San Antonio City Council on Nov. 10 unanimously approved a vote of no confidence against District 1 Council Member Mario Bravo regarding an outburst involving him and District 7 Council Member Ana Sandoval, Bravo’s former girlfriend, in September.

City officials said they performed an internal investigation of the Sept. 15 incident where, according to witnesses, Bravo berated Sandoval at City Hall after she did not support his proposed amendment to the city’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget.

The city did not divulge details from their investigation, but according to the council meeting agenda item, Bravo “aggressively approached and berated” Sandoval, and violated the city’s equal employment opportunity and antiharassment directives.

Immediately after the Sept. 15 incident, Mayor Ron Nirenberg removed Bravo from council committee assignments.

The city acknowledged Bravo’s apology, but the council “finds that it is necessary to censure Council Member Bravo, because his behavior is not acceptable for an elected official and should not be tolerated,” the agenda item said.

Bravo recused himself from the Nov. 10 council vote, and Sandoval was absent. However, they separately offered prepared statements before or after the meeting, saying they each were ready to move on with serving the community.

But several audience members, including Bravo’s parents and girlfriend, spoke in support of the first-term council representative and asked the council not to sanction Bravo.

Some of Bravo’s backers said Bravo apologized for his behavior and that it should be left up to constituents to decide his fate.

The mayor’s office and all council positions are up for the city’s regularly scheduled municipal election in May 2023.

"The clearest rules seem to be public shaming. That does not seem an effective way to move forward,” Bravo’s mother, Catherine Bravo, said.

City Attorney Andy Segovia said the censuring does not include removal of Bravo from the council and that it does not reflect on his overall performance as an elected official. He added that the sanction does not prevent Bravo from returning to work on council committees.

District 3 Council Member Phyllis Viagran said the no-confidence vote only addresses Bravo’s Sept. 15 outburst, and decorum and respect between elected leaders.

“This is part of our responsibility and commitment to the community,” Viagran said.