and coordinated these ‘info sessions’ with the Win Together Campaign — only presenting one side of the issue.”
The complaint specifically names council members Sukh Kaur (District 1), Marina Alderete Gavito (District 7), Misty Spears (District 9) and Marc Whyte (District 10).
The complaint also explicitly mentions a virtual Project Marvel Town Hall hosted by Kaur on Oct. 21. However, Kaur told the Current that during that meeting she made clear she was there in her official role, and that questions from all sides were answered with factual information. She also said she did not promote or disclose her personal opinion during that meeting.
The Nov. 4 election will decide the fate of the two ballot initiatives. The more controversial of the pair, Prop B, would approve using public funds to subsidize a $1.3 billion arena for the San Antonio Spurs at Hemisfair. Meanwhile, Prop A would fund upgrades to East Side facilities to make them a year-round rodeo destination.
A Thursday post on Kaur’s personal Instagram also account encouraged residents to vote or risk Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama leaving town. However, she said that falls within the Code of Ethics, since she wasn’t encouraging folks to vote one way or another on her official COSA account.
Even so, organizers of Thursday’s presser said councilmembers should remain neutral.
“These resources belong to taxpayers and should be used to present factually and unbiased information to inform voters, not attempt to influence their vote one way or another,” Phillips said at the press conference.
The ethics complaint cites two sections of the Texas Election Code, which prohibit the use of public resources for political advertising and bar public officials and employees from using their authority or influence to sway election outcomes.
Officials with Defending Public Money for Public Good PAC and COPS/Metro said they also plan to file an ethics complaint with the Texas Secretary of State’s office but haven’t yet done so.
The city complaint comes as early voting on Props A and B is already underway. Polls are open from now through Oct. 31, and they will again reopen on Election Day.
Information on where and when to vote is available at the Bexar County Elections Department’s website.
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