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Public commenter alleges misuse of pandemic funds and Brown Act video tampering; council does not act
Summary
Rory McNair accused the council of laundering $8 million in federal pandemic relief, questioned several agenda items (7K, 7N) and cited Red 88 Media and the JPIA; the mayor referenced a 2009 indictment in response and no formal investigation or council action occurred at the meeting.
Rory McNair used his public comment time to make a sequence of allegations about past and current city conduct, including an asserted laundering of federal pandemic funds and an allegation that a June 4 Brown Act violation video was doctored.
McNair accused the council of funneling restricted COVID relief to pay for sheriff costs, then shifting budgeted savings into an "unrestricted slush fund," and he named several items on the meeting agenda (7K, 7N) while urging federal investigators to review city files. He also referenced the JPIA and the media company Red 88 Media in his remarks.
"Your records show you laundered $8 million in federal pandemic money," McNair said. He urged that the council's conduct would ultimately be compelled to account under oath.
Mayor Sternquist briefly responded, noting that a mayor had been indicted in 2009, and thanked McNair for his comments. No formal motion, investigation, or follow-up action was recorded during the meeting in response to the allegations.
Because these statements are public allegations made during a comment period and were not substantiated in the meeting record, the council's official minutes and any investigatory steps would be the appropriate place to seek verification. The meeting record shows no city finding or admission related to the accusations.
