Wine Country Times

Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, recently opened up to KRSO about her feelings on accountability of elected officials after a gag order was applied to an investigation into her accusations against Sheriff Mark Essick.

Hopkins has filed a formal complaint against Essick related to a telephone conversation the two had in the midst of the Walbridge Fire in August, according to coverage by the Press Democrat. Hopkins has said that Essick became hostile when she asked him questions about residents evacuated from her district accessing animals left behind, and that he made comments that she feels were threatening.

“He threatened me and he crossed the line, and I just feel that you should always be able to cast a vote without fear of being personally threatened,” Hopkins told KRSO in the lead up to an interview about renters assistance. “Whether or not you’re an elected official, you should be able to take a policy position without being threatened by law enforcement officials.”

The county hired Oppenheimer Investigations Group, a Berkeley law firm that provides impartial investigations of workplace complaints, to conduct an investigation into Hopkins accusations, the Press Democrat reported. However, Essick has sued the county to prevent the release of records related to the investigation, claiming he is protected by state laws that give privacy in most misconduct investigations involving law enforcement.

“It was disappointing that he chose to take that action,” Hopkins told KRSO. “I believe that all elected officials are subject to a level of public scrutiny, and that, ultimately, our actions are held accountable by the voters.”

Hopkins said that, while she can’t speak for other board members, the situation has had a chilling effect for her in terms of her own feelings of being able to speak up without risk of retribution.

“It’s sad and disappointing when those sorts of – what one would think were these sort of basic and fundamental rights of a Democracy – are at risk,” she said.