Council candidates attack incumbents for failure to investigate leaks

A group of challengers for the city council accuses the incumbents of covering up misconduct at city hall related to the handling of confidential information.

The slate of candidates consisting of Barry Snell, Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin and Natalya Zernitskaya issued a press release this week criticizing Mayor Phil Brock and City Councilor Oscar de la Torre for failing to investigate two leaks over the past four years.

The slate has not explicitly said that Brock or de la Torre were the source of the leaks. However, it says the two incumbents should have looked into the leaks and said that if elected, the slate would conduct an investigation into the matter.

Over the past four years, there have been at least two verifiable leaks of information from closed meetings, once in 2021 and again this year.

Critics of Brock and de la Torre have repeatedly stated that the first leak, involving a candidate for the then-vacant city manager position, caused that candidate to withdraw from the process. The press release described the incident as “an embarrassment to the city, a violation of the state's Brown Act law, and at significant cost to taxpayers.”

However, the candidate in question, Renee Bobadilla, said that leaking his name to the press was actually not a factor in his decision. In an interview with the Daily Press, he said the city of Santa Monica used an “unorthodox” process in hiring him, which included listing his name as the city's candidate on a public agenda before signing a contract with him. That revelation prompted his current employer to begin negotiations with him and ultimately make him an offer that took him out of the running for the Santa Monica job.

The council initially decided to investigate the publication of Bobadilla's name, but then changed course when Councilwoman Lana Negrete changed her mind and expressed a desire to avoid conflict and division within the council.

When a second leak was reported this year, Councilmembers Gleam Davis, Caroline Torosis and Jesse Zwick asked the City Attorney to submit a proposal to ensure that the City's ethics rules apply to Councilmembers, a proposal to open an investigation into recent leaks of confidential information disclosed in closed session, and one or more proposals to penalize Councilmembers and staff who inappropriately leak confidential information in closed session.

After a bitter debate, no investigations were authorized. Instead, the council directed the city attorney to resubmit a proposal to ensure that the city's ethics rules apply to council members, to submit a proposal on how to handle future confirmed leaks of information from closed meetings and what remedial action should be taken, to submit a proposal on how to revise council rules to include disciplinary action or penalties for repeat violations, and finally, to submit a proposal on how to handle repeat violations of the Brown Act to include disciplinary action or penalties.

“It is truly disappointing that Mayor Brock and Council Member de la Torre have repeatedly voted against a transparent investigation into the rampant misconduct on the City Council,” the press release said on behalf of the challengers. “This Trump-like 'rules apply to you, but not to me' tactic has no place in Santa Monica and reminds us of the bad behavior taking place nationally.”

Both officeholders said the allegations were political theater and inappropriate.

“Santa Monica voters are smart enough to realize that this is a political attack on those of us on the City Council who are fighting for a safer Santa Monica. It is unfortunate that the establishment candidates are choosing to send out a press release misleading our residents with Trump-style tactics instead of addressing the public safety crisis affecting our city,” de la Torre said. “This is not the time to waste scarce resources on things that have no impact on the quality of life of our residents.”

Brock said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by any council member and a futile investigation would cost at least $150,000.

“This is the people's money, and we need to spend their hard-earned money on public safety, fighting substance abuse and the serious mental health issues we all see on our streets. We also need to ensure our city services, including our precious libraries, can reopen,” he said. “This is not the time for baseless political attacks that distract focus from the numerous crises facing our city. I reject the accusation that I would ever prevent an investigation into misdemeanors affecting the city I love. In fact, within the next month, the City Attorney is bringing forward a new ethics ordinance to address this issue and clarify the guidelines and penalties for future violations of the Ralph Brown Act. This will have my support.”

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