INGLESIDE, Tx — The recording of an Ingleside City Council meeting from last year was altered at the request of City Manager Brenton Lewis, according to emails obtained by 6 Investigates.
The 6 Investigates team was first notified about the alleged altering of government records in July. A confidential source provided a series of email communications between the former IT coordinator and Lewis in July 2023. 6 Investigates verified the authenticity of the emails provided.
The emails pertained to a city council meeting held on July 11. During the meeting, a presentation was given on the then-proposed 2023–2024 fiscal year budget. Within the presentation was a list of equipment being requested for the city's public works.
One of the items on that list read, "The current fuel tanks that we use to refuel our fleet have very little, if any, containment."
The presentation continued, "This needs to be addressed as soon as possible to avoid getting a compliance notice from TCEQ."
On July 12, then-IT Coordinator Josh Ligman followed up with Lewis, writing, "Per your request, I am going to edit the video from last night. Did you want me to remove the whole slide, or just the part where he reads it?" Lewis responded, "Where he reads it." In the meeting video provided on the City of Ingleside's website, the above portion of the meeting is inaudible.
Upon verifying the information above, 6 Investigates attempted to speak with Lewis on multiple occasions. Following the third attempt to contact him, he informed us that he is "in the process of researching the allegation and cannot make a statement at this time."
He also requested that we provide him with the documents we obtained to "further my research."
6 Investigates provided Lewis with the obtained emails and a link to the altered meeting. As of 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, we have not received any further communications from Lewis.
Council member Steve Diehl was "alarmed" when 6 Investigates brought the allegations to his attention. After reviewing the provided documents, Diehl issued the following statement:
“After due consideration of this, I am looking into this and I will be immediately asking our city attorney to commence an investigation into the matter and report back findings to the city council through the office of the mayor. I want to assure the citizens, this will be given a complete and thorough look.”
The allegations against Lewis potentially show criminal activity, according to an attorney who specializes in the Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act.
First Amendment lawyer Joe Larsen has been a member of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas for 25 years. When asked what the implications of altering this meeting could mean, Larsen said that it would be a violation of the Texas Public Information Act and Texas Penal Code.
"Unquestionably, a public record has been altered. The public record has been destroyed. That happened," Larsen said. "The facts are that he intentionally altered or destroyed this record, and I, as a voter or as a constituent, would have a very difficult time trusting this public officer again."
"You can't alter a public record. You can't do that," he added.
It's very difficult for me to see a valid reason for going back in and altering, basically falsifying a public document. The whole point of of having public documents in a Public Information Act is so that the Texas public can be informed on what their government is doing. And this is essential to the American form of government, which is supposed to be government by the people. And you need an informed population in order to make informed choices and in order to make informed arguments, because democracy is not just voting.
Larsen said that if these allegations prove to be true and criminal charges are filed against Lewis, they would be considered Class A misdemeanors. This could include jail time of up to a year and a fine of $4,000.
