California’s attorney general is staying clear of a lawsuit that alleges Alameda County supervisors illegally appointed someone to replace former Supervisor Wilma Chan, who was fatally hit by…
California’s attorney general is staying clear of a lawsuit that alleges Alameda County supervisors illegally appointed someone to replace former Supervisor Wilma Chan, who was fatally hit by a car in Alameda last year.
Bonta’s press office confirmed the decision Friday, saying it was made “to avoid any appearance of a possible conflict” that doesn’t exist.Because the complaint, known as a “quo warranto” lawsuit, challenges whether someone has the right to hold public office, it must be reviewed and approved by the Attorney General’s Office before it can be litigated.
The agenda for that meeting included an item calling for creation of a process to fill Chan’s seat, but the board skipped the process and voted to appoint Brown the same day. Bezis had urged Bonta to recuse himself from overseeing the lawsuit because he supported Brown’s appointment to the seat, as did his wife, Assemblymember Mia Bonta. The couple and other elected officials had signed a letter in November urging the board to appoint Brown.