Grego, Lovell try to discredit Mittelstadt with State Bar
By Kathryn Reed
Nearly a year to the day after Jacqueline Mittelstadt turned in her resignation notice as assistant city attorney of South Lake Tahoe she received a letter in the mail from the State Bar of California.
The letter dated March 14, 2011, says, “The State Bar is in receipt of a complaint filed against you by Bruce Grego and Kathy (sic) Lovell. … Mr. Grego and Ms. Lovell filed the complaint in their official capacities as council member and mayor of the city of South Lake Tahoe, respectively.”
Jacqueline Mittelstadt
Their issue, according to the letter, was Mittelstadt used information from her job with the city to help clients she now has in private practice.
One of those people is police Officer Johnny Poland who in June 2010 filed a complaint against the city. Mittelstadt is his attorney. Poland won a contentious lawsuit against the city in October 2009 that allowed him to stay on the force.
Grego and Lovell’s other issue with Mittelstadt was she had been on staff as the city began working on the medicinal marijuana laws. She is now representing someone who wants to open a dispensary.
Mittelstadt was never asked to sign a no-compete agreement upon her departure.
In her 14-page response to the State Bar, Mittelstadt states, “This is a matter of ‘sour grapes’ and nothing more. Since the day that I refused to submit to Mr. Grego’s and Ms. Lovell’s demands that I engage in illegal and blatantly unethical conduct, both have been on a mission to ruin my good name and reputation, as well as to run me out of South Lake Tahoe.”
On April 6, 2011, the Bar wrote another letter to Mittelstadt. This one says, “The determination has been made that there are insufficient grounds for disciplinary action. Therefore, we are closing our file at this time, without prejudice.”
Grego and Lovell did not return phone calls to Lake Tahoe News. Grego is still on the council.
Mittelstadt said, “The fact that the State Bar closed the file the day they received my papers speaks for itself.”
The other three on the council at the time – Jerry Birdwell, Hal Cole and Bill Crawford – said they did not know their colleagues had filed the grievance nor do they support their actions. Cole is the only one of the those three still on the council.
Birdwell said, “The complaints were without merit. I think that filing the complaint was vindictive, and that using their titles as councilmember and mayor in filing the complaint suggested that they were speaking for the entire council. They could have filed the complaint using their names as private citizens.”
Cole said, “As long as they are doing it on it their own and not as whole council.”
Crawford said, “Somehow they had to punish her and going to the Bar is what they elected to do. And it did not work. I’m very happy it did not work.”
As the Lake Churns; the epic soap opera live and coming to you daily. What will tomorrow’s show bring? Stay tuned.
Well that’s Grego & Lovell for you. Grego should be recalled. I would not even read their comment, both are not worth the time.
I’ve known Bruce Grego since he was in college, he is a phoney and always has been a phoney. Amen
Grego & Lovell are childish, mean, vindictive people! Period!! The amazing thing is how when they were together on the Council they still almost always got their way! So why they’d still want to throw a tantrum is anyone’s guess?
And if someone posts that ‘we don’t know what went on with the whole Mittelstadt matter so we can’t comment’, I’ll say that’s because Grego & Lovell worked to keep it all quiet! Mittelstadt wanted it all public! So what does that tell you?!
And Councilman Cole sure is more likable since Lovell’s departure! And Poland filed something against the City? After he was reinstated? What’s that about?
Wow. The more I know, the more I’m amazed.
Good for you Jacqueline Mittelstadt!
I hope someone is keeping a list of everything dirty Grego has done.
Undoubtedly the city gave her a substantial severance payment compliments of taxpayers when she departed, which would have been the time for some type of employment restriction, non-compete, or privileged information agreement…not after the fact.
This is what happens when fools are in charge.
Anyone else tired of the confidentiality clauses along with outrageous severance packages? Thought our city government was aiming for open & honest communications. Keep watch on this this current corporate crew installed by the last council.
Parker,
When the arbitration panel voted 3-0 for Poland; their decision basically said that the police department terminated Poland unlawfully. This decision really bruised the oversized egos of the unholy duo of former Chief Daniels and Captain Hewlett.
What Poland filed in June of 2010, was a hostile work environment complaint against members of the senior administration of the police department; Acting Chief Hewlett, Lieutenant Stevenson et al. It is the second hostile work environment complaint Poland has had to file. The first was before he even started work after getting his job back. The city assured Poland that hostile behavior directed towards him by Hewlett would not happen again.
Since his return to duty, Poland has undergone a series of character assassination attacks at the hands of Hewlett and his ilk that would cause most people to just give in, give up or quit. Hewlett uses the department regulations as a weapon against Poland. Poland continues to stand up to the bullying tactics of Hewlett and the rest because that’s what cops are supposed to do. Fight bullies. Even if they’re your supervisor.
The best thing that could happen to the police department right now would be for the chief to put Hewlett on an extended leave until he takes his golden handshake next year. The chief should then promote Sergeants Adler, Carmichael or Reagan to take his place until a permanent, more employee concerned administrator can be found.
Well James, if Capt. Hewlett is as you imply, someone who walked in lock step with Chief Daniels, he should go! I don’t know the inner workings of the PD, except I know of one officer who said, “You can’t fit a credit card between Lovell and Daniels!”
The complaint against Mittelstadt could simply be an effort to get her off the Poland matter. Officer Poland beat Chief Daniels at the arbitrator’s and again in court. Lovell and Grego backed up Daniels effort every chance they could! Sure the loss hurt their egos. But it was the taxpayer that paid the bill, a pretty big bill, for their losing effort!
I suppose it’s conceivable that rather than letting go, that clique is still out to get Officer Poland?
Taxpayers will always pay for politicians’ egos as long as we as a society keep electing morons. It’s up to us to make sure we do our homework and vote our conscience. Even if a moron is elected at least as an individual, you can take solace in knowing your voice just wasn’t loud enough this time.
In this matter, it’s probably that Grego is jealous of Ms. Mittelstadt’s vastly superior legal talent. As for Poland, he’s doubtless a reminder to the police administration that they couldn’t kick him out of the sandbox and he’s still there playing and perhaps influencing some of the other officers.