Mayor White to ask Alvarado to step down as Mayor Pro Tem?
Embattled Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado is still a hot topic among local journalists, despite the best efforts of her high-powered PR firm to change the subject.
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack devoted her entire politics column to Alvarado's difficulties:
Alvarado's natural instinct was to talk, but she didn't help herself with the things she said.She said she felt betrayed. And to subsequent questions about a $66,000 increase in this year's mayor pro tem office budget, she said. "I don't know why this $50,000, or $60,000, is such a hot issue."
Having Marc Campos, her political consultant, serve as her mouthpiece — once she decided to stop talking about the investigation a week after the fact — only made it look like she was looking for a political solution. This week the role of speaking for Alvarado passed to Householder.
Hiring Householder and Hardin underscored Alvarado's realization that the payroll matter is serious and not going away anytime soon.
Metro/state/New Orleans editorialist and gossip columnist Rick Casey also took up the topic, although he devotes most of his column space to past clients of Alvarado's PR and legal firms. His research assistant must have been busy with that one.
And finally, KRIV-26 reporter Isiah Carey posts some buzz about the future of Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado:
The Insite has learned from credible sources that Mayor Bill White 'may' have quietly consulted with some Houston City Council members to gain their support in 'possibly' asking embattled council member Carol Alvarado to step down from the Mayor Pro Tem's office...
KTRH-740 has also been reporting on speculation that Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado will be asked to resign from the post, so it's obviously a hot topic at City Hall today, at least among journalists.
And that's Alvarado's biggest problem right now. Mayor White has given Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado a reasonable amount of time to get this issue under control, and she hasn't been able to do so. It's beginning to crowd out press coverage of the mayor's agenda and priorities, which can't please the administration. And the fact that Houston now has a Mayor Pro Tem who will only speak through a PR firm is an embarrassment for the city and for the mayor who selected her for the position.
It's difficult to imagine that Alvarado can retain the office much longer.
UPDATE: KPRC-2 reports that Mayor White has been soliciting opinions from other councilmembers on Alvarado's status.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/03/06 05:59 PM | Print |
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