| (Feb. 5, 2021, 7:30 a.m.) -- It's too easy and too soon to close the book on the City of Long Beach's multi-year attempt to smear CPCC whistle blower Tomas Gonzales, who died on Feb. 2 after years of battling cancer.
Mr. Gonzales lived long enough to see a jury reject City Hall's defamations against him pursued under previous Mayors and management. The City ultimately dropped its appeal of the trial court's judgment and paid Mr. Gonzales roughly $700,000 to settle the case. But that wasn't just part of the distant past; we consider it part of the recent present In June 2020, Mayor Garcia had the opportunity to fill a vacancy on the CPCC. He could have filled it with Mr. Gonzales. He didn't...and his unwillingness was assisted by Vice Mayor Rex Richardson's unhelpfulness. LB's City Charter states in pertinent part: "Each [CPCC] member shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the City Council. There shall be one Commission member appointed to represent each of the nine City Council districts, and two members appointed at large. Each member of the City Council shall nominate an individual to the Mayor to represent each respective Council district." The vacancy was for a 9th district resident. Mr Gonzales was a 9th district resident. Mr. Gonzales' credentials were unmatched and unmatchable. He was a former CPCC investigator. He went where the truth led no matter whose toes it stepped on. We presume Mr. Gonzales was the last person the LB police officers union wanted on the CPCC. Mayor Garcia, Councilman (now Vice Mayor) received generous campaign contributions from the LB police officers union. Get it? . [Scroll down for further.] |
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