Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez was charged with a misdemeanor count of disturbing her own council’s meeting Feb. 23. This was her second charge. She was charged July 20, 2021, with one count of disturbing her city council meeting, two counts of obstructing an officer and one count of conspiracy to commit crime.
Update: Gomez pleaded not guilty to the charge Feb. 24, while in custody at county jail. Her bail was set at $100,000.
Gomez was telling the meeting attendees that she felt her colleagues were working against her.
The District Attorney’s office, city of Victorville and Gomez’ assigned attorney, David Goldstein of West End Defenders, have not yet replied to a request for comment.
Gomez had pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges.
During the public comment session of the council’s Feb. 21 meeting, Gomez approached the floor lectern to speak. She began by addressing the audience, then mentioned the council’s closed session meeting.
“I wanted to make sure I spoke today, and if anyone is watching this button right here…” she began while showing a device to the audience. Victorville Mayor Debra Jones cut her off, and asked her to speak directly to the council.
“You may be surprised to know that during closed session,” Gomez began again, before pausing and pointing at Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Becerra. Becerra appeared to be recording Gomez’s speech using her iPad.
“Miss Gomez may not speak to closed session,” Jones interrupted. The meeting agenda shows the council discussed five unnamed legal cases, which had ongoing settlement negotiations. Disclosing what was said in a city council closed session meeting is against the law.
Gomez insisted she could speak. Jones directed staff to mute her microphone, and recessed for five minutes.
After the break, Jones explained her concerns that Gomez was about to break the law. She then let Gomez continue with her public comment, provided she followed the rules of decorum to speak directly to the council.
“As I was saying, the unfortunate thing that happened at the closed session—was not that I was speaking about an item, because I’m not speaking about the item—I’m speaking of what occurred, the targeting, and what you guys do to co-conspire against what I’m doing there. If I’m bringing the mic, I’m not recording. I’m letting you guys know that this is required because I get shut up all the time. I can look at years upon years after which Jones was elected, and that’s what happened,” Gomez said.
Gomez said Beccerra was recording her “to do things that I already have in a criminal lawsuit. That’s why I invite all of you to be part of this lawsuit,” she said, while turning to the audience.
Gomez did not specify which lawsuit she was referring to. Criminal lawsuits can be brought only by district attorneys.
Gomez brought a case against Victorville Aug. 4, 2021, alleging the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department violated her civil rights by arresting her at the earlier city council meeting. That lawsuit was put on hold while her misdemeanor case is being resolved.
Jones interrupted to again tell Gomez to speak to the city council, and not the audience.
“I speak to the people, I don’t speak to…,” Gomez replied, before Jones threatened removal.
“I can speak to whoever I want. The First Amendment gives me the right as a public member to sing if I want to sing,” Gomez continued.
Jones told staff to mute Gomez’ microphone and to stop her time.
“The audience members are required to follow policies and procedures and to the extent that this audience member is disrupting this meeting, if she continues to disrupt, she will be removed from this meeting,” Jones said, while Gomez was speaking over her to the audience.
Jones told staff to unmute Gomez’ microphone and continue her three minutes of time.
Gomez continued speaking to the audience, while she stepped away from the lectern.
“She said I will be removing…” Gomez continued, while pointing to Jones.
Jones told sheriff’s deputies to remove Gomez, who walked back to her seat on the council dais.
Jones asked the city’s lawyer if Gomez returning to her seat changed anything.
“She had disrupted the meeting, if she continues to disrupt the meeting, she should definitely be removed,” he said.
Jones told sheriffs’ deputies to remove Gomez, “until she agrees to follow the rules of decorum and the orders of the chair.”
A pretrial hearing for Gomez’s earlier misdemeanor charge of interruption is scheduled for Feb. 27. Deputy District Attorney Justin Crocker prosecutes in that case, Case No. MVI21007253.
Case information
San Bernardino Superior Judge Susan Slater presides.
Case No. MVI23001156
