Huntington Beach council hears 40 public comments on rehiring former city attorney Michael Gates, adjourns to closed session

The Huntington Beach City Council met in a special session and heard roughly 40 brief public comments debating whether to rehire former City Attorney Michael Gates, then adjourned to closed session to discuss a threat of litigation and reconvened with no reportable action.

An official announced before public comment that the council would go into closed session to address a threat of litigation and that there would be no open session afterward. City staff also said the council had received 41 emails on the item and that 40 people had signed up to speak; because of the large sign‑up the council limited remarks to 30 seconds each.

Speakers offering support for Gates described him as a vigorous defender of Huntington Beach and urged the council to rehire him. "You're the watchman on the wall for Huntington Beach," said Brett Bush in support. Multiple other residents praised Gates' past work for the city and urged the council to "bring him back." Some speakers credited Gates with saving the city money in prior legal matters.

Other commenters urged caution and due diligence. Several speakers cited a reported Department of Justice termination and a prior $2,500,000 settlement involving the city as reasons to pause. "When a person does not perform and they're terminated, there are two steps," said Brian Riley, arguing the record should be clarified. Another attendee read from media reporting alleging a hostile work environment at the DOJ and questioned whether rehiring Gates would expose the city to legal and financial risk.

Multiple public commenters asked procedural questions about timing and documentation: when Gates learned of the federal termination notice, when he notified the council, whether the city had offered to rehire him, whether a formal rehiring contract existed, and whether Gates had threatened to sue the city. One speaker recommended hiring an outside independent agency or law firm to investigate Gates' departure from the DOJ and make a hiring recommendation.

Councilmember (speaker 7) asked that if council took any action in closed session they reconvene to report the action and votes as required by Government Code 54957.1. The mayor then moved to adjourn into closed session; the motion was seconded and the council went into closed session.

After returning from closed session the mayor asked the City Attorney if there was any reportable action; the City Attorney said, "No, I do not, Mayor." The mayor then moved to adjourn the special meeting to the council's next regular meeting; the motion was seconded and the meeting was adjourned.

The meeting record shows a polarized public comment period with repeated calls both for immediate rehiring and for a careful external review of allegations. The council followed Government Code procedures by taking the matter into closed session; no reportable personnel action was announced when it reconvened.

Next steps noted in public remarks included requests for independent review and clarification of any contract or litigation status before any rehiring decision.