Embattled Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer missed his scheduled appearance in a Martinez courtroom Wednesday morning, where he was to be arraigned on allegations of “willful or corrupt” misconduct in office.
Defense attorney Michael Rains, who did not enter a plea on Kramer’s behalf, was under the impression that his client did not need to appear in court.
Rains informed Judge Theresa Canepa that he intends to file a motion for the recusal of the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office at a later date.
Canepa scheduled that hearing for July 26, and told Rains that Kramer would definitely need to appear in court on that date.
Kramer was the subject of a grand jury accusation filed June 5 claiming he created a hostile and abusive work environment. Prosecutors say Kramer violated the state Fair Employment and Housing Act by making unwanted
sexual remarks and racially disparaging comments to employees between 2013
and 2019.
District attorney’s office spokesman Scott Alonso said this is technically a civil matter, but it’s handled in criminal court for the purpose of a trial. After the grand jury accusation was issued, the district attorney’s office was responsible for serving it on Kramer.
“I welcome the opportunity to confront my accusers with the facts discovered by not one, not two, but THREE separate independent investigations that exonerate me of sexual harassment or hostile work place or retaliation by professionals hired by the county,” Kramer wrote in a statement published
on his personal website June 7.
“When the facts are made public, the East Bay Times, the County Board of Supervisors, and their appointees on the county grand jury will be dutifully ashamed of themselves and their unwarranted and political
persecution of the county assessor,” Kramer wrote.
Kramer has served as assessor since 1994.
No show isn’t willful misconduct? Gee, In that case no one needs to show up for any scheduled appearance before a judge. (Isn’t that also contempt of court?)
Not contempt of court nor obstruction of justice. Just ask Trump. Got a subpoena? Tell the issuing body to stick it. There is no respect for the rule of law anymore, from the Top down.
Lock him up !
Plenty of shame to go around when it includes the Assessor’s Office.
It’s a shame they’re so inept, every last one of them. Those that can’t make it in the private sector go to work for the County, feeding at the taxpayer trough since they can’t make it on their own. Unqualified assessors hire even less qualified subordinates so their lack of qualification and basic skills are not exposed. It’s a virtual cascade of stupidity, and the property owners that did do something useful with their career and investments pay the price.
For the most part, property values are a no-brainer, the purchase price is the fair market value. Easy enough, even an assessor’s office employee can key that value in right 80% of the time without making a mistake. But heaven forbid they decide do anything beyond that, then the idiocy rises to the top and you’re locked into their circular exercise in futility.
Yeah, plenty of shame to go around. I’m not surprised Kramer pulled this stunt too, it’s a dog and pony show over there.
Ahhhh! Blanket all county workers under the umbrella of lazy, worthless people. What a stupid and uneducated statement. As your name suggests………Whatever!
Aunty,
I am a guy and went through the 60s , 70s and 80s. I never did anything like you described. Most men and all real men don’t do stuff like Kramer. He is a low life, and so are his defenders.
Poor Gus would do well to conduct a little research before posting “factual” statements on his personal website. Grand jurors are appointed by the Superior Court, not by the Board of Supervisors. So, any suggestion that jurors “dutifully” act at the behest of the BOS is totally inaccurate speculation on Mr. Kramer’s part.
To Aunt Barbara, that is exactly the problems you describe. We are striving to get away from the sexual harassment most of us dealt with and looked the other way to ignore it and let it go. Not OK, ever. The real men are/were understanding of manners and being decent, caring individuals. Thank god most of the ones, but certainly not all, were wonderful people, real men in my book.
Interesting how you skipped over the part about making racially disparaging remarks.
Pure entitlement?
So Auntie – how many years did you work in the accessory office? Yeah NONE. I spent 32 yrs working for the county & Gus’s antics were well known by all. County admin & 5ge BoS code to ignore complaints or give Gus a little slap on the hand. And let us not forget Gus didn’t report the correct values of property he purchased. The man is a sleeze from the gitgo.
No Auntie dear its NOT gossip & hearsay. The county has paid off a couple of people to go away with regard to Gus. But not all people can be bought. And those that can’t be got file grievances with the unions and other go to the Grand Jury with documentation.