A new grand jury report is sounding alarm bells over an increasingly influential website covering politics in Stockton, California. 209 Times, grand jurors said, has created an environment of fear and harassment at City Hall, and is encouraging distrust and violations of state transparency laws.
California City News first wrote about 209 Times three years ago after former mayor Michael Tubbs’ surprising re-election defeat. As we explained:
In the run up to the election, Tubbs had become the target of a local news blog that is known for both agenda-driven reporting and journalistic errors. The website, 209 Times, was able to flourish because of major cuts at the city’s most trusted news source, The Stockton Record. The publication laid off a third of its reporting staff in 2017, creating a vacuum in the local news landscape.
Critics, including Tubbs, accused 209 Times of peddling false and defamatory information. But its influence only grew. Today, the website claims it has 21,000 followers, an average social media reach in excess of 250,000, and “60% more engagement than all other San Joaquin County mainstream media outlets combined.”
The San Joaquin County Grand Jury’s investigation was part of a broader examination of intimidation and Brown Act violations at City Hall. It began in 2023 after a member of the City Council requested a restraining order against 209 Times founder Motecuzoma Patrick Sanchez.
“The city councilperson alleged that the threats received were based on confidential information from a Stockton City Council Closed Session meeting that had just ended 30 minutes prior to the incident,” the report notes. “Knowledge of that confidential information would indicate a Brown Act violation by someone present in the closed session.” Although the restraining order was denied, it was confirmed that a Brown Act violation had occurred.
Over the course of the investigation, the Grand Jury heard from numerous city officials who expressed fear of 209 Times’ tactics. They said the website would unfairly attack them on social media and spread disinformation if they did not agree with or support the outlet’s positions. They also reported feeling harassed by a barrage of emails, letters, and social media postings containing personal attacks.
“These actions have resulted in the suppression of open discussions and the sharing of ideas because of fear of being publicly vilified,” the Grand Jury said. The report also accused 209 Times of violating FPPC rules.
209 Times is entitled to Free Speech protections under the Constitution’s First Amendment. However, to promote more effective and ethical governance, the Grand Jury recommends that members of the City Council stop propping up the website. Playing footsie with the site has enabled “the deterioration of comradery, trust, respect, and ethical governing in Stockton,” it said.
209 Times doesn’t bear all the blame. According to the Grand Jury, “a threatening work environment has also been created internally.” The report cites performance reviews for the city attorney, city manager, and city clerk being on most closed session agendas. This allows them to be conducted at any closed session meeting. In contrast to an annual review system, this leaves chartered employees in constant fear for their jobs.
The report also says a lack of easy public access to FPPC Form 700 filings for most appointed boards and commissions has contributed to a lack of transparency. Furthermore, “the Grand Jury has also found that those appointed to work in the Mayor’s Office are not bound by the same employment rules as other city staff and therefore are not held to the same standards as city employees.”
Read the entire Grand Jury report here.