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The former chief of staff for Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty is suing the supervisor, accusing him of misusing public funds and resources among other misdeeds.
The lawsuit was filed in Alameda County Superior Court last Friday by Chris Gray, 56, who worked as chief of staff for Haggerty for more than 15 years before being fired last June.
Gray cites a long list of allegations in the lawsuit against Haggerty, who represents District 1 in the eastern end of the county that includes Livermore, Dublin, Fremont and Sunol.
The lawsuit alleges that Haggerty “regularly misappropriated county funds and resources for personal benefit,” including double billing the county for automobile expenses and requiring that his staff work on his re-election campaign rather than perform their duties for the county.
The lawsuit alleges Haggerty used his connections with the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of Alameda County to get assault charges against him dropped in San Francisco and “regularly displayed photographs and video of naked and scantily-clad women.”
Among other allegations, the suit states that Haggerty also “repeatedly used his position as county supervisor to enhance the profits on the sales, purchases and leases of his homes” and used county discretionary funds to purchase a pig trailer for his children.
According to the lawsuit, Gray objected to the alleged conduct and Haggerty retaliated by firing him on June 30.
Gray said in the lawsuit that he was told the firing was because of improper Internet usage, but “Haggerty himself was one of the biggest
violators of this purported rule.”
Gray alleges that he was fired for being a whistleblower and was also discriminated against because of his age and medical issues that included sleep apnea and diabetes.
Haggerty’s current chief of staff, Shawn Wilson, said today that he could not comment on the specifics of the complaint but called it “a
frivolous lawsuit by a disgruntled employee.”
Wilson said, “It’s sad it’s come to this.”
Gray today said there is “zero accountability” for the Board of Supervisors and that his complaints to the county about the supervisor’s
alleged actions were ignored.
“It’s a little frustrating for someone who would like to see things run properly,” he said.
Gray is seeking lost wages of $110,000 per year plus benefits, as well as damages for “severe emotional distress,” according to the lawsuit.
Gray and his attorney John Kitta plan on serving Haggerty with the lawsuit at the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting in Oakland on May 21,
Kitta said.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
By
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
By
For what ever reason everyone at the county is afraid of Scott Haggerty! Sad but this has gone on for years…
That is not surprising, the guy is an awful candidate for that position. He is racist towards Latinos and African Americans, he had no integrity at all. I believe each one of those allegations. He was not hired properly most likely, he knew someone from the county. Wow kids in east oakland have someone of a better testimony, but are not given a chance.
Most of this info is common knowledge but nobody wanted to take Haggerty on. My guess is the weekly is only posting part of the charges. We all know there are more than reported.
I suspect this will be settled out of court and nothing will be done about the abuses. While Haggerty is probably guilty of all the charges, Gray has his own skeletons also. Neither side wants their info out there. Although Haggerty does seem to have much more to loose.
smoking crack and having very public extra-marital affairs! Haggerty and all elected officials are above the law ( see Hayashi, Mary – shoplifting ). The rules don’t apply to them. They are a little god-like in their powers. We have been blessed with the selfless service of the likes of Fortney ” Pete ” Stark, Nadia Lockyer, Mary Hayashi and more public servants who wouldn’t even consider enriching themselves personally or do less than 24 hours of work per day for the public.
The one thing I know for sure is that NONE of the Country Supervisors give a whit about Pleasanton. People used to erroneously think that Haggerty might be watching out for Pleasanton’s interests, but then he sided with Livermore and Dublin to give Pleasanton the shaft; and in recent years has become more aggressive in Alameda County giving Pleasanton the shaft.
Haggerty is all about Haggerty, his self-interests are paramount to him. It wouldn’t surprise me at all that he has been looting County funds. It should be turned over to the State Attorney General to investigate him. We can’t depend on the District Attorney to do it because Haggerty and the other Supervisors (who likely are doing the same thing) on the Board of Supervisors control funding of all county agencies.
There are people who have tried to come forward on this issue in the past and they were regularly threatened and beaten down by bullying tactics. Some of these people might be willing to come forward again, “IF” the County, the DA, the Grand Jury, etc., actually showed that they could protect members of the public against an out-of-control politician. Knowing that people need approvals from the County to build on their land, and County Departments need Budgets approved by the Board of Supervisors, it’s easy to see how people can be intimidated by this politician and his Chief of Staff.
He is an awful man and probably a criminal in many ways. Please help to get rid of this cancer on society.
Wow! A corrupt politcian??? I am shocked! Well, maybe not.
He played a role in the Stoneridge extension by trying to bribe and coerce the City Council with $ 6,000,000. It turns out he was doing that kind under the table and when one of our City Planning people followed up and questioned it, the person hung up… Pretty strange!
His representative at the Stoneridge Extension Council Meetings looked like someone out of central casting perfect to play the part of a coniving political henchman!
Politics as usual! Absolute power corrupts absolutely again!
Is he too powerful and scary? Maybe… We’ll see…
“seen it” your comments “”Most of this info is common knowledge but nobody wanted to take Haggerty on.” Okay, I connect with that but we need substance. He has been good for our district but “absolute power corrupts, absolutely” and that’s the issue you are suggesting.
Hopefully, his staff will see our comments. And, BTW at the very least, he will, hopefully, stop being a “crabby butt.”
“At least he’s not…” get your act together before you start a emotional dump.