The Texas Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation into Gunter Mayor Karen Souther regarding allegations that she breached two specific state statutes. The probe focuses on claims that the mayor improperly shared audio from a private session and bypassed standard procurement rules for city expenditures.
Souther declined to speak on camera but confirmed to KXII 12 that she denies any misconduct. She stated she is waiting for the investigation’s conclusion. No formal charges have been filed, and no arrests have occurred as of this report.
The first complaint involves Texas Government Code Section 551.146. Investigators are looking into whether Souther played a recording from a closed executive session during an open public meeting. The second allegation relates to Texas Local Government Code Section 252.021, which concerns purchasing procedures.
Authorities are examining claims that the mayor authorized spending exceeding $100,000 for the city without following required protocols. Both potential violations are classified as Class B misdemeanors.
Gunter Police Chief Danny Jones initiated the referral to the state level during a City Council meeting on August 7. He explained that he wanted to protect his department from future accusations of bias. "What I did was try to insulate my officers and the police department from being weaponized in the future," Jones told council members.
He confirmed the Attorney General’s Office has assigned an investigator to the matter.
Grayson County District Attorney John Kermit Hill supports the decision to move the case out of the county. He noted that his office is not an initiating agency for this type of inquiry. If the state decides to prosecute, Hill said he will ask a court to appoint the Attorney General’s Office to handle the case.
