Ethics complaints filed over Mayor Whitmire's new taxpayer-funded podcast

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A new podcast starring Houston Mayor John Whitmire is now at the center of ethics complaints filed by the Houston Progressive Caucus.

The political grassroots organization said it submitted three separate complaints to different agencies.

The podcast, averaging fewer than 160 views over its first few episodes, cost $60,000 in taxpayer money to produce.

"It didn't make any sense to us to be going some private route and spending just such an extraordinary amount of money for a podcast," Audrey Nath, co-chair of the Houston Progressive Caucus, said.

The money goes to the podcast's host, former TV news reporter Owen Conflenti. According to the podcast's purchase order, obtained by ABC13, it's for advertising services.

The City of Houston said this is another communications channel it is using to keep the public informed and engaged.

The caucus said two of the complaints focus on the podcast's price tag, while the other focuses on comments made by the mayor, which they believe could be seen as political advertising.

"I'm so confident that we're on the right track that I don't worry about the politics of re-election," Whitmire said in the podcast episode. "You win elections in between elections. And the elections, I don't have time for politics."

Those comments were heard on the first episode of his podcast, "901 Bagby: Inside the Mayor's Office," that launched in March.

The group said it also filed complaints with Houston's Inspector General and the Controller's Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Division.

"Don't use our taxpayer money when our own services, our own community services are being cut while we're in a huge deficit," Nath said.

When asked about the complaints, Whitmire told ABC13 it was "silly politics."

"Everyone knows that podcasts, newsletters are part of public service," Whitmire said. "So I don't have time for politics, and I don't even let it distract me."

University of Houston Political Science Professor Nancy Sims said she doesn't think the mayor's comments crossed a line.

"I don't find that in any way a campaign statement," Sims said. "If he said, 'When I'm up for re-election, I'm running for re-election,' any of that type of statement that would have been actively campaigning."

Sims said anyone can file a complaint, but the question remains: Will anything come of this?

"It'd have to be pretty extreme for either the OIG, the controller, or the Texas Ethics Commission to take action," Sims said.

Ultimately, the caucus said its goal is to shine a light on what it described as wasteful spending. They also said they want the $60,000 returned and for the mayor to pay for the podcast with campaign funds.