SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council has formally reprimanded Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, making her the first mayor in modern city history to be censured.
The 8-1 vote comes after a complaint by District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who said Jones yelled and cursed at her in a staff area following a council meeting. The disagreement centered on the Bonham Exchange nightclub, which had missed a fire sprinkler installation deadline. Jones pushed to cut the club’s occupancy in half until sprinklers were installed, while Kaur supported giving the establishment until February 2027 to comply without adjusting occupancy.
Jones, the city’s first openly gay mayor, said Friday that her actions were fueled by concern for public safety. “I became passionate because I firmly believe public safety is our number one responsibility,” she said, citing the risks LGBTQ+ patrons and employees face at nightlife venues. She has issued both a written and public apology to Kaur.
Councilwoman Kaur, however, said the mayor downplayed the severity of the incident. “The mayor has tried to diminish this instance by saying it was a single F-bomb that was thrown. It is very different to use the curse word as an adjective versus to continuously berate and intimidate someone,” Kaur said.
