Round Rock Mayor Plagued By Conflict Of Interest Accusations

ROUND ROCK, TX — Accusations of conflict of interest continue to plague Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan, who works for a law firm that has benefited richly from city contracts.

Austin news station KXAN launched an investigation into the mayor's relationship with the law firm of McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen P.C., which began collecting delinquent taxes for Round Rock in 2013. Since that time, the firm has reaped $622,000 in recovered taxes with the city — and could earn more than $335,000 in fees if it's able to collect some $2.2 million in delinquent city property taxes.

Round Rock City Council approved the hiring of Austin-based Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP for its collections when Morgan first joined the dais in 2011 but switched to Morgan’s law firm two years later — a vote from which Morgan abstained per state law.

“I understand the perception,” Morgan later told the Austin American-Statesman following the news station's reports. "But I have worked with the firm since I've lived in Round Rock. This is not anything hidden."

In its latest followup, KXAN begs to differ. Checking back in with the mayor, the news station questioned him why his status as partner in the law firm was suddenly deleted following its reports about the perceived conflict of interest.

Morgan has worked at the law firm since 2006, listed until recently as a partner there. But within days of KXAN's investigation, the title was inexplicably dropped on the law firm's website.

Morgan explained that away when questioned by a KXAN reporter: “We change a lot of stuff with our website with the attorneys and all that because there are shareholders and — we just updated our website to a new website within the last year,” he said, adding that while he had been offered the partnership role but declined.

But KXAN found a July 2016 video of Morgan 200 miles away in Weatherford, Texas, where he sought the tax collections contract from that city. And he identified himself as partner of the firm as recently as that time.

“Mayor, council, good evening, city manager," he began before launching his presentation. "My name is Craig Morgan, I’m a partner with the law firm McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen and for the last six years we have been your vendor for the collection of delinquent fines and fees.”

Weatherford officials ultimately hired another law firm for delinquent tax collections. Yet the allegations of conflict of interest continue to dog the mayor. On Wednesday, a KXAN reporter tried to secure an interview with Morgan along with his employment contracts. Both requests were declined.

“No further comment," is reported as having told the news station's reporter. "You’ve got sworn documents that I’m not an owner, so I have nothing further to add on it.”

A provision in the Round Rock charter stipulates that elected officials should have no personal financial interest in any contract with the city.

Morgan was elected as mayor of Round Rock in May 2017. Prior to that, he served as a council member for Place 1 from May 2011 to May 2017. He was elected mayor pro tem in June 2016.

>>> Read the full story at KXAN

Image via City of Round Rock website