Judicial Committee Final Report - Review of Citizen Complaint Against Mr. Robert Reiss, County Supervisor, District 5*

Evidence collected indicates that Supervisor Reiss entered a local business and went to the counter where a Citizens Signature Petition was sitting in plain view on a clipboard. He picked up the petition and scanned the signatures to see whether he could recognize any names. He forcefully returned the clipboard to the counter, causing it to slide off the counter in the direction of a customer and onto the floor. One customer was so startled by the Supervisor's actions that she asked if the owners wanted her to call 911 for help. Mr. Reiss then went to the back of the business and in an angry voice addressed the owner with profanity saying "You're an asshole for putting this petition in the store". The storeowner tried to explain that a place was provided where all citizens, whether he agreed with their positions or not, could post protests of local government actions. The Supervisor was then heard to say that he would never do business in that establishment again. The Grand Jury heard other testimony that Mr. Reiss had called a District 5 business owner, at night, and on her daughter's home telephone to query her as to why she had the petition in her business. Following the call, this business owner had the petition removed from her store. Supervisor Reiss' activities were intimidating and unbecoming of a public official.

The California Elections Codes are stringent and strictly enforced during an election period; e.g. the preparation for voting, voting and the counting of votes. They are much less defined and stringent during other periods such as during campaigns and petitions. Mr. Reiss' activities occurred during a petition period.

During evidence collection it became apparent that new Board of Supervisor members receive little or no training to help prepare them for the demands of the office.