Texas City Mayor Dedrick Johnson is facing increasing pressure as residents organize a recall effort against him. The movement has gained significant momentum, with petitioners reporting that they’ve already gathered 900 of the 1,200 signatures needed to trigger a special election.
Residents Demand Change
During a heated city council meeting on Wednesday, residents held up neon protest signs, voicing their anger toward Mayor Johnson. They accused him of fostering a culture of corruption and favoritism.
One vocal critic was Reva Rodriguez, who began attending city council meetings after her brother died in Texas City police custody last year.
Rodriguez said, “We just need a whole brand-new mayor. There’s so much corruption. Our eyes were unopened, we were unaware until we started coming.”
Serious Allegations Against the Mayor
The allegations against Mayor Johnson are serious. An affidavit filed by Texas City resident Joshua McMeekin accuses the mayor of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act.
McMeekin’s affidavit also criticizes Johnson’s management of public records, the city’s police staffing, and alleged political interference in economic development.
The Mayor’s Defense
In response to the growing controversy, Mayor Johnson defended his actions in an interview after the meeting. He emphasized that it was the citizens who elected him and that only the citizens could remove him from office, not through a petition. Johnson described the recall effort as baseless.
He acknowledged a mistake with one meeting agenda that required correction but insisted that there had been no violations of public records requests in the city.
Mayor Johnson also addressed the recall’s timing, noting that he is scheduled for reelection in May 2026. However, if the petition collects the required 1,200 valid signatures, a special election could be called earlier than expected.
New City Council Rules Spark Debate
At the same city council meeting, a new ordinance was introduced, establishing formal Commission Rules of Procedure and Order of Business for the first time in the city’s history. The new policy provides a framework for how meetings are conducted and how items are added to the agenda.
Critics, however, raised concerns that the new rules give Mayor Johnson the final say over what appears on the agenda, arguing that this could silence dissenting voices on the council.
