Renee Roth urges Council member Whitman to recuse, cites court finding

Renee Roth, a public commenter, told the Ojai City Council on May 13 that Council member Whitman should step aside from discussions and votes involving Council member Rule because of what she described as a conflict of interest.

Roth said a letter published March 14, 2025 urged Whitman’s recusal and named multiple signatories. "Council member Whitman must recuse himself due to glaring conflict of interest," she said. Roth later alleged Whitman "filed a sworn declaration in support of the seven plaintiffs suing Council member Rule" and said a "superior court judge found he misrepresented the facts in the case, 21 out of 22 objections to his statements." She urged the council’s newly hired legal counsel to advise recusal "now before this council takes another vote that could be rendered void as a matter of law." (All quotes above are from public commenter Renee Roth.)

Roth framed her call as a matter of legal and ethical compliance, saying the "code of conduct for California law" requires recusal when personal involvement compromises objectivity. She told the council that if Rule must step aside for related closed-session matters, the same standard should apply to Whitman.

The council recessed to closed session after the public comment. Upon returning, staff member Mr. Milhouse reported, "the city council has come out of close session and there are no reportable items out of close session." The mayor then adjourned the special meeting.

The council did not discuss or rule on Roth’s request for recusal during the public record at this meeting, and no council member responded to her allegations on the record during the session.