Corpus Christi Mayor Dan McQueen built his credentials for the Mayor job based on his engineering education. He claims to have a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering, but Six Investigates could not find any records to support that claim.
Since at least 2014, McQueen has claimed to have a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Florida State University.
Six investigates contacted Florida State University officials and asked if they had any degree records for an Eldon Daniel McQueen with the same birth date as the Mayor. Florida State has no record of McQueen attending, according to information provided to 6 Investigates.
McQueen’s LinkedIN profile listed the degree, but hours after we asked him about it, the profile was deleted.
McQueen has not responded to repeated requests for an interview and has declined to comment on questions related to his engineering degree.
After McQueen was elected, he appointed Shari Douglas as his chief of staff.
Since 2012 McQueen and Douglas have shared a home address, according to voter registration and driver’s license records. Soon after the election, Douglas changed her address to a post office box, according to driver’s license records.
The city has an ethics policy and also a nepotism policy about employment. The nepotism policy lists domestic partner relationships as meeting its definition.
It is not known if the information about McQueen and Douglas is a violation of those policies. Neither the Mayor nor the chief of staff would answer questions for this report.
As chief of staff, Douglas has a full-time city position paid for by city tax dollars. Douglas’ resume does not show a background in government or public policy.
City salary records show Douglas earns $60,970 a year. Her job also includes health benefits and a pension. McQueen’s Mayor job is part-time with a total compensation of $14,000 a year.
Six investigates made repeated attempts to talk with McQueen for this story. That included phone calls, emails and in person before a recent city council meeting.
