Beginning week four of Bonusgate (updated: Alvarado steps aside)
***Keep scrolling for updates***
Here's what's going on so far today:
KHOU-11 is reporting that the four employees in the Mayor Pro Tem's office will be suspended indefinitely (government-speak for fired?).
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports that the DA's office has received a "partial report" from the Houston Police Office of Inspector General, and prosecutors are reviewing the material.
Also, Mayor White is expected to discuss the report later today with the media, but may not release the full report, according to spokesman Frank Michel.
And on KTRH-740 this morning a councilmember (maybe Councilwoman Sekula-Gibbs?) was complaining that Mayor White is leaving Council in the dark about details of the investigation.
UPDATE: KHOU-11 is now reporting that Carol Alvarado will temporarily step down as Mayor Pro Tem:
Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado will temporarily step aside as a result of the payroll scandal in her office. Mayor Bill White issued a statement that "the Office of Inspector General's report reveals a pattern of misconduct of the mayor pro tem's office."
The mayor went on to reveal there was some evidence of attempts to conceal the activities that granted four employees of that office more than $140,000 in improper bonuses.
Well. That's intriguing.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: As noted previously, Alvarado's move was entirely expected.
In my view, the move is likely to be permanent, not temporary. Mayor White's agenda and priorities trump Carol Alvarado's political needs.
ANNE ADDS MORE: KPRC-950 news is reporting that Michael Berry will take over Mayor Pro Tem duties, and the office's responsibilities will be curtailed.
Check out this Alvarado quote from Matt Stiles' updated story:
"I intend to temporarily - make sure you wrote that down right - temporarily, step down, pending the outcome of the investigation," she said.
We got it. Temporarily. Wanna bet? (Not that we do that here at bH, of course.)
MORE: From KTRK-13:
"Clearly, this is not what I prefer, but I think it's the right thing to do for the Houston city council and for the city as a whole," said Alvarado.
But it IS what Mayor White preferred. Refer to Kevin Adds above.
EVEN MORE: Mayor White's statement.
That's a pretty fast turnaround for a mayoral press release. Often we hear or read something in the local media relating to Mayor White, and it takes days and days before the press release shows up on the city's website. Obviously, this situation is such that the mayor wants to make sure there is NO delay in getting his side of things on the public record.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS MORE: KSEV-700 substitute talker Chris Begala is claiming on air that he "broke" the rumor that Alvarado would resign on Friday. At 5:20 pm. Except by that time, the scuttlebutt had been circulating among the city's journalists for hours. And KRIV-26's Isiah Carey had posted about it on his blog at 1:32 pm.
So no, Chris Begala didn't "break" the story at 5:20 pm, and his claim that he did shows a clownish lack of awareness of local media that we've seen before over at KSEV.
BY THE WAY: Rosie Hernandez is still listed as the contact person on Carol Alvarado's website:
All invites or scheduling requests can be emailed to [email protected].
Or, they can be faxed directly to Rosie Hernandez, Scheduler, at 713.247.3413.
BLOGVERSATION: Houblog
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/06/06 12:21 PM | Print |
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