Investigations of Former Chula Vista City Council Member Mitch Thompson Completed and Dropped

The Reader reported in May and July of this year that Derrick Roach appeared before the Chula Vista City City Council to accuse former interim councilmember Mitch Thompson of unlawful activity. All complaints filed by Roach have now been dropped.

In May, Roach called for Thompson to resign immediately. In July, he called on the council to refuse to seat Thompson on the Mobile Home Rent Review Commission. Roach asserted that Thompson, while sitting on the planning commission in 2009, voted on zoning issues that were within 500 feet of his property. Thompson has maintained that he made a full disclosure of his properties to the City and that he never voted on a change that would enhance his holdings.

In August, the Fair Political Practices Commission dropped the investigation because there was “insufficient evidence of a violation of the Political Reform Act.” In October, the Chula Vista Ethics Commission also dismissed the complaint filed by Roach.

According to Chula Vista city attorney Bart Miesfeld, the ethics commission’s dismissal was based on part of the municipal code that reads, “…complaints concerning unethical behavior must be received within 60 days of the most recent event…”

Miesfeld said that his office had initiated an investigation into the charges against Thompson; however, based on a lack of findings and coupled with the Fair Political Practices Commission report, the inquiry has stopped.

A recent public records request reveals Roach, who recently lost his bid for the 79th state assembly seat, had filed with the City of Chula Vista for the same interim council seat that Thompson was selected to fill.