This week, City of Houston Housing Director Tom McCasland told city council that Mayor Turner basically fixed the bidding process on an affordable housing contract being funded with $15 million in Harvey rebuilding money.
That contract is going a company with ties to the former law partner of Mayor Turner.
Harbor Venture Group was awarded the contract despite it scoring lower than seven other proposals.
The company is run by the mayor’s former law partner Barry Barnes, and a partner at Barnes' firm, Jermaine Thomas.
So they got friends in high places.
In response to the whistleblowing by McCasland, Turner fired him.
The Texas General Land Office says they are looking into McCasland's "allegations of fraud or corruption."
Councilman Mike Kubosh tells ABC13, “the mayor has his fingers on the scale again.Council needs to call for a full investigation as this is a case where a director is saying the mayor has done something improper. This isn't some citizen. This is someone on the inside who documented his claims with emails."
In response to the allegation, Mayor Turner has told City Attorney Arturo Michel to investigate McCasland’s claims.
So Turner is going to have his own appointee look into allegations against him.
Nothing shady at all with that.