HOUSTON, Texas — The office of John Whitmire paid up to $60,000 in public funds for a podcast titled “901 Bagby: Inside The Mayor’s Office,” according to records obtained by Houston Public Media.
A purchase order described services provided by Owen Conflenti, owner of Conflenti Media, as “advertising services.”
Whitmire said the podcast is intended to promote public engagement but did not provide further details.
Since March 2, three episodes of the podcast have been released, each lasting between 17 and 22 minutes. Topics included staffing at the Houston Police Department, the city budget, homelessness initiatives, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which Houston will host seven matches.
In one episode, Whitmire said he does not focus on politics or reelection.
The podcast was funded with taxpayer money rather than campaign funds. The Texas Ethics Commission defines political advertising as communication supporting or opposing a candidate for public office, which public funds cannot be used to finance.
Nancy Sims said references to elections in taxpayer-funded content could raise concerns about compliance with ethics rules. Andrew Cates said the content described does not clearly violate existing regulations.
The mayor’s office did not seek competitive bids for the contract, citing a professional services exemption under state procurement rules.
The city did not release the full agreement with Conflenti and has requested an opinion from the Texas Attorney General’s Office on whether it can withhold the document.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not respond to questions about the number of episodes or duration covered by the payment. Conflenti did not respond to requests for comment.
In a separate statement, Conflenti said the podcast provides a platform for longer discussions on city issues.
The use of public funds for communications by elected officials remains a subject of debate, according to Sims.
Separately, the Houston Independent School District launched a taxpayer-funded video program called “HISD Now” under Superintendent Mike Miles, with reported costs of $2 million from 2025 to 2026.
