HOUSTON – The stage was set for a showdown of five, including four candidates who are looking to win the seat of Houston mayor.
Current Mayor Sylvester Turner is looking to get reelected.
"He (candidate Tony Buzbee) is trying to buy City Hall. It’s not for sale," Turner said.
Within the first 15 minutes of the debate, the talks centered on this week's bombshell report by KPRC 2 Investigates that revealed that in 2018, Turner signed off on a $95,000 internship for a man named Marvin Agumagu.
He was offered a position as the first candidate for the airport's Executive Internship program.
"When we have a mayor that creates a position for an intern, we don’t know why he did this, $95,000 for an intern, we have a problem," Buzbee said.
"Let me just say I take on and I’m proud of the fact that we’re bringing in millennials to City Hall," Turner said.
Another topic discussed at length during the debate was crime in our city and the recent numbers.
"As mayor of your city, one thing I can promise you: I will never respond to that question and brag that the numbers are down. What I would say is we will always have to do better until we get to zero," Dwight Boykins, another mayoral candidate, said.
Mayoral candidates also spent several minutes discussing the botched Harding Street raid that ended with two civilians shot and killed following a no-knock warrant.
"Our police chief says, 'Oh, no, we had probable cause to be there' and is still defending the actions. Mayor, who do you believe, the district attorney or the police chief? It can’t be both ways," mayoral candidate Sue Lovell said.
With only one month to go before the election, the candidates are doing what they can to convince voters they should be the one to lead the city.
"This is the 'fixing to' mayor. I'm 'fixing to' do this. I’m 'fixing to' put gates in Kingwood. I’m 'fixing to' do an Inwood project. This is four years. It’s time to have done something, not planning to do something," mayoral candidate Bill King said.