Salinas council votes to censure Councilmember Andrew Sandoval after heated public hearing
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Summary
After hours of public comment, the Salinas City Council adopted a resolution formally censuring Councilmember Andrew Sandoval, finding his conduct toward colleagues violated the council's decorum rules; the motion passed on roll call 5-2.
The Salinas City Council adopted a resolution to censure Councilmember Andrew Sandoval on Jan. 13, 2026, after a public hearing that drew dozens of speakers and extended into the evening. The censure resolution, introduced by Councilmember Jose Luis Barajas, said Sandoval's conduct toward colleagues and the public 'including social-media posts and interactions'constituted violations of the council's rules of decorum and standards of conduct.
The censure was the final action after more than two hours of public comment, in which a large majority of speakers argued the measure was politically motivated and warned it would chill elected officials'speech. Supporters of Sandoval described his social-media posts as constituent outreach and transparency; some critics characterized his tone as bullying. "A censure is a formal action of the city council reprimanding one of its own members for specified actions or conduct," the city attorney told the council at the start of the hearing.
In his allotted time, Councilmember Andrew Sandoval defended his approach to constituent communications and social media, saying he uses those channels to hold government accountable and to keep residents informed. "I'm gonna continue to do what I'm gonna do," he told the council. Sandoval also said he would continue pursuing policy initiatives and constituent outreach.
After councilmembers gave their remarks, Barajas moved to adopt the censure resolution; the motion was seconded by Councilmember D'Arrigo. The roll-call vote recorded five yes votes (Barajas; D'Arrigo; Dela Rosa; Salazar; Mayor Dennis Donahue) and two no votes (Barrera and Sandoval). The motion passed.
Mayor Donahue and several councilmembers framed the censure as an effort to preserve collegiality and the council's working relationships, saying the resolution addresses a pattern of behavior rather than policy differences. Opponents and many speakers at the hearing said the action looked like retaliation and urged the council to focus on pressing city priorities such as housing, public safety and infrastructure.
The council did not adopt any additional penalties beyond the formal censure. The resolution will be part of the council's public record. Councilmembers said they intended to move on to the rest of the city's business following the vote.
