City Attorney: Santa Monica Firefighter Can't Run for City Council While on City's Payroll

Santa Monica, CA — A Santa Monica firefighter has to quit his day job if he wants to run for city council, the Santa Monica Lookout reported, citing a city attorney.

Firefighter Dominick Bei announced his intention to run for city council last and has even set up a campaign fundraising site, however, Deputy City Attorney Isabel Birrueta said that would create a conflict of interest.

“Bei’s service on the [City Council] while remaining a City employee would create actual or perceived conflicts between his responsibility as a City employee and his responsibilities as a council member,” Birrueta wrote in a letter obtained by the Lookout.

Bei's attorney said Santa Monica's city charter does not specifically address this and therefore conflict of interest does not apply. The city attorney said where the city charter is silent on a matter, state laws apply and the state does have a conflict of interest clause.

For more on this story, visit the Lookout.