Disruptions of public meetings are nothing new. But in one Orange County city, the calls from gadflies have been coming from inside the house. Two Westminster council members are now being sued by their own city for allegedly fomenting “dysfunctional and raucous” council meetings that impede the public’s business.
Westminster filed its lawsuit against Councilmembers Amy Phan West and NamQuan Nguyen late last month. The two were both elected in 2022 and are closely aligned on policy matters.
According to the filing, West and Nguyen “have repeatedly disrupted meetings of the Westminster City Council in violation of Government Code section 36813, Government Code section 54957.95, Penal Code section 403, and Westminster Municipal Code section 2.04.060. The Mayor has been unable to manage their unruly behavior, and repeated efforts to maintain their compliance has failed. As a result, the City Council has ended meetings without accomplishing its business, met late into the night, and generally frustrated those interested in responsible, effective conduct of City meetings.”
The suit states that some meetings have gone on for more than 10 hours because of the constant interruptions and spectacles on the part of Nguyen and West.
The city is requesting a temporary restraining order that would prevent West and Nguyen from speaking when they do not have the floor. It is also seeking to impose enforceable time limits and allow for the removal of council members who refuse to comply with the rules. Additionally, the city wants West and Nguyen to pay for the attorneys fees it has incurred.
Read the lawsuit in its entirety here.