Vargas resignation stuns county
Chairwoman cites threats to personal safety and security as the reasons she is leaving her position after winning re-election last month
COUNTY — A bombshell dropped on Friday morning as San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas announced she will resign on Jan. 6.
Vargas, who is the chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors and also chairs the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), said in a press release she was stepping down due to “personal safety and security reasons.” The county has paid for private security for Vargas for months, according to county sources, similar to when former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher had a security detail after a fire broke out at his San Diego home in 2021.
The Board of Supervisors has several options to fill Vargas’ District 1 seat, which includes Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Bonita, Otay Mesa and San Diego neighborhoods such as Barrio Logan, Golden Hill, East Village, Logan Heights and San Ysidro, to name a few.
Those options include appointing a representative to fill the term, appointing a successor until a special election is held, or calling for a special election. As for SANDAG, Vargas’ term expired last week as the board chair has a two-year term.
Many residents are furious as Vargas was re-elected this year with a 25-point win over Alejandro Galicia in November. A special election is expected to cost the county at least $200,000, according to reports.
However, Vargas’ office did not respond to questions about threats, her security detail or other security concerns.
La Presna reported Vargas’ staff was “blindsided” during a morning meeting with the county clerk and human resources staff, which Vargas did not attend.
“It has been my honor to serve in public office during unprecedented times, including the past four years on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors,” Vargas said in a statement. “Whether serving as an elected board member on the Southwestern College Governing Board for seven years or as your first Latina County Supervisor, I've had the privilege of leading transformative initiatives in the County of San Diego and beyond for nearly 30 years, alongside many of you.”
Vargas, a Democrat, was elected in 2020 as an underdog against state Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego). Hueso had the backing of most of the Democratic party, but Vargas’ grassroots campaign carried her to an upset victory by nearly 14 points.
Vargas said some of her proudest accomplishments include spearheading disaster response and recovery efforts, navigating the complexities of the pandemic, and driving systemic change so government serves all members of our community, not just a select few. She said she’s tirelessly tried to address “the inequalities that have plagued the community for far too long.”
Over the past four years, Vargas has been a main target of a small group of public speakers at the board meetings. Some sources said those speakers have crossed the line, made personal attacks and harp on Vargas’ every action.
However, Vargas’ tenure has also seen its share of scandals and controversy. She is facing two racial discrimination lawsuits, both by Asian men.
Jeff Liu filed a lawsuit in late 2023 claiming Vargas’ office offered him a job as her policy director, but then rescinded the offer. The allegations claim Vargas’ former chief of staff, Denice García, uttered slurs at Liu and Liu claimed Vargas knew about the slurs and other alleged racist comments about him.
Earlier this year, former county deputy administrative officer, Michael Vu, filed a lawsuit against the county claiming Vargas made racist remarks about Vu after he applied for the county administrative officer job. The CAO leads the day-to-day operations of the county.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is also named in the Vu suit as he alleges Lawson-Remer engaged in a campaign to hire former Fletcher staffer Paul Worlie as Vu’s No. 2 if Vu agreed to the deal. He did not, according to his lawsuit.
In late 2023 or early 2023, Vu’s complaint alleges Vargas said, “we need a person of color” as the CAO. Former CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer said Vu is Asian, but Vargas said, “that doesn’t count, they have opportunities and education. We need a Hispanic or Black,” according to the suit. The supervisors hired Ebony Shelton in June, as first reported by North County Pipeline on May 24.
The road to hiring Shelton was also mired in controversy as Fletcher, Lawson-Remer and labor unions pushed to hire former Santa Clara Supervisor Cindy Chavez. However, Fletcher resigned from the board after two women came forward with claims of sexual assault and harassment.
The board opted to stop the hiring process and when it restarted, labor unions blamed Vargas for Chavez being removed from consideration. Chavez is a former labor leader in Northern California and is friends with Fletcher and his wife, Lorena Gonzalez, who heads the California Federation of Labor.
“The CAO position is the single most important position that the Board of Supervisors are responsible for,” Vargas said in her May statement addressing the CAO controversy. “The CAO functions as the principal administrative officer to the Board of Supervisors overseeing the execution of the Board's vision and policies, as well as directing county operations. Given the critical importance of this position and the thorough process outlined by the Board, including community engagement and adherence to best practices, the focus remains on selecting the most qualified candidate.”
Also, there is a growing schism between Vargas, Lawson-Remer and Imperial Beach Mayor Palomar Aguirre over the Tijuana River Valley and the sewage crisis, according to sources. Vargas initially rejected an attempt by Aguirre to designate it a Superfund site, which led to Aguirre rescinding her endorsement, per Voice of San Diego.
Lawson-Remer, though, picked up the cause and put forward a resolution to the Board of Supervisors to designate the valley a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, Vargas left the October meeting early, citing a doctor’s appointment, but sources said it was a shot at Lawson-Remer for overstepping into an issue in Vargas’ district. Also, Lawson-Remer’s gun ordinance died in a 2-2 vote. The board eventually approved the gun ordinance at a later meeting.
In a newsletter, Vargas said she introduced a motion to consider all options for the river valley as the declaration of a Superfund site is not a “silver bullet” and can come with its own set of problems. She said the declaration was last-minute and had no time to receive community feedback to incorporate into next steps. The board also approved more than $2 million in grants from the state and EPA to purchase air purifiers for residents.
Lawson-Remer, though, requested the EPA to investigate the river valley for designation. Vargas, meanwhile, said communities near Superfund sites experience long periods of uncertainty, declining property values, potential relocation and other concerns.
“I greatly appreciate Chair Vargas’ service to the county and our community, and I hope she finds resolution to the challenges with which she is grappling,” Lawson-Remer said in a statement. “As vice chair, of the County Board of Supervisors, let me assure you that the work and new direction of the county will continue moving forward. We will continue advancing our agenda to uplift all of our communities.”
San Diego County Republican Party County Chairwoman Paula Whitsell, who was voted back into her position about two weeks ago, said Vargas’ resignation is another example of Democrat dysfunction on the Board of Supervisors. Whitsell cited Fletcher’s scandals and Lawson-Remer for failing to show up to work and neglecting her responsibilities and the party’s inability to deliver stable and accountable leadership.
“The residents of San Diego County deserve better than no-shows, scandals, and chaos,” Whitsell added. “Republicans stand ready to deliver the steady, transparent, and responsible governance that San Diego County desperately needs. It’s time to restore integrity and accountability to the Board of Supervisors.”
As for Aguirre, sources and social media are abuzz with her potentially running for Vargas’ seat. One name to surface is San Diego City Councilwoman Vivian Moreno.
More recently, Vargas spearheaded the supervisors to pass a controversial immigration policy prohibiting law enforcement from notifying ICE of release dates of immigrants and allowing federal law enforcement to use county facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes. The board’s action requires county assistance only when a federal or state warrant has been issued.
San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said the department can share information and coordinate with ICE and federal agencies under state law and challenged the notion of any “loopholes” under current laws. She said the department will not change its current practices.
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