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What Adler’s Mexico vacation means for his chances in the Biden administration—and post-COVID political career
03 December 2020
Austin Mayor Steve Adler had seen his star rise over the course of the pandemic, regularly appearing on CNN to discuss the local COVID-19 response and granting interviews to other national news outlets, including Politico. There was also chatter that he might be appointed to a cabinet position in the incoming Biden administration.
So when the news broke that Adler had hosted a small outdoor wedding for his daughter and then flew via private jet to a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, in early November, he may have had further to fall.
<p>Constituents, supporters, opponents and national commentators have called on Adler to resign, decrying his hypocrisy.</p><p>But political experts expect Adler will survive this scandal, following in the footsteps of other politicians, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who have also been caught violating pandemic guidelines but remained in office. The bigger challenge, they say, may arise in future elections, should he run at the state or national level.</p><p>"The (attack) ad writes itself," said Dr. Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston who researches political scandals.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<a href="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNjY0NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzI1MDYyN30.RTrntBqQr3aoibCrVQLy09N2QGoLHxN6eEtd4CIGlUc/img.png?width=980" target="_blank"><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="12063e56d1411a85113d5998fceb98f4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="40577" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNjY0NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzI1MDYyN30.RTrntBqQr3aoibCrVQLy09N2QGoLHxN6eEtd4CIGlUc/img.png?width=980"/></a>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Mayor Adler speaks to CNN about Austin's COVID response in July.</small>
</p><p><strong><br/></strong></p><p><strong>Higher office?</strong><br/></p><p>Adler worked as an eminent domain and civil rights lawyer in Austin before being elected to his first mayoral term in 2014. Since then, he has presided over Austin City Council as it transitioned from an at-large system to a representative one, known as 10-1, and tackled contentious issues, from zoning reform and homelessness to the city's affordability crisis and recent protests over police violence.</p><p>When Adler made national news, it was generally positive, such as in 2017 <a href="http://www.mayoradler.com/letter-wonder-woman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">when he responded</a> to an email critical of the Austin-based movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse, which had offered a women-only screening of "Wonder Woman," or endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg last year. </p><p>Since announcing the cancellation of SXSW in March, Adler has been part of a relatively successful local COVID response. Austin has seen fewer cases and deaths than most other Texas metros, and he and other local officials have led the charge in advocating for stricter state orders, prompting pushback from Republican lawmakers.</p><p>With these feathers in his cap, Adler's political future looked bright. </p><p>Last month, Texans Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2020/11/17/these-texans-are-being-eyed-for-biden-administration-jobs/43161409/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">told the Austin American-Statesman</a> that Adler would "be perfect" for a future Biden cabinet position, such as leading the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Environmental Protection Agency. As <a href="https://austonia.com/transit-in-austin" target="_self">recently as Monday</a>, Adler said he had spent time with members of the president-elect's transition team. </p><p>Many were surprised, then, when the Statesman's Tony Plohetski <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/coronavirus/2020/12/02/austin-mayor-stressed-residents-lsquoneed-to-stay-homersquo-he-was-vacationing-in-cabo-at-time/115087704/" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a> that Adler had hosted a 20-person outdoor wedding for his daughter in downtown Austin in early November and then flew to Mexico with some of the attendees for a vacation, all while publicly encouraging residents to stay home. </p><p>The news set off a media firestorm, garnering responses from Ted Cruz and Sean Hannity, sparking coverage in national news outlets such as the Associated Press and prompting an apology.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ae1eb83665fcb1923dfedfe64acfe94" id="c79a8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1334261492833771520"><div style="margin:1em 0">Hypocrites. Complete and utter hypocrites.
And don't forget @MayorAdler who took a private jet with eight people t… https://t.co/rhqc6szcys</div> — Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz)<a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/statuses/1334261492833771520">1606947703.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"I want you to know that I regret that travel," Adler said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/austinmayoradler/videos/205381927718380" target="_blank">during a Facebook live</a> on Wednesday evening. "I know that others have chosen not to travel under the same circumstances, and I know that in my position I need to send a clearer message."<br/></p><p>Dr. James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project and a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, doesn't believe that Adler was ever a front runner for any cabinet positions.</p><p>"While the mayor is known in national politics, I doubt he was a top-tier contender for a cabinet position at this point," he wrote in an email to Austonia. "If he was, this series of events certainly wouldn't help." </p><p>This is not to say, however, that Adler won't face other consequences.</p><p><strong>Future elections</strong> </p><p>Rottinghaus, whose research interests include recalls of local governments officials, said politicians tend to survive most political scandals. But this one could spell trouble for Adler if he runs for higher office by providing fodder to his critics. </p><p>"It's not a complicated policy or legislative arrangement," Rottinghaus said. "It is pure hypocrisy, and that's something that everyone has had to experience or live through given how we all function in the pandemic."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-height="3300" data-rm-shortcode-id="925a5d6c42e27d044d82a73aefa29f22" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg2MjY0NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Mjc0NTYyMX0.sV7sRfAedVLSrqERtyQJLx8IE6n7_MqeiEMY9KvnY8U/img.jpg?width=980" data-width="3024" id="287d0" type="lazy-image"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Austonia)</small></p><p>In the short term, the incident is also likely to energize local political action committees, such as Your Minute Is Up, that wish to see him replaced as mayor.<br/></p><p>"What Adler did is basically throw fuel on his own fire," Your Minute Is Up founder Becky McMIllian told Austonia.</p><p>The PAC is soliciting signatures for a petition to recall Adler and other City Council members. On Thursday, McMillian set up a table at the Old Quarry Branch library, which is an early polling place for the Dec. 15 runoff election. "People are storming up ... and throwing their pens down and saying, 'I am sick of this hypocrisy. Where do I sign,'" she said. </p><p>Despite this ammunition, Rottinghaus thinks the likelihood of a successful recall effort is "very low" for myriad reasons. To start, many voters don't understand recall elections and have short memories when it comes to political scandals, he said.<br/></p><p>The increasing tribalism of American politics also means that many will continue to support Adler if it means defeating a member of the opposition.</p><p>"People tend to discount the actions of people they already support," he said. </p><p><strong>Inter-party politics</strong> </p><p>Another consequence may be increased opposition to Adler from those to his left. </p><p>Dr. Lara Brown, director of George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, said politicians who have endured scandals often face more trouble in their primary races than in general elections. </p><p>"The question becomes whether or not somebody from your own party says, 'Yes, we could have a better Democrat,'" she said. </p><p>Adler could face a progressive challenger who uses this incident as an example of the current conflict among Democrats, with progressives feeling that the party establishment is apathetic toward the working class. </p><p>"Democrats are going to have to confront this politically," Rottinghaus said. </p><p>This may already be true for Adler. </p><p>Some Twitter users chastised him for not only failing to heed his own COVID advice but also using a private jet to do so when many people are struggling to pay their rent or feed their families.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="750d917421234362e371807b924f283e" id="5bd02"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1334509416851398659"><div style="margin:1em 0">Hypocrite Austin Mayor Steve Adler: "Stay home. Keep those numbers down. This is not the time to relax.”
This, day… https://t.co/BYjohTmyA3</div> — SanWren (@SanWren)<a href="https://twitter.com/SanWren/statuses/1334509416851398659">1607006813.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Julie Ann Nitsch, who serves on the Austin Community College board of trustees and was endorsed by the Austin Democratic Socialists of America, was one of many people who commented on his Facebook apology video.<br/></p><p>"The poor have to work and get no healthcare," she wrote. "You fly on private jets and throw private parties."</p>
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Austin Mayor Steve Adler finds himself among unflattering company after Cabo trip, makes national headlines
03 December 2020
(Austin Mayor Steve Adler/Facebook)
In a Facebook video posted on Nov. 9, Austin Mayor Steve Adler asked residents to "stay home" as the local caseload increased.
Austin is in the national—and even international—spotlight as usual, but this time for less-envious reasons.
<p>Mayor Steve Adler told Austinites to "stay home" Nov. 9 while filming from a timeshare in Mexico not long after a small wedding ceremony in Austin. The contradiction was <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/coronavirus/2020/12/02/austin-mayor-stressed-residents-lsquoneed-to-stay-homersquo-he-was-vacationing-in-cabo-at-time/115087704/" target="_blank">first reported by Tony Plohetski</a> of KVUE and the Austin American-Statesman, resulting in <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-mayor-cabo" target="_self">strong negative reactions from Austin residents</a> and attention from U.S. and global news outlets.</p><p>In much of the news coverage, including in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democrats-flouting-own-covid-rules-danger-public-health-gavin-newsom-2020-12" target="_blank">Business Insider</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7v7zb/texas-mayor-told-residents-to-stay-home-after-taking-private-jet-to-cabo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VICE</a>, Adler is listed among other politicians who stressed safety but bucked their own recommendations. The unflattering company includes national figures such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom (lobbyist birthday party), New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (maskless event in Georgia) and House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (salon visit).</p><p>Several mayors are also caught up in related scandals, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/heatherknight/article/S-F-Mayor-London-Breed-had-her-own-French-15767506.php" target="_blank">attended a party at the same Napa Valley restaurant as Newsom</a> one night later. Additionally, San Jose Mayor San Liccardo <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/12/01/san-jose-mayor-liccardo-admits-he-violated-public-health-guidance-for-thanksgiving-dinner/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attended a big thanksgiving family event</a> after insisting others do the opposite. Even Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-lori-lightfoot-haircut-20200406-jmyz2wtccnadlknya7hzbetevy-story.html" target="_blank">had to defend her own salon visit</a> similar to Pelosi. </p><p>But perhaps the most similar scenario comes from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/25/us/denver-mayor-thanksgiving-plans-trnd/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">flew to Mississippi right after telling his constituents to stay home</a> for Thanksgiving. </p><p>The national coverage of Adler is made worse by his initial insistence that he did not "do anything wrong," as <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/12/03/942085074/austin-mayor-encouraged-people-to-stay-home-went-to-cabo-for-vacation" target="_blank">he initially told KUT</a>, only to issue an apology hours later. By then, the damage was already done as the story gained so much traction that "Cabo" was even trending on Twitter, <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2020/12/03/caborsquo-trends-on-twitter-following-austin-mayorrsquos-trip-reveal/115091328/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to the Statesman</a>, based on the Cabo San Lucas location of Adler's timeshare.</p>
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graph by Emma Freer
The 2020 Zandan poll found that 47% of respondents think Austin is headed in the wrong direction, which is a radical change from three years earlier
by Rich Oppel
Question No. 1 on the annual Zandan poll gets right to the heart of the issue.
Q: Thinking about Austin today, do you think things are headed in the right direction or off on the wrong track?
The answers:
<p><br/><br/>Wrong track: 47%<br/>Right direction: 39%<br/>Don't know: 14%<br/><br/>That's a radical change from 2017, when the numbers were flipped: Back then, only 35% of Austin-area respondents said Austin was on the wrong track. A majority, 52%, said Austin was on the right track. And 13% said they didn't know.</p><p>These numbers have got to give Mayor Steve Adler and members of the Austin City Council pause. And where do they come from? <br/><br/>Peter Zandan, global vice chairman of Hill + Knowlton Strategies, and a long-time Austin resident since 1977, conducted the poll. He has sponsored the survey, which he pays for personally, over the years. His last poll was in 2017. <br/><br/>The poll of 801 Austin-area residents was in the field between February 17 and March 5. The respondents were drawn from the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes surrounding counties. <br/><br/>That 12% increase in residents finding the city on the wrong track was striking to Zandan, who earned master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Texas-Austin.<br/><br/>"This has been a city of optimism and support, and the shift is palpable," he said in an interview. "This reflects a shift in the public and cultural Austin. On some level we thrive, but that success is not for everyone. And you can see the divide by age, length of residence and time here." <br/><br/>To see what Zandan is talking about, just take one response—Austin is on the "wrong track"--and see how that varies among respondents: <br/><br/>All respondents, 47%<br/>Age 18-34, 28%<br/>Age 35+, 55%<br/>City of Austin resident, 43%<br/>Non-resident, 52%<br/>0-5 years in Austin, 35%<br/>6-20 years in Austin, 42%<br/>21+ years in Austin, 57%<br/><br/>Respondents are gloomy about Austin's future. Fully 50% said they thought that in five years living in Austin for most people will be worse. Here, younger people, city residents and newcomers to Austin were more optimistic about the future than older people and residents outside the city but in the MSA. <br/><br/>Is there any happy news in the data? Sure. <br/><br/>Q. Compared to other U.S. cities, do you think Austin is a better or worse place to raise a family? All counted, 42% said better. Across all categories, 39% to 51% agreed. The response was most favorable among new arrivals, with 51% of those here 0-5 years saying yes.</p>
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