Removal proceedings against Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo moved forward Tuesday with a pre-trial hearing at city hall that included public comment and about an hour of executive session.
The mayor has not been removed, but the process advanced when the city council voted to schedule two additional pre-trial hearings — May 27 and June 2.
Those hearings will finalize elements of the actual trial, including what witnesses and evidence will be used. The mayor's attorney, John Flood, said the June 2 hearing could be a turning point.
"Presumably at the June 2nd one is where they would set the actual trial date," Flood said.
During Tuesday's meeting, the council also appointed Terry Shamsie, a longtime trial attorney, as special counsel. His role is to "advise on procedural, admissibility, or evidentiary issues."
The petitioners want the mayor impeached on 4 counts of public mistrust, directly related to an altered FEMA document that led to $2 million of taxpayer money going to a hotel development. The incident was investigated by the FBI, the Texas Rangers, and the Corpus Christi Police Department. No charges were filed.
Mayor Guajardo acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.
"You know... it's been difficult," Guajardo said.
She also addressed the varying perspectives surrounding the case.
"There are different perspectives of this and different things that have already happened that have proven... it is what it is," Guajardo said.
Under the city charter, only 5 people are needed to initiate the removal process.
The June 2 pre-trial hearing falls on the same day the city council is scheduled to vote on the Level 1 water emergency plan and on whether to move forward on the Inner Harbor desalination project.
"We'll see where it goes... one day at a time," Guajardo said.
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