Former senior aide to Houston mayor pleads guilty to federal charges

Long-time Houston City Council Liaison William-Paul Thomas pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges

HOUSTON - Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is responding after a city employee pleads guilty to Bribery.

William-Paul Thomas worked in the Mayor’s Office as the Director of Council Relations even before Mayor Turner was elected. Thomas has now resigned after pleading guilty to federal charges last week.

"William Paul has chosen to retire," Mayor Turner announced to Houston City Council members at the start of this week’s council meeting.

You can hear just how shocked council members were at learning the long-time City Council Liaison Thomas had resigned as council members could be heard asking "What?"

Then the mayor answered,"yep, he has chosen to retire."

According to federal court documents in May 2020 "Thomas agreed to use his official position to exert pressure on other officials to pass (a Houston company) at inspection and issue (the company) a (temporary certificate of occupancy) in exchange for money" so the bar could continue operating during the COVID shutdown as a restaurant.

"If it turns out to be true I’m very disappointed," said Mayor Turner. "It is uncharacteristic. It’s just inconsistent to the person I’ve come to know."

Official documents also state Thomas pleaded guilty to the charges which include "On July 6, 2020 (a Houston businessman) offered Thomas up to $13,000 to have the necessary permit issued quickly so that (the man’s company) could reopen".

Mayor Turner has this message for the city’s 22,000 employees, which he says the overwhelming majority do a great job.

"I want you to adhere to the policies and procedures and to the law," he said. "Anything less than that is unacceptable".

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After these federal charges, the city is now also expected to launch an investigation into Thomas’ actions.

"This information has just come to light," Houston City Attorney Arturo Michel explained. "We will look at it. There’s very little we can say about it. The process is confidential."

"I'm shocked and disappointed," Commissioner Rodney Ellis said in a statement. "As a longtime friend, I'm praying for him and his family."

Thomas has worked for the City of Houston for 14 years and his sentencing is scheduled for November.