Houston NBC affiliate KPRC 2 News has suspended evening anchor Daniella Guzman pending an investigation into allegations that she accepted complimentary tickets to a Bruno Mars concert and a FIFA World Cup match. The tickets were provided by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC), the government entity responsible for NRG Stadium.
The station confirmed the suspension in a statement, emphasizing its commitment to addressing potential conflicts of interest. "We take matters regarding potential conflicts of interest very seriously," KPRC's editors stated. "Ms. Guzman has been suspended pending the result of a company investigation. You have our assurances that this issue will be investigated thoroughly and fairly."
Guzman, a four-time Emmy winner who anchored the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. news broadcasts, reportedly attended the Bruno Mars concert on April 17 and a World Cup match between Portugal and the DR Congo on June 17. Both events took place at NRG Stadium.
Revelations of Guzman's attendance at these events emerged following a records request by The Texas Voice, which sought to identify recipients of hospitality benefits from the HCSCC. According to the report, Guzman received three tickets to the World Cup match, which she attended with her parents. She shared a video of the experience on Instagram, describing it as a "dream come true" without disclosing the source of the tickets.
Additionally, Guzman allegedly accepted four tickets from the HCSCC for the Bruno Mars concert. Station General Manager Sean McLaughlin told The Texas Voice that the station "takes journalistic ethics very seriously along with anything that could potentially create even the appearance of a conflict of interest."
Guzman has not publicly commented on her suspension. The controversy has also drawn attention to other local figures who received complimentary tickets from the HCSCC, including Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, all four Harris County Commissioners, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, State Representative Mary Ann Perez, and Elsa Flores, President of the Texas branch of the Service Employees International Union.