Online petition started calling for resignation of Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly

Earlier today an advisory petition was posted on Change.org demanding the resignation of Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly.

The petition is in response to the ongoing controversy between Ly, and his former 2016 campaign manager Linde Vue. Ly has been accused by Vue, three female Elk Grove elected officials, and one other of being connected to harassment and threats against women.

The petition was started by an individual identifying themselves as David Lindsay and titled it Steve Ly Must Resign. The petition says:

As the Mayor of the City of Elk Grove, Mr. Ly has continually attempted to stifle dissent by the use of personal attacks belittling those who would dissent, and by using allies to harass and threaten those who would dissent. He has also run smear campaigns against political opponents.

The petitions echo some of the comments during the Wednesday, July 22 Elk Grove City Council meeting demanding Ly resign. The Elk Grove mayoral term is two years and the election for the next term which starts this December is on the November 2020 presidential ballot.

Ly's most vocal critic has been Vue who posted a comment on the petition saying "he refuses to apologize and continues to send his attack dogs to attack anyone who will speak against him or threaten his power." Vue and associates have been active on social media in the last several weeks criticizing Ly on this and a variety of topics.  

Vu's criticism of Ly has been amplified by three female elected officials in Elk Grove. They include Cosumnes Community Services District Director Jaclyn Moreno and Elk Grove Unified School District Trustees Nancy Chaires-Espinoza and Bobbie Singh-Allen. Earlier this week Chaires-Espinoza submitted her self-titled My Steve Ly Story to Elk Grove News.

Additionally, in his description of Ly's transgressions, Lindsay wrote "Mr. Ly and his cohorts are attempting to frame this as a cultural attack on his Hmong background. Nothing could be further from the truth." 

In a story published on Friday in the Elk Grove Citizen, Moreno, Ly's former political ally and fellow Democrat responded Ly's to statement that she condemned the centuries-old Hmong familial clan system (Ly and Vue are of Hmong descent). Moreno denied Ly's claim and said she was criticizing Ly's behavior, not the Hmong culture. 

Ly did not respond to a request seeking his comment on the petition. Throughout the conflict, Ly has condemned harassment and has maintained he had no involvement in the accused actions. 

As of 8 p.m., the petition gathered 179 of its goal of 200 signatures. The petition was posted about 8 a.m. today. 

  

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