10/05/2026
McKINNEY PUBLIC RECORDS UPDATE — WE ARE CHALLENGING THE CITY’S REDACTIONS
As part of our ongoing effort to understand what happened with the removal of recall-related political signs in McKinney, we submitted a public information request seeking records showing who contacted the City and complained about recall signage and related activity.
The City produced records — but blacked out the names, phone numbers, email addresses, and other identifying information of the people who made the complaints.
The City has now asked the Texas Attorney General for permission to keep those identities secret, relying primarily on what is known as the “informer’s privilege.” In its October 5 letter, the City argues that the people who complained to Code Compliance reported possible violations of law and therefore their identities may be withheld.
We disagree that the City should simply be allowed to apply that privilege broadly without proving that each individual actually qualifies for it.
So today, we submitted formal comments to the Texas Attorney General under the Texas Public Information Act, asking the Attorney General to independently review the City’s unredacted records and determine whether the City has legally justified each redaction.
Why does this matter?
Because the records already released show that complaints were repeatedly made about recall signs and recall-related activity at locations including Gabe Nesbitt Park and the John and Judy Gay Library. In one email, a City Code Compliance supervisor told a redacted individual that their “most recent complaints” had been addressed and that signage had been removed by City staff.
Other records include complaints claiming recall signs were “against code,” possible “electioneering” violations, and complaints about recall activity at the library. Yet the identities of the people making those complaints remain hidden.
Our request to the Attorney General is simple:
We want the State to determine, complaint by complaint, whether the City has actually met the legal requirements necessary to conceal these identities.
We are also asking the Attorney General to determine whether any of the people whose identities are being withheld were City employees, elected or appointed officials, contractors, agents, or others acting in an official governmental capacity.
This is about transparency and accountability.
When complaints concerning political speech and recall activity result in City action — including the removal of political signage — the public has a legitimate interest in understanding how those decisions were initiated and whether government power was exercised fairly and lawfully.
We will continue using every lawful public-information process available to determine what happened, who was involved, and whether McKinney residents were treated fairly.
Government transparency should not depend on whose political speech is involved.
We will keep the public updated as the Texas Attorney General reviews the matter.
Collin County Citizens for Integrity