It’s 4 vs. 1 and Baldwin Park Councilman Ricardo Pacheco is the one whose outnumbered.
An investigation into whether Pacheco berated a department head is getting heated, with Pacheco accusing his peers on the dais of lying and playing political games.
The council agreed Wednesday night to open the review, which will determine whether Pacheco harassed, intimidated or retaliated against a member of the city’s executive team during a recent telephone interview.
Different versions of the story are floating around with some saying Pacheco cussed this unnamed department head out, and called for their resignation. Pacheco denies all the allegations and says these are all ploys in an election year.
“I have been a council member for more than 10 years. I have never every disrespected anybody on this city … (This is) basically because (the rest of the council members) have no allegations to make about me. I haven’t been arrested. My residence isn’t in question. I don’t throw people out of council meetings. My family members don’t work here.”
Councilman Anthony Bejarano said Wednesday the issue isn’t personal, and it’s the city’s legal duty to investigate such allegations.
Bejarano also referred to West Covina, and the millions of dollars in lawsuits it is facing from harassment claims.
“We just want to make sure we do our due diligence under the law,” he said. “If it turns out this was nothing that rises to the level of harassment or retaliation — good.”
More to come in tomorrow’s paper.
