Desmond, Franklin call for DOJ investigation into Board of Supervisors
Allegations of quid pro quo, wrongful termination, and political retribution drive calls for federal oversight, while Franklin calls for one resignation
NORTH COUNTY — Two elected officials are calling for an investigation into the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and its governance in light of an ongoing scandal.
Supervisor Jim Desmond is calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the board on the heels of La Prensa first reporting of an email from former Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer to former Chief County Counsel Claudia Silva detailing an alleged plot by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to vote for former Deputy CAO Michael Vu to become the new CAO if Vu hired Paul Worlie as his deputy.
Robbins-Meyer sent the email on Dec. 6, 2023, to Silva and was cited in Vu’s wrongful termination and discrimination lawsuit against the county for being passed over as the county’s next CAO. The board hired Ebony Shelton last year.
The CAO is the top unelected official and oversees the day-to-day operations, $8.5 billion budget, works with each supervisor, and executes the board’s directions, among other responsibilities.
Vista Mayor John Franklin, who is running for Desmond’s seat in 2026, called for an investigation and Lawson-Remer’s resignation. Franklin said he also spoke with a U.S. Assistant District Attorney about the situation with the board.
La Prensa and North County Pipeline also reported, and confirmed, the board majority of Lawson-Remer, Paloma Aguirre and Monica Montgomery Steppe forced out Silva two weeks ago. The county released a statement saying Silva “retired,” although La Prensa reported Silva, who passed three performance reviews during her tenure, was given a choice to “retire or be fired.”
According to sources, Lawson-Remer called the closed meeting, and the board majority made its decision regarding Silva. Aguirre was sworn in the day before, while Desmond was not present and Supervisor Joel Anderson was against the decision.
Sources are questioning why Aguirre voted in step with the other two supervisors when she’s never worked with Silva. North County Pipeline asked Aguirre for comment about her vote and the lack of experience working with Silva last week, but Aguirre did not respond.
Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe were also asked about Silva’s performance and whether they supported Shelton as CAO, but neither responded to questions.
Last week, Voice of San Diego reported Silva signed a deal to receive a $535,000 payout and health benefits for 18 months. Voice reported Silva agreed to “clear the county of liability” for her sudden exit or other issues.
The retirement, or alleged ultimatum, of Silva sent a shockwave through the county amid the ongoing legal drama surrounding Vu’s lawsuit. Sources, along with reports from La Prensa, said the board majority moved on from Silva in hopes of hiring another attorney more sympathetic to Lawson-Remer’s position in the lawsuit and for a more favorable settlement for her.
In addition, sources said Shelton, who was hired last year and the first Black woman appointed to the position in county history, may also be a target for removal by the board majority.
“I sent the following letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, formally requesting an independent investigation into serious allegations involving San Diego County governance,” Desmond said in an email to his constituents. “These allegations concern the circumstances surrounding the retirement of County Counsel Claudia Silva and alleged dealings tied to ongoing litigation. While I acknowledge that these incidents remain unproven, the seriousness of the claims in San Diego County demands an impartial review to ensure public trust and transparency.”
Franklin, meanwhile, said stability has been missing over the past several years on the board and the actions surrounding Silva’s exit from the county may be “criminal.”
San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, who is also running for the D5 seat, said the board must become more transparent and open with residents. She said the scandal presents a terrible look for the county and puts the integrity and credibility of the board in jeopardy.
“What Terra Lawson-Remer did is criminal behavior,” Franklin added. “You cannot condition your vote on receiving something of value for yourself or your friend. I’m outraged that she solicited a bribe from Helen. It’s intolerable and frankly, it’s so intolerable I think she should step down from office.”
Desmond, meanwhile, said public trust in government is already at a low point and the alleged actions behind closed doors deepen concerns about corruption and gamesmanship. He cited the resignation of consecutive board chairs — Nora Vargas and Nathan Fletcher — along with the chaotic search for a new CAO in 2023-24 and special elections to fill those seats, totaling more than $11 million as reasons more accountability is needed.
The ongoing saga began when Robbins-Meyer announced her retirement in 2022 and the board conducted a search, resulting in former Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, a former labor leader, as the next CAO. Local labor leaders said the board approved her 4-1 in closed session.
However, Fletcher resigned from office in May 2023 after three women accused him of sexual harassment, leading the board to pause its search. Desmond called for the board to conduct a new search, while Lawson-Remer pushed to keep the same process and move forward despite only having four board members.
“Transparency must remain our highest priority,” Desmond’s statement reads. “San Diego County residents have a right to know what occurred, who was involved, and whether any laws or ethical standards were violated.
“The allegations outlined in the recent La Prensa report, combined with concerns about a wrongful termination lawsuit and the perception of unethical conduct, point to a pattern that warrants federal scrutiny. These issues have already cost taxpayers more than $11 million in legal fees and special election costs, further underscoring the need for accountability.”
Vargas, who was the chair, and the board began a new search in summer 2023 with Vu, Shelton and Chavez as several of the now-known candidates. Vargas, though, removed Chavez from consideration, per reports, leading to massive backlash from labor unions, who held press conferences detailing the vote, which led to concerns of supervisors leaking confidential information from closed session.
In May 2024, North County Pipeline was the first to report Shelton had been hired as the CAO. Vu then filed his lawsuit in October 2024 and alleges racial discrimination by Vargas and the quid pro quo scheme from Lawson-Remer. Vu no longer works for the county and Vargas and Lawson-Remer have denied any wrongdoing and said Vu filed the claim as a disgruntled former employee.
Vu, who is Asian, claims Vargas only wanted to hire a Black or Latino and allegedly said Asians “don’t count, they have opportunities and education. We need a Hispanic or black.”
But Vu’s lawsuit also detailed an email from Robbins-Meyer to an unknown county employee discussing how Lawson-Remer approached Robbins-Meyer to ask Vu to hire Worlie, Fletcher’s former chief of staff. Worlie was hired by Aguirre as her chief of staff. The unknown employee was Silva.
Vu’s lawsuit states Worlie “sought” the deal on several occasions, while Robbins-Meyer’s email also describes Worlie approaching Vu.
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