Case File 26-1126
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Hearing for the Removal Action of the Mayor, with possible action to refer to the Ethics Commission (referral requires an ordinance), reprimand, suspend, or remove Mayor Paulette Guajardo. (Removal requires a majority vote of all council members holding office - 5 votes)
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Check due process compliance in Corpus Christi mayor removal hearing
Applies if: Representing the mayor or another party to the removal action
Context: The special meeting agenda listed the item as 'To Be Introduced' on both 2026-07-22 and 2026-07-23 while naming a range of possible outcomes (Ethics Commission referral, reprimand, suspension, or removal) rather than a single charged standard.
Recommended: Confirm whether Mayor Guajardo received written notice of the specific charges and the applicable removal standard before the hearing opened — the posted outcome range runs from a mere Ethics Commission referral up to outright removal without the record specifying which standard governs, which is the kind of ambiguity that supports a later due-process challenge.
Investigate the stalled Corpus Christi mayor removal proceeding
Context: The same agenda item recurred at consecutive special City Council meetings on 2026-07-22 and 2026-07-23 still marked 'To Be Introduced,' with next steps listed as unknown.
Recommended: Pull the special meeting packets for July 22 and July 23 to find out why the removal hearing against Mayor Guajardo has appeared twice as 'To Be Introduced' without reaching a vote — a two-day stall on an item that could end in removal from office points to either a vote-count problem or a negotiated delay, and either is a story.
Key Entities
Timeline
Mr. Allison called Philip Ramirez as a witness by pre-recorded video deposition. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting at 11:23 a.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 11:34 a.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting for lunch at 11:35 a.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 12:38 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting at 2:09 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 2:23 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting at 3:10 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 3:22 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting at 4:32 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 4:40 p.m. Mr. Allison called Paulette Guajardo as a witness. Mr. Allison passed the witness. Mr. Flood did not have any questions for the witness.
Council Member Vaughn moved to deny the respondent's motion for continuance of Petitioners' Exhibits 50-68, seconded by Council Member Campos and approved with the following vote: Council Members Campos, Cantu, Hernandez, Paxson, and Vaughn voting "yes," and Council Member Scott voting "no." Council Member Hernandez moved to admit Petitioners' Exhibits 1-35, substitute 36, 37, 38, 41-45, 49, 50, 52, 55-62, and 64-68, but exclude Exhibits 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, seconded by Council Member Vaughn and approved with the following vote: Council Members Campos, Cantu, Hernandez, Paxson, and Vaughn voting "yes," and Council Member Scott voting "no." Council Member Scott moved to admit Respondent's Exhibits 1-47, seconded by Council Member Hernandez and approved with the following vote: Council Members Campos, Cantu, Hernandez, Paxson, Scott and Vaughn voting "yes." Legal Counsel for the Petitioners Doug Allison provided his opening statement. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting at 11:53 a.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 12:07 p.m. Legal Counsel for the Mayor John Flood provided his opening statement. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson recessed the meeting for lunch at 12:32 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson reconvened the meeting at 1:15 p.m. Mr. Allison called Mike Culbertson as a witness by pre-recorded video deposition. Mr. Allison called Alan Wilson as a witness by pre-recorded video deposition. Mr. Allison called Heather Hurlbert as a witness by pre-recorded video deposition. Mr. Allison called Peter Zanoni as a witness by pre-recorded video deposition. Mayor Pro Tem Paxson stated: "Due to time constraints, I hereby schedule continuation of this hearing for August 6, 2026 and August 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m."