Why Did Santa Ana Pay A Former City Manager’s $600K Claim Before an Investigation? City Releases Findings

Why did a bulk of Santa Ana officials ballot to softly wage retired erstwhile City Manager Kristine Ridge implicit $600,000 aft she alleged elected officials pressured her to boost the wage and pension of erstwhile constabulary national president Gerry Serrano?

It’s a determination that Mayor Valerie Amezcua connected Monday hinted whitethorn person ignored the proposal of the metropolis attorney. 

The enigma continues unraveling successful the aftermath of an probe into 2 abstracted metropolis hallway morals complaints – 1 into allegations that Amezcua created a hostile workplace for Ridge and the different into allegations that Councilman Johnathan Hernandez interfered with the readying of assemblage events.

At a peculiar gathering Monday abruptly scheduled a week up of the election, Amezcua underscored that the full metropolis assembly – not conscionable her – voted to settee the assertion filed by the erstwhile metropolis manager.  

“Six radical up present voted to wage that metropolis manager $600,000. Let maine accidental it again, six people. There was lone 1 who abstained, and that person’s not present tonight,” said Amezcua, referring to Councilwoman Jessie Lopez who did not ballot successful favour of the payout and was absent Monday.

In aboriginal remarks connected the dais, Amezcua came adjacent to disclosing what the metropolis lawyer advised assembly members, hinting that her ineligible proposal wasn’t followed. 

“I volition not stock with you what the metropolis lawyer directed oregon recommended that we do. So I don’t privation to interruption anything,” said Amezcua. “Her advisement was not taken and we voted connected an investigation.”

Earlier this month, Carvalho announced astatine a nationalist metropolis assembly gathering that investigators could not prolong allegations that Amezcua violated the metropolis charter, codification of ethics, harassed Ridge oregon interfered with her work.

[Read: What Did Privately Hired Investigators Find successful Two Ethics Code Probes astatine Santa Ana City Hall?]

Amezcua, who is up for reelection, wasn’t the lone 1 investigated.

Monday’s peculiar gathering was scheduled to sermon what actions metropolis assembly members wanted to instrumentality against Hernandez aft investigators recovered capable grounds to prolong allegations that helium violated the metropolis charter by interfering with metropolis staff’s enactment to program the Juneteenth celebration, the Chicano Heritage Festival and Indigenous People’s day.

[Read: Will Santa Ana Officials Admonish Councilman Johnathan Hernandez Ahead of Election?]

Another allegation that Hernandez tried to solicit donations for assemblage celebrations was not sustained by investigators.

The redacted findings for some probes were released to Voice of OC minutes into Monday’s peculiar meeting.

‘Corrupt And Compromised Politicians’

Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin astatine a gathering successful 2019. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Ridge’s departure past twelvemonth came weeks aft erstwhile Police Chief David Valentin announced his retirement successful a letter, seemingly pointing to the constabulary union’s governmental scope implicit metropolis hallway – a radical that routinely spends large successful section elections.

“Corrupt and compromised politicians, compromised unit and/or beholden individuals, groups and agendas should ne'er interaction your integrity, discernment oregon your genuine committedness to doing the close happening successful pursuit of equity, work and justness for our Santa Ana community,” Valentin wrote.

His predecessor, Carlos Rojas, alleged successful a 2017 suit against the city that helium was forced to resign arsenic portion of an effort by erstwhile Mayor Miguel Pulido and erstwhile Police Union President Serrano to propulsion him retired – an allegation they denied.

In a redacted claim that metropolis officials kept improperly hidden for months, Ridge besides alleges Amezcua asked her to agendize a closed doorway treatment that Ridge said would person violated the Brown Act – the State’s main unfastened gathering law.

Due to the redactions successful the claim, it is unclear what that petition was.

Hernandez antecedently told the Voice of OC those redactions subordinate to the ailment helium filed successful 2023 accusing Amezcua of violating the Brown Act – California’s main unfastened gathering instrumentality – amid efforts to occurrence Ridge and Valentin.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer recovered insufficient grounds to substantiate allegations that Amezcua violated the Brown Act, but Hernandez said helium was ne'er interviewed.

Ridge, reached retired to done her lawyer listed connected the claim, did not respond to a petition for remark Tuesday.

According to the investigative summary, Ridge did not respond to requests to beryllium interviewed for Amezcua’s investigation.

Why Did Officials Settle?

Former City Manager Kristine Ridge during a Santa Ana City Council gathering successful 2019. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Since Ridge’s assertion went nationalist successful April, Voice of OC has asked elected officials aggregate times wherefore they decided to wage retired the erstwhile metropolis manager alternatively than combat the claims successful tribunal – successful a metropolis that is expected to suffer $30 cardinal successful yearly tax gross successful 5 years.

[Read: Why Did Santa Ana Pay Out Over $600K to Settle a Claim Alleging the Police Union Runs City Hall?]

Earlier this month, Councilman David Penaloza, who has received fiscal contributions from the constabulary national successful enactment of his erstwhile metropolis assembly campaign, told Voice of OC helium could not talk to the determination due to the fact that it was a closed league matter.

“It is what it is. It was implicit a twelvemonth ago, and it was the relation of the bulk of the metropolis council,” helium said.

Councilman Ben Vazquez, who is moving against Amezcua for mayor, said successful a telephone interrogation earlier this period the determination to settee the assertion earlier completing an probe was to prevention connected costs and support the city.

“I regret not doing that present and voting that way,” helium said. 

Councilwoman Lopez, the lone 1 who voted against settling, said successful a telephone interrogation earlier this period the determination to settee the assertion earlier doing an probe impacted the probe.

“I voted nary due to the fact that I did not hold with the council’s precedence to effort and marque a occupation spell distant arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable the mode that concern transpired,” Lopez said.

“The researcher said immoderate claims are unsustained. That is not the aforesaid arsenic those things did not really happen, and a due probe would person placed the erstwhile metropolis manager connected administrative leave. It would person assessed the credibility, and it would person ensured cooperation.”

Hernandez said successful a Tuesday telephone telephone that galore of the allegations against Amezcua are existent and called her corrupt and besides said helium voted to wage retired Ridge to prevention the metropolis money.

“I supported paying it retired due to the fact that I judge that if we would person went to tribunal we would person paid millions of dollars,” helium said. “I privation we would person investigated the substance earlier paying retired immoderate settlement.”

Hernandez added that the 2 investigations were not thorough.

Councilwoman Thai Viet Phan, who works arsenic a metropolis lawyer successful a antithetic metropolis extracurricular OC and is moving for reelection, and Councilman Phil Bacerra did not respond to requests for remark Tuesday.

Amezcua besides did not respond to a petition for remark Tuesday. She has antecedently told the OC Register she voted to settee successful bid to prevention the metropolis money. 

Earlier this year, officials approved a constabulary wage rise arsenic portion of a caller 3 and fractional twelvemonth declaration slated to outgo the metropolis implicit $27 million.

[Read: Santa Ana Police Get $27M Contract Amid Looming Revenue Cliff]

‘Gerry’s Girl’: What Did Investigators Find successful The Amezcua Probe?

Police officers basal defender astatine Santa Ana City Hall June 18, 2020. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Investigators with Hanson Bridgett wrote they reviewed hundreds of emails betwixt the politician and Ridge, some of their unit files and interviewed Amezcua and 2 unnamed witnesses.

Investigators accidental Ridge refused to enactment successful the probe.

To work the redacted findings, click here.

According to the redacted findings successful the investigation, the petition for a closed doorway treatment was to sermon someone’s employment, but the sanction is blacked out. Amezcua denied that ever took place.

Amezcua besides denied to investigators that she told immoderate assembly members oregon unit that she wanted Ridge fired and recalled having luncheon with Hernandez wherever helium had asked her a question.

Due to the redactions, Hernandez’s alleged petition is unclear.

“Amezcua said to bash truthful Ridge would person to beryllium fired first, due to the fact that lone Ridge had the authorization to (redacted),” reads the findings.

Hernandez called Amezcua’s remarks to investigators governmental theatre and said she had met with him to speech astir her strategy to occurrence Valentin and Ridge, trying to usage the police sidesplitting of his relative Brandon Lopez to get his support.

Amezcua told investigators that she archetypal met Ridge astatine the Little Onion Restaurant successful Santa Ana and the then-city manager instantly brought up the constabulary national calling Amezcua ‘Gerry’s Girl’ and said the occupation betwixt Serrano and Valentin was they were ever comparing the ‘size of their dicks.’

Amezcua, whose mayoral campaigns person received important fiscal backing from the constabulary union, responded that she wasn’t Gerry’s miss and she supported archetypal responders.

Investigators accidental Amezcua denied Ridge’s allegations that she created a hostile workplace situation for the metropolis manager and said Ridge did not dainty her well.

Amezcua told investigators that Ridge made the allegations due to the fact that the politician was endorsed by the constabulary national and hated Serrano.

Investigators wrote they recovered Amezcua’s statements to beryllium credible.

“While Amezcua’s explanations were inherently self-serving, the investigators recovered them to beryllium plausible and logical,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, 1 of the unnamed witnesses, a metropolis employee, told investigators Amezcua was not peculiarly benignant to Ridge and would often question Ridge’s authority.

What Did Investigators Find successful The Hernandez Probe?

Santa Ana City Hall connected April 6, 2024. Credit: ERIKA TAYLOR, Voice of OC

Investigators with Hanson Bridgett wrote they reviewed hundreds of emails including emails betwixt Hernandez and metropolis staff, interviewed Hernandez, the complainant and 5 unnamed witnesses.

To work the redacted findings, click here.

In their findings, investigators constitute that Hernandez interfered with the readying of assemblage events and would clasp meetings with vendors and assemblage based organizations without metropolis staff.

“Hernandez attended meetings uninvited, directed unit connected who should beryllium handling definite aspects of the lawsuit and interfered with the City’s quality to take and negociate with vendors for the peculiar events,” reads the findings.

Investigators besides sustained allegations that Hernandez violated the metropolis charter and codification of morals by directing metropolis unit arsenic opposed to going done the metropolis manager. 

They besides said they determined that the idiosyncratic who made the ailment against Hernandez is credible, but said determination were allegations that were overreaching oregon knowingly lacked factual support.

Investigators besides said they did not find Hernandez to beryllium credible, calling his explanations self-serving and displaying an evident bias to staff.

“Hernandez would often evade the investigator’s questions and spell connected agelong tangents, causing the researcher to person to re-ask the question connected aggregate occasions,” reads the findings.

“Hernandez’ continuous attempts to skirt the investigator’s questions and framework the communicative successful a mode favorable to him greatly undermined his credibility.”

What Happens to Hernandez Now?

City Hall successful Santa Ana.

Hernandez, who is up for reelection Nov. 5, has said that members of the Black, Chicano and Indigenous communities asked him to beryllium successful connected meetings with unit astir the taste events due to the fact that of concerns of racism from staff.

On Monday, Hernandez said the basal of his probe began with allegations that helium tried to solicit donations for the solemnisation – allegations investigators couldn’t sustain. 

He besides lambasted Monday’s peculiar gathering arsenic a governmental act.

“This is simply a determination that is wholly political. The radical who are advocating for this unfortunate metropolis assembly gathering are mostly funded by the POA and successful this case, you person idiosyncratic successful the mayor’s spot who I filed a ailment against and that was ne'er investigated. This is simply a retaliatory investigation,” helium said.

Hernandez shared with the Voice of OC a missive from the OC Heritage Council – which has organized Juneteenth festivals successful OC –  saying they felt intimidated and bullied by metropolis staff.

To work the letter, click here.

Amezcua said Monday’s treatment was not governmental and the metropolis assembly has a work to code this benignant of conduct.

“Our occupation is not to intervene and measurement successful wherever the metropolis manager oregon metropolis unit oregon metropolis directors person work to behaviour their business,” she said.

Councilman Penaloza said for decades the metropolis has ignored elected officials stepping retired of their roles.

“Unfortunately, we’re present due to the fact that of your changeless interference with administrative matters. Ask each the parks and recs and unit that person told america that determination was a hostile enactment situation created,” Penaloza said. 

“It’s clip that we commencement pursuing the law.”

Penaloza has antecedently said violating the metropolis charter is simply a misdemeanor and requested that the metropolis lawyer prosecute Hernandez.

Councilman Bacerra agreed and said Hernandez needs to beryllium held accountable, adding Hernandez could look a misdemeanor charge. 

“We ran for bureau to beryllium argumentation makers, not to debar policy, not to skirt policy, but to travel policy,” helium said astatine the meeting. 

“I don’t attraction whether this is earlier predetermination time oregon aft predetermination day, whether it’s an adjacent fig twelvemonth oregon an unusual fig year, we request to clasp assembly members accountable, because, if not, our unit is not going to beryllium capable to execute the functions that we request them to do.”

Councilman Vazquez said the OC Heritage Council and organizers for the Chicano Heritage Festival and Indigenous People’s Day weren’t contacted by investigators.

“This probe is lacking, wherever we request much witnesses, wherever we request much interviews to beryllium done,” helium said astatine Monday’s meeting. “This, of course, is politically motivated. We could person waited until November.”

Councilwoman Phan – a metropolis lawyer herself – said it wasn’t the close clip to clasp the meeting.

“I received a petition for a peculiar gathering retired of the blue, and past I received the redacted study contiguous connected the dais. I person not had clip to reappraisal it. I person not had clip to look done it,” she said.

“I privation to marque a afloat informed decision, due to the fact that I person nary occupation holding anyone connected this dias, including myself, liable for doing thing that would harm unit oregon that would interruption our charter.” 

Ultimately, the assembly members voted 5-1 to footwear the treatment connected what actions to instrumentality against Hernandez to their November 19 gathering weeks aft the election.

Bacerra, who has received fiscal contributions from the constabulary national successful enactment of his erstwhile metropolis assembly campaign, was the dissenting vote.

Hosam Elattar is simply a Voice of OC newsman and corps subordinate with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him astatine [email protected] oregon connected Twitter @ElattarHosam.

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