Timeline Reveals Events Behind Corpus Christi Mayor’s Removal
The ongoing effort to remove Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo from her position has sparked a significant debate within the community and among elected leaders. This dispute involves legal proceedings, public scrutiny, and questions about due process, as attorneys work through the complexities of whether a hearing should be held that would allow the City Council to oust her from office. The controversy traces back to events more than two years ago, centered around a $2 million in tax incentives awarded to hotel developers.
The initial controversy began with accusations that developers had altered a screenshot of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website, using it in a presentation for a proposal to construct a Homewood Suites hotel. Developers have denied any intentional misleading, describing the issue as a formatting error. Both law enforcement and administrative investigations concluded no criminal violations. However, residents petitioning for removal have linked the tax incentives and their approval to what they claim is misconduct or malfeasance by the mayor. Guajardo has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
There are currently three legal processes underway that involve the tax incentives as a central subject: the removal proceedings, a pending lawsuit filed by a competing hotelier seeking to undo the council’s tax incentives vote, and a federal complaint filed by the mayor contending the removal proceedings lack due process.
Timeline of Events
April 13, 2022
A news release published by FEMA states that the agency’s local flood maps had been finalized and would become effective Oct. 13, 2022.
July 22, 2022
Development of the property near North Chaparral Street and Lomax Street is conceptualized as a hotel with about 120 rooms, according to a Dec. 11, 2023, presentation to a city economic development board. The hotel is planned to include a rooftop bar, retail space, and an outdoor patio, a memo shows.
Oct. 13, 2022
Area flood maps go into effect.
February 2023
Developers with Elevate QOF LLC meet with staff from the city’s Development Services Department and are “made aware of the need to modify the design to accommodate the new flood requirements,” according to a City Council agenda memo, dated March 11, 2024.
Dec. 11, 2023
A presentation on the hotel and proposed tax incentives is heard by the Corpus Christi B Corp., also known as the Type B board, which oversees distribution of sales tax incentives.
Jan. 22, 2024
The Type B board approves a grant of as much as $2 million for the project, according to board minutes.
Feb. 20, 2024
The City Council votes 7-1 to approve the developer’s funding request on the first of two readings.
Feb. 2024 through April 2024
Investigations by city management determine that the image on the FEMA slide “had been altered as part of a ‘scheme,’” according to the presentation by the city auditor’s office on Sept. 9, 2025.
April 16, 2024
An email sent by City Attorney Miles Risley to city officials on Sept. 19, 2025, includes a PowerPoint attachment dated April 16, 2024.
April 23, 2024
The City Council approves the tax incentives on its second reading in a 5-3 vote.
May 15, 2024
David submits a complaint to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to CCPD’s PowerPoint presentation.
August 2024
The city auditor’s office begins an investigation following receipt of allegations, according to the city auditor’s Sept. 9, 2025, presentation.
Sept. 30, 2024
David files a petition asking that a judge declare the city’s ordinance for the funding “void, invalid, and not enforceable,” based, in part, on an assertion that “it offends public policy to have allowed solicitation of City’s tax-payer dollars by use of an Altered Federal Document.”
Nov. 18, 2024
City attorneys file an answer to the petition, denying “the material allegations” made in David’s petition.
Aug. 6, 2025
Guajardo is deposed as part of David’s lawsuit. She is one of several city staff members, City Council members and economic development officials who are questioned by David’s attorney over a series of months.
Aug. 7, 2025
An amended petition specifically lists Guajardo as a defendant, in addition to the city of Corpus Christi.
Aug. 21, 2025
The city auditor’s office issues a memo to the City Council recommending an independent external investigation into the tax incentives and Homewood Suites investigation.
Aug. 27, 2025
Elevate QOF LLC, the hotel developer, files a petition to intervene in David’s lawsuit. The company denies “any allegation and/or insinuation of wrongdoing” and seeks a judgment that the approval of the incentive is valid, proper and enforceable.
Aug. 29, 2025
A petition filed by resident Rachel Caballero, and signed by five registered voters, is submitted to the city, accusing Guajardo of misconduct or malfeasance related to the $2 million in tax incentives.
Sept. 9, 2025
The City Council votes to refer what is then described as the Homewood Suites fraud allegation to outside counsel for investigation.
Oct. 7, 2025
The majority of the City Council votes to hire outside attorneys who are not legally representing the city to conduct a separate investigation into the Homewood Suites situation.
Oct. 14, 2025
CCPD meets with the district attorney’s office, which “concluded the facts and circumstances in this instance do not constitute a criminal violation,” according to CCPD’s PowerPoint presentation.
Oct. 27, 2025
The Type B board votes to hire legal counsel.
Nov. 25, 2025
CCPD detectives interview Ramirez.
Dec. 16, 2025
The district attorney’s office states that it will not be taking the case, according to the police department’s investigation report.
Feb. 17, 2026
The City Council sees presentations on the investigations related to the Homewood Suites tax incentives — one by CCPD and the other by Daniel Ray, the attorney who had been hired for an external review of the situation.
March 11, 2026
Vaughn, Cantu and Hernandez request in a memo that an item about the removal petition be placed on the agenda.
March 13, 2026
Caballero files articles of impeachment — essentially the asserted charges against the mayor — shown as signed by an additional six residents.
March 24, 2026
The City Council considers the petition and articles of impeachment, voting 5-3 to take the next steps for a removal hearing.
April 8, 2026
John Flood, an attorney representing Guajardo, sends a letter to the City Council urging that it “reconsider its decision to move forward with any proceeding,” indicating the possibility of “unnecessary litigation.”
April 13, 2026
Doug Allison, David’s attorney, sends a letter to the council counter to Flood’s missive.
April 13, 2026
Guajardo files a federal complaint against the city of Corpus Christi, alleging “procedural and substantive due process” concerns associated with the removal proceedings.
April 13, 2026
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. signs a temporary restraining order barring the council from suspending Guajardo in the April 14 meeting.
April 14, 2026
The City Council votes 5-2 to set May 19 for pretrial proceedings, which are expected to include consideration of witness lists, motions and filings.
April 15, 2026
Hanks does not approve a preliminary injunction requested by Guajardo, ordering attorneys representing the city and Guajardo to meet before the April 27 expiration of the temporary restraining order.
April 23, 2026
Guajardo’s attorneys file an amended complaint, adding five council members — Vaughn, Hernandez, Cantu, Campos and Paxson — as defendants in the federal court case.
April 27, 2026
Hanks does not approve a second temporary restraining order, and the order that had been issued earlier in the month expires at 5 p.m.
May 5, 2026
Flood files a motion for the City Council’s pretrial hearing, arguing that four council members who participated in consideration of the tax incentives either recuse themselves or be disqualified from being part of the tribunal that will decide whether Guajardo is removed.
May 11, 2026
City officials file a motion to dismiss the federal court case.
May 12, 2026
The City Council votes to issue a default letter to developers of the Homewood Suites hotel, citing alleged “misleading material representations made to the Type B Corporation.”
May 13, 2026
Stephen McMains, an attorney representing council members named in Guajardo’s lawsuit, files a motion to dismiss in the federal case.
May 14, 2026
Guajardo’s attorneys file a memo supporting the proposed preliminary injunction in federal court.
May 15, 2026
The city secretary’s office posts records online that will be considered as part of the pretrial hearing.
May 18, 2026
City attorneys file a response to the memo supporting the proposed injunction — again requesting case dismissal — asserting that an injunction isn’t warranted and that the court doesn’t have subject matter jurisdiction.
May 18, 2026
Hanks hears from legal representatives of Guajardo, the city and the council members named as defendants during a late afternoon preliminary injunction hearing.
May 19, 2026
The planned date for the pretrial hearing in the city’s removal proceedings.
Kirsten Crow covers city government and water news. Have a story idea? Contact her at kirsten.crow@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times:
Timeline shows events around requested removal of Corpus Christi mayor
