Tracy, Calif.—An ethics complaint has been filed against Tracy City Councilmember Eleassia Davis (AKA “Eleassia Lackey Davis”) (https://www.cityoftracy.org/Home/Components/StaffDirectory/StaffDirectory/76/134) for participating in recent votes over the Tracy Aquatic Swim Center.
The complaint says any participation by Councilwoman Davis of the Tracy City Council is a conflict of interest because she is voting and changing a proposed development that impacts her personal property, according to the complaint against Mayor Pro Tempore Eleassia Davis filed by Tracy resident and swim center supporter Brandi Marotta. The FPPC complaint number is: COM-06072023-01663.
“Councilwoman Davis has brazenly broken the law by recently voting on a motion to move the swim center away from the neighborhood where her home is located,” Marotta said. “I filed this complaint because 16 previous times she has recused herself because of this conflict, but now she has broken the law and must be held accountable.”
Despite being warned by past Tracy city attorneys that she is prohibited from voting on a matter that impacts her private property, Councilwoman Davis voted on March 7 this year to start “start researching alternative sites on City owned land to locate a community aquatics center.”
Marotta calls this a blatant conflict of interest as Davis knows she cannot make or participate in any votes or decisions on the swim center because of her home’s proximity to the project.
“Davis’ action is a slap in the face to Tracy residents and the fair practice laws of the State of California,” Marotta said. “She must recuse herself from any votes, discussion, or decisions at this coming Tuesday, June 20th, City Council meeting on the swim center otherwise she will face the penalties of the State of California and the wrath of Tracy voters.”
The Tracy Aquatic Center has been approved by the City of Tracy, but a group of three councilmembers that include Davis, Matt Bedolla, and Dan Evans have grabbed control of the council and are attempting to slow or halt the swim center that has already been approved and is supported by the vast majority of Tracy residents. Former Oakland City Deputy City Attorney Bijal Patel is behind the power grab by the three councilmembers.
Marotta’s complaint about Eleassia Davis to the FPPC reads as follows:
“The basis of the complaint is that Ms. Davis is recused from participating in certain proposed projects due to an established conflict of interest. After a two-year period of constant and repeated recusal she suddenly participated in one of the matters.
“As additional information I have included a list of every instance when she has publicly announced she had a conflict of interest and could not participate in the matter. Between December 2021 and April 2023 Ms. Davis publicly announced on sixteen occasions that a conflict was present and recused herself from the item. On several occasions she indicated she “needed” to recuse herself (that is her recusal was compelled) based on advice from legal counsel.
“This constant and repeated practice only makes the recent participation even more egregious.”
Tracy City Councilmember Eleassia Davis Part Of Racist Attack On City Manager Michael Rogers
Regarding the Tracy City Council, Eleassia Davis is also known for the racist attack on City Manager Michael Rogers and also Tracy Mayor Dr. Nancy Young, where Ms. Davis is said to be part of a “corrupt effort to fire the City Manager” according to an article on KCRA.com.
“This blatant systematic racial attack on our city manager and on the people of color in Tracy is from the same three councilmembers who have already dismantled racial equity work in our city,” Dr. Nancy Young said in a statement.
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