The Orange County District Attorney’s office has ruled that Costa Mesa Councilman Stephen Mensinger did not assault Joel Flores when the two argued after a community event last month, according to this story just posted by The Daily Pilot.
Flores, a teacher at Estancia High School in Costa Mesa, accused Mensinger of “chest bumping” him during an altercation between the two on April 23 over City Council’s outsourcing plan.
Flores started the argument as he was walking back to his car after a fun run event held near the high school. “Nothing good can come from what you’ve done,” Flores said he told Mensinger.
The two then began exchanging words. Mensinger acknowledged that the exchange became heated, but said he never chest bumped Flores.
However, Flores, who had appeared in an ad against the outsourcing plan funded by the Orange County Employees Association, filed an assault charge against Mensinger.
Here is what the Daily Pilot is reporting:
Prosecutors declined to press charges, citing a “lack of corroboration” for Flores’ story, said D.A. spokeswoman Farrah Emami.
“I am grateful for my name being cleared of the accusations by union activist Joel Flores,” Mensinger said Wednesday.
Flores is a member of the Newport-Mesa teacher’s federation, which is unaffected by the city’s planned layoffs. He did not immediately return calls for comment.