Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/jess-carbajal/)
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved settlements totaling $1 million with two female county workers who accused the former county executive and Santa Ana councilman of sexually assaulting them.
Former OC Public Works Director Jess Carbajal alleges county supervisors used him as a scapegoat to cover up their own mismanagement of investigations into Carlos Bustamante’s sex crimes.
Carlos Bustmante — a former high-ranking county official and Santa Ana councilman — will stand trial on nine alleged crimes, but judge throws out eight of 13 felony charges.
The former county executive is accused of physically keeping her in his county office to hug and kiss her against her will.
Voice of OC resolved its long-running public records lawsuit with the county of Orange Friday and received a trove of documents that detail aspects of the “culture of fear” that many report inside county government.
Report concludes county government has made strides to change but still has a way to go.
County officials are mum on move against deputy CEO who in July accused supervisors of corruption. Her attorney says she’s being “set up” for firing.
With several ongoing probes, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas now indicates that complaints against public officials are on a steady rise.
The agenda for the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ closed session implies that county CEO Tom Mauk will be dismissed during that meeting.
In yet another dramatic turn in the fallout of the Carlos Bustamante saga, Joel Baruch enters into the public record a scathing account of how county officials operate.