𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐨.

We were surprised to see Vice Mayor Kasey Reynolds having a beer with Rob Berry, who has repeatedly sued the city to prevent projects like Simplicity Village, a tiny home community that was slated for the outskirts of town and would have housed 50+ elderly and disabled homeless people. Rob has also repeatedly harassed local women, including reporters like Karen Laslo and former ER reporter Natalie Hanson. In fact, Rob’s nefarious schemes and awful behavior have been so appalling that most councilmembers, even those he has supported, will no longer interact directly with him to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

We have long known that many of Kasey’s initiatives were drafted by Rob – such as the ridiculous “Quality of Life” ordinance she brought forward, an ordinance that failed to define "quality of life" and created financial incentives for people to sue the city. That proposal was so egregious that even the other conservative councilmembers were aghast that such a poorly written and ill-defined ordinance was being suggested, as was the Chico ER.

With all this in mind, we approached the duo, who had been joined by a third man who was not a public figure, and politely offered him the opportunity to step back from the table for a moment so we could take a picture of Rob and Kasey together.

And with that, Kasey ran away. You may imagine we are exaggerating, but no, Ms. Reynolds, apparently panicked at being in a picture with a man who has done so much damage to the city, jumped up, and quite literally ran away. Meanwhile, Rob, typical of his bullying behavior towards women, tried to knock the phone out of a woman’s hand.

A moment later, Councilmember Reynolds ran back inside, scooped up the purse she had forgotten in her panic to avoid being pictured with Rob, and literally ran out the door of the establishment.

Presumably, someone else picked up the tab.

Ms. Reynolds’ tenure on the council has been marked by civil rights violations, wacky/dangerous ideas, and even a letter to a federal judge saying she hadn’t read the lawsuit settlement before signing it. The last thing we need is an elected official who takes her marching orders from a litigious petifogger who harasses and assaults women.

Chico deserves better. A councilmember who doesn't collaborate with people that make a living suing the city, and who will read legal documents before signing them is the least we should be able to expect. Vote for Morgan Kennedy for District 2