Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Feb. 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m to include a statement from Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and Councilmember Viagran. It was also updated at 11:20 a.m. to indicate that Councilmember Teri Castillo represents District 5.
Five members of the San Antonio City Council have called for a special meeting to potentially censure Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones for an alleged code of conduct violation.
In a five-signature memo, councilmembers said that since Jones was inaugurated in June there have been “repeated instances of unprofessional conduct in dealing with councilmembers, city staff, and residents of San Antonio.”
The memo follows a code of conduct complaint filed against Jones by District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur.
The memo references the complaint, tying it to an incident that took place last Thursday. Texas Public Radio has requested a copy of the complaint.
“The signatories to this memorandum hereby request that upon the conclusion of the above-referenced investigation there be a Special Meeting scheduled within seven days pertaining to the conduct of the Mayor in which City Council may consider a censure of Mayor Jones," the statement said.
The memo was signed by council members Phyllis Viagran (D3), Teri Castillo (D5), Marina Alderete Gavito (D7), Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (D8) and Misty Spears (D9).
Councilwoman Aldarete Gavito said it was signed by all-female members of the council in solidarity with District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur. She added that the memo was also in response to escalating unprofessionalism by Jones.
“I remember going to Councilman Whyte's town hall, and she took the mic away from him and talked about the Spurs deal, even though they had literally just had an agreement that this was his budget town hall, and they were not going to talk about the Spurs arena,” she said.
Castillo said that city council was no exception to workplace expectations.
“There's expectations on how we have civil debate, interactions and disagreement, and when we learn about an instance in which any of our colleagues berates one another, we have a responsibility to have a conversation about next steps on how we correct that behavior in the workplace,” Castillo said.
Neither Alderete Gavito nor Castillo saw the incident that took place last week.
Texas Public Radio asked Mayor Jones for comment before the memo was released on Monday, but she declined.
On Tuesday the communications team for Mayor Jones provided a statement saying her style of leadership is grounded in her lived experience.
"Serving as Mayor of San Antonio is an honor and a privilege. Every day, I wake up thinking about this city and what I can do to make it a place where everyone can thrive. It is no secret that I have disagreed with my colleagues at times about what is best for our city. I have tirelessly advocated for the things that will advance San Antonio and help our people succeed,” she said. “My style of leadership is grounded in my lived experience, and that approach does not always align with the traditional templates of female leaders or my colleagues' views. Still, I know we are all committed to engaging with dignity, respect, and compassion. I am disappointed that some of my colleagues felt this was a necessary step, but I hear their feedback and look forward to continuing to work with them to make San Antonio better."
District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran said she was disappointed in the mayor’s response.
“I think I was disappointed in the statement of the mayor regarding that this was some sort of her being different from the female leadership side, because what I feel at the end of the day (is) that this is about respect and this is about leadership, and that's the question at hand, and that's why we have this investigation,” Viagran said.
Councilwoman Kaur declined to comment, citing the pending investigation.
Spears and Meza Gonzalez issued statements saying all council members deserve to be treated with respect and professionalism.
“I support my colleagues' right to raise concerns, and those concerns deserve to be taken seriously and addressed through the appropriate process,” Spears said.
"When those expectations are called into question, it is our responsibility to address them through the appropriate processes and ensure accountability," said Meza Gonzalez.
A censure is a formal reprimand and does not lead to automatic removal. Four council members have been censured over the last four years, including three for alleged drunk driving incidents and one for berating a fellow council member.
