Mayoral bombshell or dud?

It’s a scandal made for a TV attack ad — as Houston mayoral candidate Tony Buzbee seems to have quickly discovered.

But is there any substance behind the hype?

On its face, the accusation that Mayor Sylvester Turner approved the hire of a $95,000 intern at the Houston Airport System seems to be the evidence his opponents have been waiting for to show corruption is rampant at City Hall. Few of the other clumps of mud thrust at the incumbent have managed to stick.

So Buzbee, and to a lesser degree, Bill King, have made hay of the situation, calling for an investigation into how the position came to be and any ties between the mayor and the man hired, 31-year-old Marvin Agumagu.

Buzbee has implied there is a personal relationship between Turner and Agumagu but has so far produced no evidence to back it up.

But while Agumagu’s hire has spurred its fair share of spurious speculation — and the original story by KPRC has an unmistakable whiff of tabloid journalism — there are legitimate questions that need to be answered.

According to the report, Agumagu emailed Houston Chief Development Officer Andy Icken, “Per Mayor Turner’s request, I am sending you my resume for your review.” Icken then emailed Houston Airport System Director Mario Diaz.

“Here is someone I’d like you to look at. He served as an intern up here on fourth floor and impressed many,” Icken wrote. “Could you develop a position?”

Diaz later offered Agumagu a job as an “executive intern” and wrote to Icken, “I offered him a one-year internship to work directly for me,” to which Icken responded, “Good approach,” KPRC reported.

Did Turner have anything to do with Agumagu getting the job beyond asking him to send in his resume?

“If the question is whether or not I directed, in any way, the chief economic development officer or Mario Diaz at the airport to establish this executive management development program — the answer is no,” Turner told the editorial board.

It is not uncommon, nor generally illegal, for talented individuals — or political cronies — to be given a job, but Turner told us he has not done that as mayor.

“In terms of saying, ‘I have this person in mind, now go make something happen for this person?’ No,” Turner said.

The position was at the department’s discretion to create and fill, Turner said. He signed off on the re-classification and waiver of posting, a personnel action that he described as common and something he has done more than a hundred times.

What about the mayor’s apparent disavowal of Agumagu in the KPRC report? When asked by reporter Mario Diaz about his “relationship with Marvin Agumagu,” the mayor said, “I have no idea who you are talking about.”

In a statement released after the story aired, the mayor said he did know Agumagu but “the reporter’s question caught me off guard” as he was rushing from one event to another.

Chagrined, Turner said he referred to Agumagu by his first name only and didn’t make the connection until his staff told him who that was.

Regarding the apparently high pay for an internship, officials said the term may be a bit of a misnomer. The job is classified as a senior staff analyst position, which according to a statement, has a salary range from $74,256 to $131,325 and is commensurate with education and experience. Agumagu has three advanced degrees, including a law degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Unless Buzbee or someone else can produce credible evidence that Turner abused his power, this October surprise falls short of the bombshell opponents are making it out to be.

Meanwhile, there are other areas where the mayor has fallen short. Turner’s opponents should stick to the facts and fight to win on policy differences. Throwing around veiled allegations and innuendo is not a sign of good leadership — or character.