As early voting commenced, the city’s Ethics Review Commission has decided to delay considerations regarding complaints against Mayor Kirk Watson and challenger Doug Greco. The complaints allege that both candidates accepted contributions exceeding the limits set for non-Austin residents, a measure intended to keep external funds from influencing local elections.
Former Commissioner Betsy Greenberg filed the complaints, claiming each candidate received more than $46,000 from outside the city. However, Watson’s attorney, Jim Cousar, requested a postponement of the hearing due to his travel plans on the next scheduled meeting date, October 23. Consequently, the commission plans to discuss the scheduling of these complaints on that date, with the complaints expected to be resolved on November 13, after the general election.
After the hearing for Watson was postponed, Greenberg also requested a delay for Greco’s complaint. Greco had previously attempted to challenge the regulation governing outside contributions in court, but a federal judge dismissed the case, suggesting it be refiled after the ethics commission’s ruling.
Additionally, the commission is set to discuss complaints against District 10 candidate Ashika Ganguly and District 6 candidate Krista Laine, who both failed to meet the mid-September deadline for disclosing their personal financial holdings. Their respective opponents, Council Member Mackenzie Kelly and Marc Duchen, have filed ethics complaints as well, which will also be delayed until after the election.
In an email, Greenberg emphasized the importance of addressing campaign violation cases prior to elections, noting missed opportunities for preliminary hearings.
Meanwhile, Duchen raised concerns regarding a political action committee, Vibrant Austin PAC, which incorrectly claimed that the Travis County Democratic Party endorsed Ganguly in an advertisement. The party clarified that it does not endorse individual candidates in contested primaries. Skyler Korgel, the PAC’s treasurer, acknowledged the mistake and stated it was unintentional, ensuring that such errors would not occur again.