Sonoma County elected leaders react to Dominic Foppoli filing to run again for Windsor mayor

Here is what some elected officials had to say over the possibility Dominic Foppoli could run again for his former post.|

ANDREW GRAHAM, LORI A. CARTER, EMMA MURPHY AND AUSTIN MURPHY

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

September 1, 2021

The scandal involving Dominic Foppoli, at a glance

Dominic Foppoli resigned as Windsor’s mayor on May 21 amid public allegations of sexual assault, abuse or harassment allegations made by nine women.

The allegations against the 39-year-old winery owner date from 2003 to this year. One of his accusers is Windsor Councilwoman Esther Lemus.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating sexual assault allegations against Foppoli since early April, when the San Francisco Chronicle published a report detailing the allegations of four women.

Foppoli is also being investigated on suspicion of felony sexual battery by the Palm Beach Police Department in Florida. Reality TV star Farrah Abraham has accused Foppoli in an April 2 police report of assault in an undated encounter at a single-family home in the wealthy Florida enclave.

Foppoli has rejected all claims his behavior violated the law and for six weeks this spring rejected escalating calls from Windsor constituents and the wider world that he resign.

First elected to the council in 2014, Foppoli, served two years as the town’s appointed mayor before being elected to the post in 2020.

Town officials have defended their response two previous warnings about Foppoli’s behavior toward women, in a pair of 2017 and 2020 emails, that were passed on to law enforcement in early 2020 but triggered no investigation by authorities. The 2017 email led council members at the time to deny Foppoli a term as mayor — a brief halt in his political ascension that lasted only one year.

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News that former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli has filed a “candidate intention statement” and formed a committee to run again for mayor in November 2022 was met with widespread disbelief and condemnation from Sonoma County political leaders.

Foppoli didn’t return multiple requests for comment Wednesday and Windsor town officials stressed that filing the statement is not a formal commitment to run for office, but a preliminary step that allows a candidate to establish a campaign committee and start accepting campaign contributions.

Foppoli, who resigned as mayor in May facing multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations from nine women, has almost $24,000 in his 2020 mayoral campaign account.

Here is what some elected officials had to say:

Windsor Councilwoman Deb Fudge

Foppoli is “not really taking the temperature of the room. ... It’s not going over well. I’m not sure what he’s doing but it stirs everyone up and it’s not good for the town.”

Windsor Mayor Sam Salmon

“I would think people would just roll their eyes. ‘Are you really running?’ ”

Windsor Vice Mayor Rosa Reynoza

“We all knew it was going to take a long time to heal and we now know if he does choose to follow through with this (the pain) will last into next November.”

Windsor Councilwoman Esther Lemus

“The town is still raw, that is true. As am I and other survivors. ... We’ll see how things unfold. I don’t know what his true intention is.”

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chair Lynda Hopkins

“It’s a perfect example of narcissism and delusional thinking. ... What he did and what he continues to do has traumatized so many women.”

Healdsburg Councilwoman Ariel Kelley

“He’s under investigation in multiple states for heinous acts of sexual violence against women. ... I would say he should return peoples’ money ... or donate it to a nonprofit working to support victims of sexual violence.”

State Sen. Mike McGuire

“Bottom line is this: Mr. Foppoli needs to shut down his campaign account. He’s absolutely not fit for office. The thought of him running for mayor causes further trauma and pain for the survivors and the community at large. He was a disgrace to the mayor’s office and sent the entire community into turmoil.”

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore

“It’s rubbing salt in wounds that still have yet to heal. That’s not just unfortunate, that’s terrible.”