EG City Council flip-flops, decides not to request Sac Grand Jury investigation of council member Pat Hume

Cooper maintains stance, Davis and Detrick flip

The Elk Grove City Council decided during their regular meeting last night to not request a Sacramento County Grand Jury investigation into allegations that council member Pat Hume threatened an Elk Grove citizen.

The 3-1 vote marked a reversal of its decision at the last meeting to refer the investigation of Hume to the Grand Jury.

Mayor Sophia Scherman, Vice Mayor Steve Detrick and council member Gary Davis voted to drop the request while Jim Cooper voted against the motion during a tense session. Hume recused himself from the proceedings.

The change in tack came after the council heard public testimony from eight speakers who all condemned the investigation of Hume. In their seemingly coordinated effort, they collectively called the investigation an embarrassment to the city and urged the council to drop the matter.

Former appointed city officials take aim at council, investigation

Among the speakers were former planning commissioners Tim Murphy and Paul Lindsay and former city charter commissioner Jake Allen. All three urged the city to drop the matter saying it was a waste of time and resources for the city.

Murphy, who was appointed by former city council member Mike Leary and lost his seat upon Leary's defeat in 2008, characterized the allegations against Hume as “manufactured” and asked the city to “cease action” on the item.

“I see what’s going on here and it’s an embarrassment to the city,” Murphy added.

While Murphy focused his comments on the issue, Lindsay and Allen took the opportunity to criticize individual council members.

Saying that Hume was being “bullied,” Lindsay criticized council members Davis and Detrick for taking campaign contributions from the Elk Grove Community Connection (EGCC). One of EGCC’s directors, Connie Conley, is the citizen who has asserted that Hume threatened her and her family.

Lindsay implied they were beholden to EGCC because of the contributions and they should recuse themselves. “There is simply no case here,” he added.

The strongest and most personal rebuke came from former Elk Grove City Charter Commission Chair Jake Allen who addressed the council, and Cooper in particular, in an often sarcastic manner.

Echoing the embarrassment theme, Allen mocked Cooper’s recent Sheriff’s campaign radio ads noting that while the ads said Cooper was a mayor and city council member, it didn’t mention Elk Grove. “I’d be embarrassed to,” Allen quipped.

Deliberations

After hearing the comments, Cooper noted that the matter should not have been placed on the agenda as it had seemingly been resolved at the last meeting. “This should have never come back here,” he said.

While discussing his rational for requesting the Grand Jury investigation of the matter based on his law enforcement experience, Cooper was interrupted by a rebuttal in the audience. Looking toward the back of the sparsely occupied chamber in the direction of Lindsay and Murphy, who were seated together, Cooper sternly said “Public comment is over.”

Davis said that the matter was an embarrassment for the city and that he was on record in this case and the earlier ethics investigation of Detrick that both are a distraction from the council focusing on more important matters.

“The point of sending this to the Grand Jury is so they can deal with it,” he said.

Citing the Detrick investigation earlier this year, Davis noted the same people who urged Mayor Scherman and the council to investigate alleged ethics violations by Detrick, are now urging the city council to drop the matter.

Murphy, Lindsay and Elk Grove resident Tom Waltman, who also spoke on the matter last night, were among several who accused Detrick of violating the city’s code of ethics during council deliberations on the matter of the St. Marie Goretti Catholic Church last year. On her own Scherman authorized the hiring of a private attorney to investigate that matter which found no wrong-doing on Detrick’s part.

When Detrick spoke on the matter, he addressed Lindsay directly.

“I take offense from Mr. Lindsay,” Detrick said. “I am beholden to no one but my family.”

Detrick also addressed assertions that EGCC campaign contributions to him, Davis and Cooper were motivating factors in seeking the investigation. Detrick said that with the exception of Scherman, EGCC had made political contributions to all council members including Hume.

“Let’s be clear on the facts,” Detrick said as he admonished Lindsay.

During further deliberations Davis said that he was not comfortable with the matter and indicated that he would support dropping the matter. Davis seconded a motion by Scherman to drop the matter and the matter was approved by a 3-1 vote.

Cooper, who voted against the matter, expressed frustration with Davis over his comments that he was not comfortable with the matter. “You should have said so last time,” Cooper said.