San Diego County Taxpayers Face at least $5-10 Million in Costs for Legal Fees, Settlements, and a Special Election Caused by Nathan Fletcher\u2019s Misconduct in Office and Subsequent Resignation<\/i><\/p>\n
On February 6, 2023 Nathan Fletcher announced he was running for California State Senate and said he was sitting on\u00a0over $1 million in \u201ccash-on-hand\u201d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0in his campaign account. This massive war chest of campaign cash was meant to intimidate potential challengers to stay out of the race.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Now fast forward just 90 days and Fletcher is resigning from office in disgrace \u2013 after being accused by women of sexual harassment, two instances of sexual assault, and workplace retaliation.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Taxpayers are now on the hook for $5-10 million in financial losses as a result of Fletcher\u2019s misconduct.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Today Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio is calling on Nathan Fletcher to transfer his campaign cash to the county Treasurer\u2019s office immediately to defray these costs.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cIt is outrageous that Nathan Fletcher thinks he can stick San Diego county taxpayers with millions of dollars in costs and liabilities for his misconduct and simply walk off with over $1 million in surplus campaign funds,\u201d says DeMaio.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cIf Nathan Fletcher wants to show the public that he is ready to take responsibility for his egregious behavior, he must start by forfeiting his $1 million campaign surplus and transfer those funds to the county treasurer for use in paying for the costs of the special election to replace him and defray the millions in legal fees and settlements resulting from his misconduct against women,\u201d DeMaio notes.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
DeMaio says he is still concerned that Fletcher may attempt to stay in office.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cNathan Fletcher has shown himself to be a manipulative and untrustworthy liar time and time again \u2013 and it is entirely possible his delayed resignation was simply an attempt to buy time for him to plot his next move,\u201d DeMaio warns.\u00a0<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
<\/u>\u00a0<\/u>DeMaio and Reform California are prepared to launch a Recall against Fletcher if he does not resign on May 15 as promised.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cOur concern is he could use that $1 million campaign surplus to either fight off a Recall attempt or even run for office in the future,\u201d DeMaio warns.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Under California state law, surplus campaign funds cannot be used for \u201cpersonal or private benefit\u201d and can only be used to make charitable or governmental contributions or used for future political campaigns. State law would certainly permit Fletcher to forfeit his campaign surplus to the county government to defray costs for his misconduct.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n