This post was originally published on this site
Outside investigators hired by the City of Santa Ana found that there was ample supporting evidence to multiple staff complaints that Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez was meddling too much in their planning of city events, according to the Santa Ana City Attorney at last night’s City Council meeting.
Although the City Council did not take any official actions in the wake of these findings, this almost certainly will hurt Hernandez’ reelection efforts. He is on the ballot in the November 5 General Election and is being opposed by Mario Alvarado.
Hernandez was investigated after city staff filed a complaint that he was “overly involved” in the planning and execution of cultural events in Santa Ana, such as the Juneteenth event and the Chicano Heritage Festival, according to the O.C. Register.
Hernandez was accused of attending planning meetings without an invitation from staff, of confronting staff members about their “lack of cultural competency” and of soliciting donations unrequested.
The outside investigators found that three out of four of the claims made against Hernandez were “sustained” by evidence presented, according to Carvalho. The allegation about Hernandez soliciting donations for the events was however not sustained.
Hernandez previously told The Orange County Register that his involvement in the cultural events stemmed from concerns he was hearing from members of Santa Ana’s Black and Chicano communities who expressed discomfort about the events as they were being planned and complained of racially insensitive comments made by staff.
As the City of Santa Ana is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy perhaps we shouldn’t be funding all these events in the first place? Remember that the City Council is currently trying to also give themselves a massive pay raise, via Measure FF. Clearly they think money grows on trees!
Hernandez tried to rebuff these charges by making an unfounded Brown Act violation complaint against Mayor Valerie Amezcua. Howver the OCDA reviewed the charge and found there was zero evidence to support the claim.
Hernandez attended Santa Ana High School but has no college degree, according to his Linkedin page. Most of the city staff he is complaining about do have college degrees and years of experience working with the community.
Hernandez’ opponent, Alvarado, is endorsed by Amezcua. Alvarado does have a college degree, from CSUF, per his Linkedin page.
Related
