Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter accuses Councilmember Ben Lopez of misconduct, urges resignation
Summary
During public comment at the Montclair City Council meeting, Alice Garcia accused Councilmember Ben Lopez of conduct she said cost taxpayers $750,000 and alleged sexual harassment, and she urged his resignation while petitioning the community for signatures.
Alice Garcia used the public-comment period at the Montclair City Council meeting to call for Councilmember Ben Lopez to resign, alleging misconduct she said cost taxpayers "$750,000" and accusing him of sexually harassing city employees.
Garcia said she would not "be reading from the court documents" but asserted that "as long as Ben is sitting in that seat, we all know the facts," and told the council she and other residents are gathering petition signatures to remove him from office. "They aren't just signing a petition. They are signing because they want a leader with integrity," she said.
The statements were made during the public-comment portion of the meeting; the council did not take action on the allegations during open session. The city attorney later asked the council to meet in closed session on several pending and potential litigation matters, but the transcript does not show a council response to Garcia's specific claims, nor does it record any on-the-record rebuttal from Councilmember Lopez.
Other public commenters echoed calls for resignation. Phoenix Ner told the council, "everything she said" and likewise urged Lopez to step down and asked for removal of Flock cameras. The meeting record contains no direct, on-the-record response from Lopez in the transcript provided.
What the council said and did: the council proceeded to discuss and approve items on the consent calendar and moved into closed session for the litigation and negotiation items listed by the city attorney.
Claims and status: Garcia's remarks included an allegation of a $750,000 taxpayer cost and allegations of sexual harassment by Lopez. Those are presented here as claims made in public comment; the council transcript does not provide evidence that the claims were substantiated or legally adjudicated during the meeting.
Next steps: The transcript shows the council recessed to closed session later in the meeting to discuss specified litigation matters. The public record in this meeting does not show a formal investigation outcome or formal ethics action; any next procedural steps beyond closed session are not specified in the transcript.
Ending: The council moved to closed session after routine reports; no formal council action addressing the allegations is recorded in the public portion of the meeting.
