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Rowlett council finds ethics complaint against mayor pro tem without merit after heated debate
Summary
Council debated whether remarks by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Shoop were made in his official capacity and whether they violated the city's ethics code, then voted 4–2 to find the March 31 complaint without merit. The discussion highlighted tensions about public comment tone and standards for elected officials.
The Rowlett City Council on April 7 deliberated an ethics complaint filed March 31 against Mayor Pro Tem Michael Shoop and, after legal advice and extended discussion, voted to find the complaint "without merit" by a 4–2 margin.
The complaint alleges violations of the council’s ethics policy for comments that critics say undermined respectful civic discourse and dismissed resident input. Mayor Pro Tem Shoop addressed the council during public session and denied wrongdoing: “The only thing I'm guilty of is exercising my right of free speech in a public forum,” he said, calling the complaint an attempt to "shame, silence, and cancel" opposing…
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