Mayor Turner Suspends Press Secretary Who Lied About Emails

HOUSTON, TX — A senior member of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s communications staff who failed to release thousands of email documents as required under the Texas Public Information Act, was suspended for 10 days in December.

Darian Ward, who serves as Turner’s press secretary in the city’s communications office, was suspended on Dec. 11 for failing to release thousands of emails related her side businesses.

Ward also misrepresented the number of emails related to her businesses and produced on city time to her supervisor, Communications Director Alan Bernstein and Trent Seibert, a reporter with an independent media group who requested the information, KTRK reported.

Ward released 29 emails to Seibert and told Bernstein that the request had produced very little relevant information related to the request.

However, an inspection by the city’ office of Inspector General uncovered more than 5,000 emails sent on behalf of Ward’s production company “Joy In Motion” and other non-city related matters since 2014, KPRC reported.

Many of the emails included proposals and signed deals related to private deals for reality television programs, and indicated Ward spent a significant amount of time pitching these deals on behalf of Joy In Motion and her other business dealings while on the clock for the city.

The revelation sparks disappointment from council members Mike Knox and Michael Kubosh, who both indicated Ward should have been terminated for her actions instead of serving a suspension.

"She should be terminated," Kubosh told KTRK. "If she lied about the number of records and used government time to conduct private business, there's no mercy for that."

Knox said Turner’s pledge to move toward more government transparency in his administration is now murkier after this incident.

Image: City of Houston Portrait

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