DA investigating Peninsula Mayor’s vote-trading allegations: report

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SAN MATEO, CA Allegations of attempts to extort a vote for mayor on the peninsula are being investigated, reports the San Mateo Daily Journal.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe confirmed his office is investigating the allegations, according to the report.

City officials called for the investigation, according to the report.

Amourence Lee was elected mayor by city council on Monday night following a contentious meeting in which she alleged she had already been offered the mayoralty in exchange for her vote in selecting a board member to replace Diane Papan, who last month was elected to the National Assembly.

Such a delay could have had consequences for the election of the city’s next mayor, a process generally considered a formality.

Lee alleged at the Monday night meeting that she was approached by two people offering her the mayoralty in exchange for her vote for a person named by the city council under consideration to replace Papan.

“The reason for this order of business has become very clear. When the prescribed sequence is followed, the powers of the mayor cannot be held hostage or used as bargaining chips,” Lee said.

“Our tradition of peaceful transfer of power based on the rotation of the senior member is a century-old model that has worked to prevent the corruption and backhanded dealings that can erode our institutions.”

Lee made similar allegations last week, but on Monday for the first time identified the candidate as corporate lawyer Cliff Robbins.

The board at the end of Monday’s meeting voted to appoint Rich Hedges as a board member.

Lee said there was no indication that Robbins was aware of behind-the-scenes dealings on his behalf.

I was offered to vote for Mr Robbins in exchange for becoming mayor, Lee said at the Monday evening meeting.

I certainly do not want to believe that this candidate was a willful and unwitting participant in this potential violation of Brown’s law.

Lee declined to identify the two people she said were acting on behalf of their preferred candidate.

At Monday’s meeting, Diaz Nash challenged her colleague to name those she accused of trying to buy her vote.

I have to ask, who made this proposal? Diaz Nash said.

How the hell can we go on with this because you’re making the allegation that you don’t support any facts.

Lee became San Mateo’s first Asian American woman to serve on city council in 2019, when she was chosen as the nomination after Deputy Mayor Maureen Freschet resigned.

Lee and his family were victims of an attack in 2020 in which someone drove a rock about 3 inches through the window of their home.

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