STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER JOLANDA “JO” JONES
February 2, 2011
(Houston, TX) I am grateful to Mayor Parker and the Office of the Inspector General for the opportunity to clear my name of the false allegations that – as has now been confirmed – were completely fabricated.
These shameful attacks are related to my advocacy for women and minority firefighters who were subjected to harassment and discrimination as documented in the recent findings of the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The remarks of Firefighters’ Union President Jeff Caynon were deliberately untrue and highly offensive. Worse, they raise the question – again – why Mr. Caynon continues to focus his energies on poisonous political attacks instead of on keeping Houstonians safe and protecting the men and women of the Houston Fire Department from a hostile work environment.
I am disappointed in those who jumped to conclusions and went directly to the media, without the professional courtesy of contacting me regarding these false and specific allegations against me, including my colleagues Council Members Anne Clutterbuck, James Rodriguez and Mike Sullivan, yet I look forward to putting this behind us so that we can deal with the real issues that our constituents put us in office to address.
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