Dueling D.A.’s — Lori Frugoli of Marin and Pamela Price of Alameda — duke it out in public with racial undertones in every punch

Properly Subversive/Sherman R. Frederick

Grab the popcorn, boys and girls. This is going to get interesting.

In one corner we have Lori Frugoli, the D.A. of the predominantly white Marin District Attorney’s Office. And in the other, we have Pamela Price, D.A. of the predominantly Black Alameda District Attorney’s Office. 

At issue is Otis Bruce, a former assistant D.A. for Frugoli who has sued Marin County for racial discrimination. He is now an assistant D.A. for Price. 

The case reads like a bad Hollywood script. Bruce seeks $12 million in damages from Marin County. One of the things he alleges is that while he was working at the D.A.’s office, management allowed a picture of a person in blackface to stay posted in the office. I saw that picture. It wasn’t a person in black face. It was a soldier in camouflage. 

I’m not saying that makes Bruce wrong in his entire raft of allegations. I’m only saying that particular accusation appears bogus to me. I doubt a jury’s going to give him any money on that particular point.

But, here’s where it gets interesting. After Bruce filed his suit, which I have no doubt embarrassed the hell out of Marin County, somebody tipped off the daily newspaper that they ought to investigate the complaints made by others in the D.A.’s office against Bruce. The paper followed up on the tip and the county refused citing that it was a personnel matter.

So the paper filed a California Public Records Act request and, uncharacteristically, the county folded and gave the newspaper the file. The newspaper then printed a banner story. It made Bruce look like he was the problem in the Marin County D.A.’s office.

That prompted D.A. Price in Alameda to issue a press release defending her hiring of Bruce. Bruce, the press release said, is “an exemplary member of our Executive team who consistently demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and dedication in his role.”

And to ramp the dueling D.A. spat up a notch, Alameda’s press release accused Marin County of releasing the file to unfairly smear Bruce. 

“The timing of this attempt to discredit Bruce is telling,” the Alameda’s D.A.’s press release read. 

Frugoli is under intense criticism for running a dysfunctional office that’s gumming up the works for timely justice in Marin. That comes from the Civil Grand Jury. The report is highly critical of Frugoli.

D.A. Price knows that, hence this backhanded slap in her press release:

“At the Alameda County DA’s office, we take allegations of misconduct seriously and are developing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and respectful work environment. We are committed to fostering a harassment-free and welcoming work environment that encourages open communication, supports employees, and values diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Ouch. This is getting personal.

And, something tells me it ain’t over. 

Postscript: You can see an early Properly Subversive column on Price in an unrelated matter here: https://marinlocalnews.com/masks-still-mandated-at-college-of-marin-18-billion-yes-with-a-b-spent-on-homeless-problem-and-state-senator-gets-blue-ribbon-for-dumb-idea-on-how-to-prevent-gun-crime/

THINGS TO KNOW

– The California Supreme Court last week ruled that a woman who caught COVID during the pandemic from her husband (who got it at work), cannot claim workers’ compensation injuries from the infection. Essentially, the court ruled extending coverage in a situation like that would break the system.

– Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking heavy fire from cities on homeless funding. “It really defies logic that the state budget once again fails to include funding to match the scale of the crisis we are experiencing” – Carolyn Coleman, executive director and CEO of the League of California Cities.

ONE MORE THING

– I asked my wife what women really want. She said a tent full of lovers. Or, maybe she said attentive lovers. I really wasn’t listening.

Thanks for reading. Until next week, avoid knuckleheads, laugh a little and always question authority. 

(“Properly Subversive” is a commentary written by Sherman R. Frederick for Marinscope Community Newspapers, the “mother ship” of the Novato Advance, San Rafael News-Pointer, Mill Valley Herald, Ross Valley Reporter, Twin City Times and the Sausalito Marin Scope. Mr. Frederick is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the preservation of community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)