John Whitmire’s finger keeps pointing everywhere except back at his own desk. When asked to account for HPD’s cooperation with ICE, the mayor suggested critics should pay more attention to constables and county officials. Houston residents are entitled to answers about the police department he oversees, regardless of what another agency does. Somebody else’s conduct does not excuse his own administration from scrutiny.
Whitmire also acknowledged directing Police Chief Noe Diaz to skip a council committee meeting where residents and council members wanted answers. “That was my decision based on the city attorney’s advice,” he said. The first five words settle the question of responsibility: That was my decision. Everything after that explains whose advice he accepted.
The city attorney does not outrank the mayor. Under Houston’s Code of Ordinances, Section 2-257, the mayor appoints the city attorney, subject to council confirmation, and may remove that attorney at any time. Seeking legal advice is responsible government. Invoking that advice does not transfer ownership of a mayoral decision to the lawyer who provided it.
This habit of looking elsewhere predates the latest ICE controversy. The Houston Landing documented Whitmire repeatedly blaming the previous administration for problems involving the budget, transit, and disaster preparedness. Some inherited problems undoubtedly require years to repair. But an inherited problem still becomes the sitting mayor’s responsibility to address; identifying its origin is only the beginning of the job.
The same principle applies to other law enforcement agencies. If constables or county officials deserve investigation, investigate them. Accountability does not come with a rule requiring residents to find the worst offender before questioning anyone else. Houstonians can demand answers from several public officials at once.
A small number of ICE encounters also cannot establish that every encounter was justified. That requires an explanation of what officers did and why. The mayor should welcome questions that let his administration show its conduct deserves public confidence.
Whitmire wanted the authority to lead Houston. Answering for how he exercises that authority comes with the office. The buck should stop at the mayor’s desk. Under Whitmire, it seems to arrive just long enough to get directions somewhere else.