'Don't have time for games': Whitmire responds to Hidalgo's complaint that he won't meet with her

County Judge Lina Hidalgo told KHOU 11 News that she's concerned that Mayor John Whitmire still hasn't met with her to discuss plans for hurricane season.

HOUSTON — Houston Mayor John Whitmire said he's too busy running the City of Houston to meet with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo to discuss plans for the upcoming hurricane season.

Earlier this week, Hidalgo shared her concerns that Whitmire has ignored her "ongoing requests to meet."

Editor's note: The above video originally aired on April 23.

"It has me worried, but it's outside my control," Hidalgo told KHOU 11's Marcelino Benito. "I can't force someone to meet with me."

We reached out to Whitmire and he declined to speak with us on camera. His spokesman sent us a brief statement on Thursday and then shared a longer version on Friday saying he "doesn't have time for games."

"Mayor Whitmire says he doesn’t have time for games or meet and greets. He is busy running the city of Houston, which includes preparing for Hurricane Season with the assistance of the City's Office of Emergency Management.
"Since the beginning of his tenure, the Mayor has directed his team of experienced employees to go to work on behalf of the city and to coordinate with the county.
"Both teams have been in contact through the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Harris County Emergency Management. They have met at least ten times this year regarding emergency planning and response.
"There is ongoing discussion and collaboration.
"Mayor Whitmire is confident the city is prepared to work with the county, governor, and state emergency center before and during hurricane season.
"Mayor Whitmire has met with Harris County Commissioners Garcia, Briones, and Ramsey, and he is confident he and Judge Hidalgo will meet when it’s time."

"We've had ongoing requests to meet, offered different times, I'll go there, whatever, but he's too busy," Hidalgo said.

In March, when President Joe Biden visited Houston, Hidalgo thought she'd get her chance.

"Normally we all wait in one room with the pastries and coffee and I didn't see him," the county judge said. "Turns out he was in a different room. We always are in the same room."

Hidalgo said building a relationship with Whitmire is "critical," especially with hurricane season approaching.

"The problem is that there's real policy at stake," Hidalgo said. "It's about to be hurricane season. I still haven't walked him through the emergency operations center. We haven't been able to get us at this level to build a relationship and work together."

There is a complicated history between Hidalgo and Whitmire. Though both are Democrats, Hidalgo endorsed Whitmire's opponent in the mayoral race, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

"As I said during the campaign, if he wins, I'll work with him, that's how it works," Hidalgo told KHOU. "I've had to work with a lot of people who didn't support me. You have to do the job."

A key part of that job is partnership during crises. It's something KHOU 11 political analyst Brandon Rottinghaus said voters saw up close between past administrations.

"If there is some disagreement, that has to be put aside," Rottinghaus said. "The good of the region is in the hands of these two critical leaders."

Hidalgo wanted to make it clear she's ready to meet anytime.

"It's really a disservice, to put it kindly to the people of the county, to wait until a disaster to build that relationship," Hidalgo said.

It's been a challenging week for Hidalgo. On Thursday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced she was turning over a bid-rigging investigation involving three former Hidalgo staffers to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Ogg said she took the action after Hidalgo endorsed Sean Teare who beat Ogg in the March Primary. So, she's concerned the investigation would be "swept under the rug" when she leaves office. Teare said he would turn over the investigation to a DA in another county.

On Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court also blocked the county's Uplift Harris program that would give some low-income families $500 a month for 18 months. Paxton targeted the program saying it was unconstitutional. The case is expected to wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated that the county commissioners report to Hidalgo, but that is not the case.

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