Open meeting law violated, suit alleges Supervisors accused of conspiracy during redistricting process

Luis Monteagudo Jr.
The San Diego Union-Tribune
February 6, 2002

County supervisors and other officials violated the state open meetings law by conspiring to rig last year's redistricting process to ensure incumbent supervisors would not lose their elections, according to a lawsuit filed against the county.

The lawsuit seeks to have the redistricting plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors in July thrown out and a new plan created.

County officials denied the allegations.

"It's not true, simply not true," said Supervisor Bill Horn.

The lawsuit was filed in October, but attorneys waited until last week to serve it on the county.

The suit was filed on behalf of Anthony Valladolid, a lawyer who directs the student legal services program at the University of California San Diego.

The suit says the plan adopted by the supervisors grew out of private meetings and telephone calls among the four board members who voted to approve the final district boundaries. It also alleged that members of a redistricting advisory committee appointed by the supervisors held private meetings and deliberations.

The suit specifically cites Supervisors Horn, Greg Cox, Dianne Jacob and Ron Roberts. Supervisor Pam Slater voted against the plan.

"Each member of the board is a non-minority and a Republican," the lawsuit states. "The redistricting plan secretly agreed to by the four supervisors was designed to maintain the same political and ethnic makeup of the board."

Jacob, Cox and Roberts declined to comment.

County Counsel John Sansone said the county's redistricting process was open and fair.

"Any allegations that there were back-room deals are completely unfounded and false," Sansone said.

The suit says the four supervisors designed the plan to deprive Latino and black communities of their voting rights in central San Diego and dilute the voting strength of Latinos in North County. Those two areas are represented by Roberts and Horn, respectively.

The lawsuit contends Roberts was the leader of the "conspiracy" because he feared an election challenge from San Diego City Councilman George Stevens, who is black. Stevens did not challenge Roberts, who is running unopposed in the March 5 election.

"The use of the word conspiracy is extremely harsh, particularly since he has no facts or evidence to suggest anything," Sansone said.

Valladolid is optimistic that attorneys can prove the county violated the Ralph M. Brown Act, as the open meeting law is formally known.