San Bernardino Council Explodes Into Shouting Match as City Attorney Faces Corruption Accusations

A San Bernardino City Council meeting on Nov. 20 spiraled into chaos when Mayor Helen Tran removed a performance evaluation of City Attorney Sonia R. Carvalho from the closed session agenda. The meeting, marked by yelling, interruptions, and heated accusations, showcased deepening fractures between city leadership and staff.

The meeting began at 4:05 p.m., but tensions erupted immediately as Tran announced her decision, citing procedural violations. Carvalho was stuck in traffic, leaving her unable to address the controversy at its outset.

“As mayor of San Bernardino, I have a responsibility to uphold the rules and procedures that govern our city—ensuring fairness, transparency, and adherence to the law in our council proceedings,” Tran said. “It was inappropriate of the city attorney to place her own evaluation on the agenda without following the proper process.”

Tran explained her decision was rooted in the city charter and council procedures, which grant only the city manager, the mayor, or a council majority the authority to place items on the agenda.

As of December 2024, Sonia R. Carvalho serves as the City Attorney for San Bernardino. Carvalho is a partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP (BB&K), a law firm retained by the city in August 2018 to provide municipal legal services. The BB&K team, led by Carvalho and including Thomas Rice and John Brown, was initially selected to work cooperatively with elected City Attorney Gary Saenz at that time.

Heated Responses and Accusations

Mayor Pro Tem Fred Shorett immediately objected, accusing Tran of acting out of personal bias.

“I find it wholly inappropriate that many times we start two or three minutes late, and tonight we started with a quorum, which is legal,” Shorett said. “Then we get this written statement without the city attorney here to comment. What you’re doing here tonight is absolutely egregious, and it should not go unnoticed that this is a political vendetta.”

Shorett interrupted Tran multiple times, demanding to know who had been advising her. “Who has been advising you, [Jim] Penman?” he shouted, referencing the former city attorney. The interruptions escalated as Shorett declared he would not participate in the meeting.

Councilmember Theodore Sanchez attempted to “de-escalate” the situation by moving for a recess until the city attorney and interim city manager Rochelle Clayton were present. However, the motion to delay the conversation did not pass. 

Ortiz Highlights Alleged Corruption in Facebook Live

On Dec. 3, Ward 7 Councilmember-elect Dr. Treasure Ortiz took to Facebook Live to share her perspective on the chaos and allege misconduct within City Hall. Ortiz accused the city attorney and certain council members of fostering a hostile work environment and engaging in unethical behavior.

“What we witnessed at the last meeting is extremely problematic,” Ortiz said. “This is all potential for more lawsuits. What we have right now is a battle for power.”

Ortiz alleged that the city attorney’s office has resisted working with Interim City Manager Rochelle Clayton, who she claims has exposed long-standing corruption.

“Somehow this new acting city manager, Rochelle Clayton, has become a target of concern,” Ortiz said. “Just a month ago, the council voted unanimously to extend a contract to her. Then, all of a sudden, they began claiming she failed to move forward with a $17 million RFP for the Homekey grant.”

Ortiz claimed a public records request revealed that the city’s issues with the grant predated Clayton’s tenure. “What we discovered was that the city had been fraudulent well before Rochelle Clayton got here. The organization the city was trying to work with was underperforming to the point that even the assistant housing director called their efforts ‘dismal.’”

Ortiz further alleged that Carvalho created a toxic work environment. “The city attorney’s office has employees now reporting that they don’t want to work with the city manager,” she said. “This hostility is not just unprofessional—it’s dangerous.”

In addition to allegations of corruption, Ortiz accused council members of engaging in private meetings with a city attorney that violated transparency rules. “Thanks to Councilmember Sandra Ibarra, we now know that some council members met with a city attorney in Florida in what constituted a quorum to discuss their contract,” Ortiz claimed. “Chaos is what these people thrive on—instability and money.”

Ortiz went further, accusing certain council members of fraternizing with Carvalho during out-of-state trips, drinking excessively, and ignoring ethical boundaries. “Residents have video evidence of council members who no longer live in their wards, and yet the city attorney turns a blind eye,” she said.

Interim City Manager Interrogated

When Clayton arrived later in the meeting, Shorett interrogated her about the agenda’s preparation, repeatedly interrupting her responses.

“Who is in charge of this agenda? Is this the city manager’s agenda, and did the city manager put this on the closed session?” Shorett demanded.

Clayton explained she had not approved the item and only became aware of it late Friday afternoon, Nov. 15, after receiving an email and text message from City Clerk Genoveva Rocha. Clayton clarified that she did not have sufficient time to properly address the matter before the meeting.

“I was not in the office; I was in a meeting,” Clayton said. “I did not see the message until after 1:20–1:30 p.m., and I believe the agenda was posted between 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Friday.”

Rocha confirmed Clayton’s timeline, adding, “The city attorney sent me an email, which I immediately forwarded to the city manager. I also sent her a text. I did not hear back from her.”

Shorett dismissed the explanation, pressing Clayton further. “So she sent you the message on Friday? Oh, that was only five days ago,” he said sarcastically.

Public and Legal Fallout

Carvalho defended her actions upon arrival, asserting compliance with the Brown Act.

“The Brown Act required you to post an agenda, and an agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act,” Carvalho said. “You guys decide what you want to do, but that is the law.”

Tran fired back, “Madam City Attorney, you placed the item on this agenda without authority. Let me finish!”

During public comments, Ortiz criticized Carvalho for wielding undue influence over council operations.

“What it really looks like right now, guys, is that the city attorney controls this dais,” Ortiz said.

In her Facebook Live, Ortiz expressed frustration with council members who she claimed were protecting Carvalho despite mounting issues.

“Residents deserve transparency and ethical leadership, not backroom deals and chaos,” Ortiz said. “The city attorney’s office and council members working with her are part of the instability.”

Looking Ahead

The Nov. 20 meeting left city leadership deeply divided, with public trust in city governance hanging in the balance. With allegations of corruption, procedural missteps, and ethical breaches, San Bernardino faces mounting scrutiny as its leaders navigate ongoing controversies. 

The next city council meeting on Dec. 4th, 2024 is expected to address some of these issues, though whether the deepening rift will be resolved remains uncertain.