Drama and legal issues seem to follow Gene James everywhere.
At around 6:54 p.m. on Monday, deputies responded to the 500 block of Avenida del Verdor, where the teen allegedly struck James in the head and facial area multiple times with a skateboard, Steinle said.
The incident began after James and his wife heard a noise outside of their home and went to investigate. They saw the teen skateboarding a few houses down, recognizing the individual as a neighbor of theirs, according to Steinle.
The teen reportedly became upset after noticing James’ wife using her cell phone to record the teen skateboarding. The teen then began to yell profanities before approaching James’ wife, who feared for her safety, Steinle said.
James stopped the teen from coming closer toward his wife by putting his arm out. The teen reportedly threatened James and his wife, allegedly stating that “he would kill them both with his skateboard,” according to Steinle.
“He then approached (James’ wife) a second time, and (James) intervened also a second time,” Steinle said, adding, that James “held on to the subject. Then the suspect hit him over the head multiple times.”
According to Steinle, James was able to take the teen to the ground, holding him there while James’ wife took the skateboard away and contacted the authorities. James, Steinle added, maintained control over the teen until deputies arrived at the scene.
IT appears that the 16 year old punk kid is in a lot of trouble – but do not miss the actions of Gene James’ wife recording the kid. I am wondering if this was in the similar vane to James’ harassment of the homeless people (Remember the truck exhaust caper?)…
It seems that Gene James life pattern is continuing well in to his old age. In case you have forgotten the record of Gene James, here is a nice summary from a local rag:
In the exchange, the genejames@cox.net account starts by blaming Dixie for being the cause of James and Parker breaking off their engagement. And it concludes with the emailer disparaging the LGBTQ community outright.
James claimed the email address was not his. LOL
“Several women stayed behind until Gene appeared to settle down, and they were able to escort Dixie out safely,” Parker said in the email. “He later tracked down Dixie Longate, contacting him through emails and phone calls, threatening to physically harm and/or kill him.”
Dixie, who asked to be referred to as his stage name in order to speak candidly on the matter, corroborated the event, telling SC Times that although he didn’t recall James ever saying anything directly to him at the party, it was apparent that James’ alleged tirade was over Dixie’s presence.
“To my recollection, he didn’t say anything to me; it wasn’t until I got home to the emails,” Dixie said, later adding: “There was a definite sense that he didn’t want me there, and for safety, they wanted to get me out of there.”
Yep. Gene James
Seen above, the lawsuit against James by Jim Bieber over false information James allowed Bieber to disseminate in mailers…
Also, pictured are 8 IRS liens – just a portion of the lifelong pattern of litigation and derogatory financial records. Then there is a former employer suing James as well:
According to the complaint filed with Cuyahoga County Court in Ohio, AVI agreed to lend James $49,000 in September 2000. The court filing also states that James had agreed to repay the loan within 30 calendar days of his termination.
By August 2001, James had a remaining balance of $24,400 on the loan, according to the court document. Around that time, James and AVI amended the terms of the agreement, with James allowing his then-employer to garnish $100 from his “remaining payroll checks and through the 13 weeks of certain agreed-upon severance pay.”
Those deductions reduced James’ debt to $22,800. Afterward, the complaint stated, James was to make weekly payments of $100 until the loan was paid off.
James, the defendant, “did not make any of these weekly payments to AVI,” the court filing notes.
We’ve written about Gene James for a while… it just keeps continuing.
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San Clemente Citizens are concerned with good governance. Councilmember Gene James has had a tumultuous ride as a local elected official in San Clemente, which has been well documented in blogs and newspapers.
AUGUST 2018
Gene James claims to be a Security Expert on his ballot title when he sought office
There is no record of Gene James owning a business in San Clemente or elsewhere, nor are there any reports of any income of any kind from a security business that he owns.
SEPTEMBER 2018
Gene James makes public announcement he will donate his Council stipend to charity
Gene James earns a stipend of $400 per month. On September 30, 2018 he made a pledge on his now deleted public Facebook Page to donate his city council salary to a charity: “As for me, should I have the good fortune of earning your vote and being elected to City Council, I will donate my City Council pay to charity and refuse pay from any outside agency; it’s called doing the right thing.”
Gene James cannot name the charity that has received the donation of his annual $4,800 salary from City Council or his approximately $120+ per month salary from previously serving on the TCA Board. Some former Councilmembers donated their salary to non-profits in San Clemente. With his silence on this, the public has to assume that Gene James broke his pledge.
2019
Gene James is being accused of Stolen Valor. Published in the Right On Daily Blog:
San Clemente Gene James Update: Proof He Committed Stolen Valor (Where is the OCDA?)
Video of Gene James wearing medals he allegedly did not earn, and he has been accused of Stolen Valor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LyXqA0J91o
Summer 2019
Gene James behavior towards homeless people was published in the Right On Daily Blog (see this Right On Daily Blog entry below):
San Clemente Gene James Update: See For Yourself, Gene James on Video Abusing and Dehumanizing Homeless People
December 2019
Orange County District Attorney’s Office Reviews claim of Stolen Valor Against Gene James. The Orange County District Attorney opened that investigation in 2019. What was the conclusion of that investigation? Will the issue be resolved in the lawsuit Bieber v. James? See San Clemente Times article:
https://www.sanclementetimes.com/das-office-reviewing-claim-of-stolen-valor-against-james/#:~:text=The%20Orange%20County%20District%20Attorney%E2%80%99s%20office%20is%20currently,claim%20to%20have%20been%20awarded%20a%20military%20decoration.
DECEMBER 2019
Gene James receives reprimand from the Fair Political Practices Commission. Gene James received a letter from the FPPC for failing to report interests he holds. If not corrected, the FPPC threatened to fine him $5,000. Link to the letter on the FPPC website:
Gene James – 201901514 (ca.gov)
MAY 2020
Defamation Lawsuit filed against Gene James
See link to article: Yet Another Political Race with Stolen Valor Accusations: This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here (valorguardians.com)
2020
Politician accused of Stolen Valor wins Mayor seat. See link to article:
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=120482
AUGUST 2020
Gene James told constituents that he wore a wire for the FBI. Gene James said he met with Rancho Santa Margarita Councilmember Tony Beall and wore a wire for the FBI to record their conversation. In voicemails obtained by the public, Gene James left a voicemail for Tony Beall to meet to set up a meeting “to talk about how we got sideways last year and how to improve things this year.” Gene James left Tony Beall a subsequent voicemail informing him he had voicemail issue and that his phone was on airplane mode. He said he would still like to set up a meeting to “air some past differences and different perspectives he may have now.”
A constituent wrote Gene James an email about the meeting:
“I would like for you to explain and provide details regarding your meeting with TCA board member Tony Beall?” Gene James responded via email: “I will be appearing before the Grand Jury on Thursday as a witness regarding wrongdoing by the TCA. The meeting you referenced below will be a topic of inquiry.” …. He added, “May I ask how you learned of the meeting and from whom? It will assist me in giving the Grand Jury as much information as I possibly can deliver.”
There is no proof of an FBI recording or any proof that Gene James was in fact asked to wear a wire or why. Tony Beall is a long-time councilmember, a community volunteer, a father, husband, and an accomplished partner in a law firm. It was confirmed that Gene James and Tony Beall had coffee in Rancho Mission Viejo and that was the end of it.
APRIL 2021
Councilmember Gene James seeks City help with his civil lawsuit
Gene James in argument with resident at the Red Fox Bar resulting in Gene James being a defendant in a civil lawsuit, yet he seeks insurance coverage from the City of San Clemente to defend the lawsuit. See San Clemente Times article:
City Playing Unclear Role in Defamation Suit Against Councilmember | San Clemente Times
The California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, (CJPIA) denied coverage of the lawsuit James Beber v. Gene James on the basis that:
“James was not “acting within the scope [of his] duties or employment as a city council member at the time of the acts giving rise to the Action.”
See San Clemente Times article:
State Insurance Pool Denies City’s Final Request to Cover James in Defamation Suit | San Clemente Times
The City Council majority exhausted all options to obtain coverage for Council Member James; appealing three previous rejections by the CJPIA and an Arbitration Hearing, costing the City of San Clemente $41,290 in legal fees which were paid to the City’s contract law firm BB&K in which City Attorney Scott Smith is employed.
JUNE 2021
Gene James has a contentious verbal interaction with an OCSD deputy during a traffic stop on Avenida Pico in San Clemente
A resident speaks at a City Council meeting about Gene James confrontation with a police deputy after he ran a red light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqrrLK0MJZE
Orange County Sheriff’s Department recording shows Gene James, who ran a red light, accusing the deputy of a conspiracy against him and appearing to use his title (the power of his elected office) to attempt to get out of a ticket.
https://www.sanclementetimes.com/police-recording-of-traffic-stop-reveals-confrontational-interaction-between-gene-james-ocsd-deputy/
SEPTEMBER 2021
Gene James is alleged to have aggressively placed his hands on a fellow Councilmember Steve Knoblock. San Clemente Councilman Steve Knoblock filed a police report on his colleague Gene James after a heated argument following Tuesday’s council meeting — alleging James put a hand on him. See Voice of OC article:
https://voiceofoc.org/2021/09/san-clemente-councilman-files-police-report-on-colleague-after-a-heated-argument/
OCTOBER 2021
City Council considers removing Gene James’ Mayor Pro Tem title. See San Clemente Times article:
https://www.sanclementetimes.com/gene-james-retains-position-as-mayor-pro-tem/#:~:text=Gene%20James%20will%20retain%20his%20leadership%20role%20as,Knoblock%E2%80%99s%20proposal%20to%20strip%20James%20of%20the%20title.
APRIL 2022
City’s Alleged Violation of over 20 Residents’ Privacy Rights
Gene James does nothing for months of hearing resident complaints that their privacy was violated from the City’s publishing of personal information on the City website until the District Attorney’s office was contacted. The District Attorney informed the City Manager and City Attorney to remove citizens’ private information from the City’s website. The majority of these citizens’ emails were in support of Laura Ferguson and opposed the November 23, 2020 censure of her when Gene James, Kathleen Ward and Chris Hamm censured her for her transparency efforts and free speech. Their emails were read aloud at the censure hearing due to COVID-19 restrictions when council meetings were being held virtually.
See San Clemente Times article dated April 20, 2022:
UPDATE: City to Remove Public Comments Webpage Following Criticism over Publishing Private Information | San Clemente Times
See Voice of OC article dated April 19, 2022:
San Clemente City Council Removes Written Public Comments After Privacy Concerns Boil Over (voiceofoc.org)
APRIL 2022
Gene James votes to spend $128,000 in taxpayer dollars to fight a public records lawsuit brought by Councilmember Laura Ferguson. Rather than just give her the documents, he sides with hiding communications of he and the others’ planning and coordinating of the political censure of Councilmember Ferguson in November 2020. It had been revealed at a Council meeting that Gene James had not even reviewed the documents to even determine whether what was being withheld was even legal to be withholding from the public. His actions do not demonstrate that he believes in the public’s interest or right to see these email communications, nor does he appear to believe in protecting the public purse from wasteful spending. See San Clemente Times article: https://www.sanclementetimes.com/council-appropriates-128k-for-defense-against-ferguson-lawsuit/
DECEMBER 2022
Gene James was upset that Councilmember Steve Knoblock was appointed on December 6, 2022 by the City Council to serve as Mayor Pro Tem, so sometime after the meeting he raised a point of order to be addressed on the December 20, 2022 Council meeting agenda, seemingly in an effort to remove him from serving in this capacity. This item included a multi-page analysis by the City Attorney at taxpayer expense. Each year the City Council reorganizes and votes for a member to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. Gene James nominated himself to serve as mayor for a second year in a row but was voted down. Then Gene James wanted his friend Victor Cabral, who he backed in the 2022 municipal election, to serve as Mayor Pro Tem, but was voted down, and Steve Knoblock was appointed Mayor Pro Tem. Because Gene James was absent at the December 20, 2022 Council meeting, this item was continued to the next Council meeting.
See link to this agenda item here: 638068026734403404 (san-clemente.org)
2002-2009
Gene James’ Notice of Federal Tax Lien by the Internal Revenue Service
Total Federal Liens in the amount of $299,759 for non-payment of taxes from 2002 – 2009Other liens and judgments found in public document searches reported in the Right on Daily Blog:
https://rightondailyblog.com/2019/10/san-clemente-gene-james-update-icymi-here-is-proof-of-the-11-tax-liens-4-civil-judgments-and-the-foreclosure-and-the-ocgop-endorsed-this-guy/