On Tuesday, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors
considered a reorganization of District Attorney John Sarsfield’s
Office. It’s a good thing the board tabled the action.
On Tuesday, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors considered a reorganization of District Attorney John Sarsfield’s Office. It’s a good thing the board tabled the action.
Under the reorganization, the office manager Sarsfield is alleged to be having an affair with would have been given an increase in responsibility. It’s unclear whether a pay raise would have been involved. Under the proposed reorganization, the office manager would oversee several assistants, the victim witness coordinator and the victim witness advocate. Now, the office manager oversees a legal secretary and two office assistants.
Two supervisors asked County Administrative Officer Terrance May to put the matter on hold for a week because Supervisor Bob Cruz was not at Tuesday’s meeting. It’s hard to believe that the supervisors did not make any comment on the matter in the meeting given the accusations that have enveloped Sarsfield’s investigation into the contested District 5 election. But regardless of the reasoning, putting the reorganization on hold was the right thing to do. We suggest holding off on the matter until the mess is sorted out.
The truth must be pursued vigorously. It is not fair to the community, nor to Sarsfield, to have these allegations remain outstanding.
Someone must determine whether Sarsfield has compromised his office by opening himself up to manipulation by an aggressive defense attorney. When lawyer Mike Pekin twisted Sarsfield’s arm by threatening to file a court motion containing allegations that would embarrass the prosecutor, Sarsfield called off a criminal grand jury probe. The grand jury was slated to look into felony indictments against Jaime De La Cruz and his campaign adviser Ignacio Velazquez for alleged election tampering.
On Friday, Sarsfield accused Pekin of extortion and reconvened the grand jury only to have it called off again Monday, after Pekin filed a motion alleging Sarsfield is having an affair with the office manager. That’s when it was decided that Sarsfield had become more than a prosecutor in the case and couldn’t proceed with the probe and the grand jury was called off again.
The current situation is untenable. The San Benito County District Attorney’s Office cannot operate with one hand tied behind its back.
We expect the board to take a lead role in finding an agency or investigator to determine the extent of the damage to the DA’s Office. But until we know more, it would be unwise to reorganize a department that could see more turmoil.
To respond to this editorial or comment on this issue, please send or bring letters to Editor, Hollister Free Lance, 350 Sixth St., Hollister, Calif. 95023 or fax to 637-4104 or e-mail to ed****@fr***********.com
