Few thought that San Benito County District Attorney John
Sarsfield would leave office quietly after being beaten soundly in
the June primary by career prosecutor Candice Hooper.
Few thought that San Benito County District Attorney John Sarsfield would leave office quietly after being beaten soundly in the June primary by career prosecutor Candice Hooper.
Most predicted he would go out with a bang. Sarsfield’s latest claim against the county, seeking more than $5 million in damages for alleged wrongs done to him, may seem like the predicted bang. But it isn’t a bang. It’s a whimper. Although it could prove a costly one.
The claim, which Sarsfield filed Friday, seeks damages from the county for alleged improper handling of a 2004 sexual harassment case filed by two women who worked in his office. The claim also takes issue with the Board of Supervisors’ vote of “no confidence” in the prosecutor’s ability to handle the duties of his office.
The county has two options, it can reject the claim and fight any subsequent lawsuit or it can settle the claim out of court. Both options have their own drawbacks. Settling the suit will take taxpayer dollars and give them to a man that doesn’t deserve any more public money. And fighting the case will also cost money – exactly how much isn’t clear.
But given Sarsfield’s track record for long, prolonged legal battles, it may prove prudent for the county to settle this claim quickly and far from the courtroom.
A costly, possibly decade-long legal battle with Sarsfield is not what the county needs. And local taxpayers would rather have their hard-earned dollars spent on schools, parks, road improvements or a new wastewater treatment plant, among other things.
If the county rejects Sarsfield’s latest claim, it should be prepared to spend money defending the lawsuit he is sure to bring.
After being fired from the Los Gatos Police Department for “poor judgment” in 1983, Sarsfield sued the town of Los Gatos alleging breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and employment discrimination.
Seven years later, Sarsfield lost the suit against Los Gatos township on appeal after he failed to prove the termination affected his “good name, reputation, honor or integrity,” according to court documents.
However, if the county decides to reject the claim and fight any subsequent lawsuit, officials would be sapient to set some spending limits for the litigation. If it would cost X amount of money to settle the case, the county shouldn’t spend more than that fighting the lawsuit.
County officials probably knew this claim was coming and should be prepared to deal with it swiftly. However the Board of Supervisors decides to handle this ugly matter, it should be ever-mindful of the tax dollars at issue.
