There has been a sudden shakeup in the Stockton City Attorney’s Office. On January 13, City Attorney Lori Asuncion resigned her position, effective immediately. Assistant City Attorney Taryn Jones has assumed the acting role.
Asuncion worked for the office for 18 years. She was appointed City Attorney in 2022.
Asuncion did not give a reason for her resignation. However, Stocktonia reports that “the leadership shake-up came six days after councilmembers Brando Villapudua, Michele Padilla and Mariela Ponce asked Stockton’s city clerk to put an item considering Asuncion’s dismissal on Tuesday’s closed session agenda.”
“Villapudua and Padilla had separately asked City Clerk Katherine Roland not to reveal that they and Ponce were the ones who requested to schedule the discussion of Asuncion’s possible firing, emails obtained by Stocktonia show.”
On August 4, Villapudua complained about the city attorney’s alleged “alarming lack of coordination” with the office of former interim City Manager Steve Colangelo, whose brief tenure was marked by controversy.
In statements, Vice Mayor Jason Lee and Mario Enriquez praised Asuncion’s performance, with Lee calling her “a stellar employee” and Enriquez describing her as “the most insightful person in City Hall.”
“According to Jones’ announcement at Tuesday’s council meeting, Asuncion’s resignation is subject to a separation agreement, which includes the city paying her $3,500 in attorney’s fees and a mutual non-disparagement agreement between Asuncion and the city,” Stocktonia reports. “The purpose of the attorney’s fees payment wasn’t explained.”