Salinas Council candidate’s photo leads to election law investigation
The controversy started with a picture – Salinas City Council District Five candidate, Christie Cromeenes, posing with Police Chief Adele Frese, Mayor Joe Gunter, and councilmembers Steve McShane and Tony Villegas.
KION learned it was taken during the city’s September 11th remembrance event, in front of City Hall.
California election law says city employees can’t take part in political events during work hours, nor can they do so on city property.
The campaign manager for Cromeenes’ opponent, Andrew Sandoval, sent a comlaint to the city and the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission.
“It’s on our taxpayer dime and on our grounds. It’s the law, which stipulates you cannot campaign on the city hall grounds, for example. It’s just basic law,” Manuel Valenia, Sandoval’s campaign manager, said.
Both agencies wrote back to him, and he tells KION there is an ongoing investigation. But the City Attorney says they’re not really looking to the campaign. Instead, they’re more concerned with who was in the photo. “Looking at it as whether or not an employee was engaging in campaign activity in their uniform.”
KION learns the City Attorney is referring to Chief Frese. But Frese hasn’t endorsed Cromeenes, or any candidate. She says the the caption in the picture refers to “men.”
Cromeenes admits that this photo was put on Facebook, likely by her daughter, but says she has no idea how it turned into a campaign advertisement.
“I really didn’t know that I wasn’t supposed to do it. I’m not up to date on all of the rules and regulations. I jumped into this 3-4 weeks ago now. I’m just trying to keep my head above water,” Cromeenes said.
But there is a second complaint by Valencia. It was brought up at City Council last week that Cromeenes’ husband works for the City of Salinas as the Community Service Supervisor. Valencia says that could post a conflict of interest if Cromeenes is election.
“Say she has to vote on whether or not to give her spouse a raise, there’s a fairness issue. It’s basic campaign law – the conflict of interest law,” Valencia said.
Cromeenes says she already spoke with the city, who told her that no one has to leave her job or stop running. “The conflict would come in with when doing the budget or contract negotiations. I would have to recuse myself with anything that has to do with SEIU.”
KION spoke over the phone with everyone in the photo – no one knew it was going to be used as a campaign photo op. Mayor Gunter says while he endorses her now, he didn’t officially do so back on September 11, when the photo was taken. The City Attorney says the investigation should not last long.
