Officials Suing Employees Unprecedented?

IS THIS PRECEDENT-SETTING?
I asked myself that same question when the news broke about Mayor Jim Righeimer and his wife, plus his running buddy, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger decided to sue employees of the city - the Costa Mesa Police Officers Association (CMPOA) because they feared being set up by the police.

SO, I DID A SEARCH
So, I did a quick little to see if any other sitting elected officials had ever sued their employees.  Here's what I found...

A sitting Indianapolis council member sued his city for an arrest, HERE.

The mayor of Yuma sued the city council and city staff, HERE.

A Moreno Valley council member sued members of the city staff, HERE.

SO FAR, IT STANDS ALONE...
If you find more, let me know.  As far as I can tell, what our two top (I have a VERY hard time referring to them that way) elected officials have done - using such a broad brush by suing such a large group - has no precedent that I can find.  Let me know if you find more.




DESTROYING OUR "BRAND"?

In the meantime, the elected majority on this council has, once again, created a negative image of Costa Mesa for the world to see.  They tell us they're working hard to attract businesses to our city, spending our tax dollars for junkets to Las Vegas so they can attract more fast food outlets, etc.  They tell us they want Costa Mesa to be a place that will attract young families.  Well, does this kind of negative publicity accomplish that goal?  Quite the contrary!  Folks considering moving here, or establishing a business here, will take one look at this story and find another location.  These guys have been systematically devaluing our city for the past couple years and seem unfazed by the damage they are doing to a hard-won reputation.  They've made our city a standing joke - a low water mark for municipal management disfunction.  They've created such a toxic, hostile workplace that recruitment will become virtually impossible.  Way, way back, when they began the dismantling of our city government, I joked that their idea of the perfect municipal organization would be Tom Hatch and a handful of contract administrators - to manage all the outsourced functions.  Well, folks... that's where we're headed. Shame on them.

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