It’s been a week since councilmember Jason Lee was voted out as vice mayor, and he and his legal team say the fight is far from over! As we previously reported, the council voted 4-2 on Oct. 13 to remove Lee as vice mayor, and a separate 6-1 vote kicked him off as chair of the audit committee. Lee had initially offered to resign, but the council rejected that and took the title anyway. He’s still the elected voice of District 6.
RELATED: Stockton Mayor Attempts to Remove Jason Lee from All His Council Committees — Blocked by Council
In a sit-down with KCR3, Lee explained that he originally offered to resign to help the city move forward. And as a true leader he said, “somebody has to be the adult in the room and decide enough is enough. Let’s focus on the work of the city.” However, the focus appears to be solely on retaliating against him.
Now his attorney, Walter Mosley, is calling it just how he sees it. Mosley said Lee’s race and sexual orientation shaped how he’s been treated, and he said it’s clear as day: “Jason Lee is Black, gay and proud of both.” Mosley also stressed that these claims haven’t been decided by a court, but he says they deserve a serious look and shouldn’t be waved away because City Hall doesn’t like criticism. Mosley is also asking a legal question.
He says the city charter doesn’t even clearly allow a sitting vice mayor to be voted out. Even the city’s own lawyer admitted the problem. Interim City Attorney Donald Larkin warned that the move carries some legal risk because the charter doesn’t address it.
Meanwhile, Mayor Christina Fugazi told reporters, “We do have legal authority,” while saying the charter and council rules are too vague… She also questioned why Lee would sue at all. And of course she took shots at his style once again in the process. She said Lee tried to cash in on the title for clicks and money, and she and Councilmember Michele Padilla accused him of bullying and disruptive behavior.
That “pimping out Stockton” dig didn’t sit right with Lee. He went on The Don Lemon Show and called the mayor’s remark a racial trope. He also said he’s calling out fraud, waste and abuse, and that this fight is about accountability.
The mayor’s camp points to money issues too. City records show Lee’s nonprofit, Hollywood Cares Foundation, had checks totaling $4,955 returned to the city. A city revenue officer said the longest wait to get paid was three weeks, and the foundation now owes nothing. Lee has also faced past heat over the Wild ‘N Out show, but an independent review cleared him of wrongdoing while noting a possible lack of awareness about ethical standards.
With all that has happened, Lee and his attorney are not just sweeping this under the rug. Ready his full statement,
“Jason Lee is Black, gay and proud of both. He is also a lifelong Stocktonian and the elected representative of District 6. His identity matters to this story. Mr. Lee believes race and sexual orientation have shaped the unequal treatment he has received, and that retaliation for his scrutiny of City Hall is part of that pattern. Those claims have not been adjudicated. They deserve serious examinationagainst the full record, not dismissal because City Hall is uncomfortable with his criticism.
The Council’s action was extraordinary. This is the first time in Stockton’s history that the Council has removed an appointed Vice Mayor before the end of the term. On October 13, the Council voted 4–2 to remove Mr. Lee, even though he had offered to resign and end the dispute. A motion to accept his offer failed 4–3. Mr. Lee had left the meeting to catch a previously scheduled flight to speak at Harvard. The Council proceeded with removal anyway, with roughly 11 weeks left in the term it had unanimously approved.
The City has not identified clear, express Charter authority to cut short Mr. Lee’s term. The City’s own staff report says the Council’s reconsideration policy does not independently authorize removal of an incumbent Vice Mayor or override the term established by the Charter. City Attorney Donald Larkin described the Charter as not expressly permitting revocation and acknowledged significant legal risk. The Council acted against the City Attorney’s advice, exposing the City to further lawsuits, legal battles and unnecessary taxpayer-funded disputes. Mr. Lee disputes the Council’s authority and the notice and process used. Those issues are under review.
This did not happen in a vacuum. Mr. Lee’s existing legal matter with the City includes allegations of discrimination, retaliation and unequal treatment after he scrutinized City spending and challenged decisions at City Hall.
Instead of fixing the spending and focusing resources on Stockton residents, the Mayor led baseless investigations into the Vice Mayor. His removal is being evaluated in that context. Calling his speech disruptive does not answer whether the City treated him differently because he is Black and gay, or whether the Council used its power to punish an elected official for demanding accountability and serving the residents the Council and Mayor purport to represent. Mr. Lee does not ask the public to approve every word he has said. He asks the City to address the substance of his oversight and apply the same standards to him that it applies to others.
Stockton’s recent leadership history is relevant. Two days after Mayor Fugazi and the new Council took office, City Manager Harry Black resigned under threat of a no-cause termination. Mr. Black, who is Black, had recently received a positive performance review and a four-year contract extension. The Council accepted his resignation unanimously. It later appointed Steve Colangelo, a white former fairgrounds executive whom the Civil Grand Jury described as lacking municipal-management experience.
The Mayor removed more than 26 high-ranking employees from their long-term City government jobs and fired four whistleblowers who reported infractions by her and her staff. The City is facing multiple employment lawsuits arising from the reckless conduct of its so-called leadership. There is a pattern-and- practice here, and it is costing taxpayers.
The City had already spent substantial money trying to resolve the conflict between the Mayor and the Vice Mayor. Mr. Lee has publicly reported that mediation between them had cost taxpayers $60,000. The City should provide an itemized accounting so the public can verify that figure and understand what it covered. That amount is separate from the $50,230 in charges reported for the Wild ’N Out investigation through January 2, 2026, and from any legal expenses generated by the Vice Mayor removal, which Mr. Lee contendsviolates the Charter.
After mediation, Mr. Lee offered to step aside and end the dispute. The Council rejected that off-ramp and proceeded with removal despite acknowledged legal uncertainty. Taxpayers deserve a clear answer: what public benefit justified prolonging a conflict that had already cost them money and could have ended with Mr. Lee’s resignation?
The Civil Grand Jury’s governance report called for reforms to restore public trust and reduce dysfunction. The Council adopted a response accepting eight recommendations. Rejecting Mr. Lee’s offer to resign and pursuing another contested removal raises a fair question about whether the Council is following through on that commitment or ignoring it under the Mayor’s leadership and direction.
The Wild ’N Out investigation should be described accurately as the witch hunt it was intended to be. The City Council authorized an outside investigation after the City had already used $50,000 from its Risk Mitigation Fund to address financial risk surrounding the May 2025 event. Mr. Lee asked friends to bring a cultural event to Stockton and performed and hosted it without being paid. The investigator concluded that the facts did not establish a violation of Government Code section 1090, the Political Reform Act, City Charter section 1000, or other applicable California or City law. The report found no prohibited financial interest in an event contract and no evidence that Mr. Lee received an improper financial benefit through his City service.
Mr. Lee remains the elected District 6 Councilmember, with his vote and responsibility to his constituents. His work does not depend on the Vice Mayor title. He will continue to speak about the decisions affecting Stockton residents and press for a government that uses public resources responsibly.
The Mayor may have taken a title away from Jason Lee. The good news is that Stockton voters can decide to take hers. California is infamous for recalls and March 7, 2028 is around the corner.”