Grand Jury Seeks Removal Of Contra Costa Assessor For Alleged Misconduct
MARTINEZ (CBS SF) -- Contra Costa County prosecutors filed a grand jury accusation in Superior Court on Wednesday, seeking the removal of county Assessor Gus Kramer for alleged "willful or corrupt" misconduct in creating a hostile and abusive work environment.
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Kramer is accused of violating the state's Fair Employment and Housing Act by making unwanted and harassing sexual remarks to three women and one man in his office and additionally making ethnically disparaging comments to the male employee between 2013 and 2019.
Kramer has denied the accusations.
Under state law, a grand jury accusation is a procedure for seeking a public official's removal from office through a Superior Court jury trial.
The county's civil grand jury issued the accusation in mid-April and the district attorney's office was required by the law to serve the document on Kramer and then file it in Superior Court, according to district attorney's office spokesman Scott Alonso.
Alonso said the next court hearing in the case is set for June 19. A trial date has not been scheduled.
Kramer's lawyer, Michael Rains, was not immediately available for comment.
Kramer has served as assessor since 1994.
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