An Emmy Award-winning Texas news anchor was suspended for allegedly accepting free tickets to a Bruno Mars concert and the FIFA World Cup in a controversy that has embroiled local politicians and officials in a potential stakeholders scandal.
Daniella Guzman, the evening news anchor for KPRC 2 News, Houston’s NBC affiliate, was taken off the air after it was revealed she was one of several high-profile figures to accept tickets from the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, the government entity in charge of NRG Stadium.
“We want to disclose a matter this morning involving a staff member at KPRC. The Station is aware of reports alleging that news anchor Daniella Guzman received complimentary tickets to a concert and FIFA World Cup match from the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation,” KRPC’s editors said in a statement Wednesday.
“We take matters regarding potential conflicts of interest very seriously. Ms. Guzman has been suspended pending the result of a company investigation,” the statement added. “You have our assurances that this issue will be investigated thoroughly and fairly.”
Guzman, 44, attended both the Bruno Mars concert on April 22 and then a June 17 World Cup match between Portugal and the DR Congo. Both events were held at NRG Stadium.
She became wrapped up in controversy as one of several figures who had gained hospitality benefits to the HCSCC, according to The Texas Voice,which requested documents to reveal the ticketholders’ identities.
Guzman received three tickets to the World Cup match and brought her parents, where the trio enjoyed the action from a luxury suite.
After the 1-1 draw, Guzman shared a vlog-style video to Instagram, capturing her entire trip to the match.
“Experiencing a World Cup game in Houston with my parents was a dream come true,” she wrote in the caption, failing to say how she scored the tickets.
The journalist also accepted four tickets from the county corporation to attend the Bruno Mars concert on April 17.
The outlet claimed Guzman’s acceptance of the tickets was in violation of the station’s policies regarding conflicts of interest.
“Our station takes journalistic ethics very seriously along with anything that could potentially create even the appearance of a conflict of interest,” KPRC-TV General Manager Sean McLaughlin told the Texas Voice before Guzman was suspended.
The four-time Emmy winner was anchoring the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. news broadcasts at the time of her suspension.
Guzman has not publicly commented on her suspension.
Other local figures to accept the tickets were revealed to be politicians, including Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, all four Harris County Commissioners, and a labor union active in Democratic Party politics, the outlet reported.
The elected officials each scored multiple tickets to several World Cup matches hosted by the county.
In addition to the local politicians, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, State Representative Mary Ann Perez and Elsa Flores, the President of the Texas branch of the Service Employees International Union also received complimentary tickets to matches.
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