FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kerri Asbury

August 5, 2015 916-607-8241

Attention Sacramento Mayor and City Council:

Public Employees are to Serve the Public, Not Your Personal Interest

SACRAMENTO, CA – In the wake of another allegation of sexual harassment by a Member of the Sacramento City Council and growing evidence of City elected officials using taxpayer staff and resources for non-city business, the Democratic Party of Sacramento County (DPSC) today called for the establishment of an independent City Ethics Commission, with enforcement authority, to properly investigate and hold public officials accountable for their actions.



“The latest allegations of sexual harassment and misuse of public funds by a Member of the Sacramento City Council demonstrates a disturbing and disgusting pattern to abuse power and people hired to serve the public,” said Kerri Asbury, Chair of the DPSC. “While the Councilmember in this latest incident is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the complaint details a shocking work environment that no person should be forced to tolerate.”



“These complaints along with local and national media accounts of the Mayor’s efforts to hide his use of government paid staff and resources, not to benefit the public, but to promote his personal brand and ego is a slap in the face to every taxpayer in this city,” continued Asbury. “Enough is enough. These allegations need to be independently investigated, outside of the political influence of the City Council or the City Manager’s Office. The Sacramento City Council needs to immediately establish an independent Ethics Commission, with enforcement authority to address complaints of wrongdoing by the Mayor and City Council.”



Since the defeat of Measure L in November 2014, the Mayor and some Councilmembers have paid little more than lip service to the idea of an independent Ethics Commission. They have held secretive ad-hoc meetings that will likely conclude that an Ethics Commission is not necessary rather than embracing public accountability. The League of Women Voters in collaboration with other civic organizations have held numerous public forums on a series of good governance initiatives including ethics oversight. At the July meeting of the Sacramento County Democratic Party, the Party officially supported these efforts, including efforts to establish an independent Ethics Commission, an independent Redistricting Commission and other good governance efforts to increase transparency and build public trust in city government.



“City voters deserve honesty and integrity in those they choose to represent them,” added DPSC Vice-Chair Terry Schanz. “How many more employees need to be harassed and how many more national stories need to be written about Sacramento’s Mayor and City Council misusing public resources before we as a city act. It is time to act. No ‘world class city’ that I know of would stand for anything less.”

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The Democratic Party of Sacramento County is the county affiliate for the California Democratic Party. The DPSC charters over nineteen Democratic clubs throughout the County, promotes voter registration, voter education, voter participation, public engagement, community service and endorses local initiatives and Democratic candidates for local public office. DPSC holds their monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month at the Sierra 2 Community Center in Sacramento.