The Dallas booboys
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Pols around the country have been flocking to be seen at World Cup matches — who among the office-holding class doesn’t want to be seen at the world’s biggest street party and sports tournament? But one place where the optics haven’t worked well has been Dallas — which is the host city (sort of) for nine matches. Mayor Eric Johnson (R) was booed when he showed up at a Fan Fest event earlier this month, according to reporting by D Magazine and other local news outlets. And the Dallas City Council earned some criticism when several of its members skipped out on a budget session to attend the June 17 match between Croatia and England. The meeting — which was supposed to include a discussion of the city’s looming budget shortfall — was cut short for lack of a quorum. Oh, and taxpayers paid for their transportation, according to the Dallas Morning News. A city spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment Friday.