A Personal and Public Comment about Accountability

October 20, 2026

“I want to talk about accountability. Most people who know me would probably describe me as conservative.  But I’m not affiliated with a political party, and I don’t decide whether I agree with someone based upon whether there’s an R or a D after their name. Supervisor Brandon and I probably disagree on plenty of things. But recently, I watched him publicly acknowledge that he had made a mistake by failing to disclose a campaign contribution before participating in a vote. He acknowledged what he believed he had done wrong, said he would accept any consequences, and that if he had been advised to recuse himself, he would have. I truly respected that. Because that’s what accountability looks like.

It made me realize something. Before I served on the Civil Grand Jury, I thought integrity in government mostly meant not doing something wrong. Now I understand integrity is also what you do after someone raises a legitimate question about your conduct. Do you examine it and correct it if necessary? Or do you become defensive and attack the people who asked the question? My year serving on the Grand Jury opened my eyes to government in ways I sometimes wish it hadn’t.

I went into that experience believing that when legitimate questions were raised, government officials would want answers just as much as the public did, that the natural response would be: Let’s look at this, let’s find out what happened, and if we got something wrong, let’s fix it. I don’t believe that quite as easily anymore. That saddens me.

Supervisor Griefer recently talked about public trust. I agree with him: Public trust matters. But why is that principle so urgent when the questions involve Supervisor Brandon, yet so much less important when our Grand Jury raised serious questions involving other members of this Board of Supervisors?

That principle cannot become urgent only when the questions concern someone we disagree with. It has to apply to everyone. Ask the questions about Supervisor Brandon. But when legitimate questions concern another member of this Board, ask those questions too. When the answer is uncomfortable, don’t change the standard.

I agree with many of the things conservative members of this Board are trying to accomplish for our County. But I’ve learned something this year: Sometimes the person whose politics you disagree with demonstrates conduct you respect, and sometimes the people whose policies you support disappoint you.

Accountability isn’t partisan.
Integrity isn’t partisan.
And public trust certainly isn’t partisan.

I hope we can reach a point where acknowledging a mistake is viewed as strength rather than weakness, and where the same standard applies to every member of the Board. Despite everything I’ve seen this year, I still want to believe in this institution. But I understand something now that I didn’t before I served on the Grand Jury: Public trust isn’t something government officials can ask us to give. It’s something each one has to earn.