Convicted felon looking for candidate to challenge incumbent board member.
Chula Vista City Council
Vacancy created when Andrea Cardenas resigned in February amid felony charges.
Leading contender is school board who would resign if appointed and create another vacancy.
Andrea Cardenas resigns amid felony indictment for fraud and theft.
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<p>The Chula Vista City Council has voted twice on the appointment of a community member to serve on an important sales tax oversight committee, but now both votes are raising concerns over their legality.</p>
<p>The Council first voted on the nomination of Jesse Navarro to serve on the Citizens' Oversight Committee on May 16th after Mayor John McCann made a motion for his appointment.</p>
By Arturo Castañares
Editor-at-Large
A local City Councilwoman who runs a political consulting firm has never reported her employer's clients which could pose conflicts-of-interest as she serves on the City Council.
Andrea Cardenas, who was elected to the Chula Vista City Council in November 2020, lists her employment as “Director of Community Engagement” for Grassroots Resources Inc. on her annual Form 700 Economic Interests disclosure forms filed with the City of Chula Vista in 2021 and 2022.
By Arturo Castañares
Editor-at-Large
The process to fill a vacancy on a local City Council has revealed an interconnected web of financial relationships between powerful political figures involved in steering the selection process.
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