Dallas Sues Texas AG Over Travel Records Amid Furloughs

Dallas contests disclosure order

Dallas has sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Travis County District Court to withhold flight details connected to travel by the mayor, city manager and council members. The lawsuit challenges the attorney general’s direction to release records requested by WFAA and other news organizations.

The requests covered taxpayer-funded trips to destinations including New York, Montreal and Taiwan. Dallas redacted flight information and, in some cases, disclosed the total amount spent without itemized details. The city also released some expense tables with details removed, along with some hotel and Uber records.

City lawyers argue that a Texas Transportation Code change that took effect in September 2025 protects the records. The provision covers certain private information related to the public’s use of airport facilities, including names, phone numbers, flight information and TSA PreCheck status. The attorney general’s open-records division found that the provision did not apply and directed Dallas to release the documents.

Dallas later amended its lawsuit to contest the disclosure of additional records involving Mayor Eric Johnson’s Montreal trip and an international trip by Council Member Jesse Moreno.

Lawmakers dispute the city’s reading

Former state Rep. Yvonne Davis, who sponsored the transportation measure, said it was not intended to shield officials’ travel records. State Sen. Nathan Johnson, who carried the bill in the Senate, said its purpose was to protect private information collected from airport customers buying services or upgrading Wi-Fi.

Council Member Cara Mendelsohn asked City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to release the records. A city spokesperson declined to comment because the lawsuit remains pending, and Dallas is withholding the disputed information during the case.

The city suspended nonessential travel in April as part of General Fund spending reductions. It also scheduled mandatory furlough days for General Fund employees on July 10, September 4 and September 28. Certain non-uniform executives must take two additional floating furlough days before September 16. Tolbert said the furloughs were intended to reduce expenses, preserve jobs and health benefits, and maintain city services.