Photo Credit: Julie Leopo, Voice of OC
At least six women are suing Todd Spitzer and the OC DA for sexual harassment
Todd Spitzer is the Orange County District Attorney and he may be one of the most corrupt politicians in California. Not only have his own coworkers investigated him for alleged money laundering and extortion when he ran for DA in 2018, at least six women have sued the district attorney’s office for sexually harassing them and retaliating when they spoke up. These women were harassed in private, in meetings, over text, and they were “passed up for promotion” when they resisted this abuse. One lawsuit alleges that in April 2023, prosecutor Jess Rodriguez wrote text messages to a Jane Doe, saying things like “I need to get in some quality time watching you bend over to reach the projector,” and, “Gimmie something to have sweet dreams about tonight.” Rodriguez was placed on “administrative leave” in March and then in June he resigned.
In another lawsuit, for example, it’s alleged that Deputy DA Richard Zimmer and former Senior Deputy DA Rebbecca Reed retaliated against these women with “hostility and disparate treatment.” After settling out of court, Zimmer moved up the ladder and became a judge. Gary LoGalbo, the best friend of Todd Spitzer and best man at his wedding, also sexually harassed women while in office. Many women came forward and spoke out about Gary LoGalbo, but he retired quietly in 2020 and died free. These reoccurring instances of sexual harassment in Todd Spitzer’s office highlights how people, particularly men, who work in these institutions often move with impunity and are protected by patriarchal norms that are woven into the fabric of these very institutions.
Spitzer’s rap sheet of crimes against the people includes many other offenses. According to @justiceforchazznow, a leaked memo proved Spitzer was factoring Chazz Jackson’s race and other irrelevant details into his wrongful death penalty case, saying that he “knows” Black men date white women to escape “bad circumstances or bad situations.”
Todd Spitzer has told a grieving mother who’s son was executed by the police in 2009 that he would never prosecute a cop. Todd Spitzer, like so many other District Attorneys, has taken an oath to “back the blue, no matter who” and has historically shown no intention of serving justice to impacted families. Impacted families are then forced to pursue reforms and bills for some semblance of justice for their loved one.
Within a 13 month span of time, between March 2023 and April 2024, in Fullerton alone, the police murdered two Latino men and one teenager, Alejandro Campos Rios (50), Jose Naranjo Cortez (46), and Pedro Garcia (19). Spitzer has yet to charge any of these killer cops. It’s going to take a mass movement in the streets fighting outside the “proper channels” to force this system to get justice for the families and jail the killer cops.
The corruption within the Orange County District Attorney depends on forcing activists and impacted families to pursue dead-end solutions that never actually serve justice and only helps the culprits evade facing consequences for their crimes. Instead, the people are corralled into believing in strategies like passing bills and reforms, letting lawyers lead with lawsuits and settlements, speaking during public comment at city hall, having people advocate for a powerless police oversight board or for politicians who will “create change.” But the reality is that the master’s tools cannot destroy the master’s house. However, we the masses can get justice and defeat this corruption by standing with mothers who are fighting for justice for their child who was killed by the police. We can give hope to those who have grown bitter without hopes of change by telling the truth and saying “fuck the proper channels and fuck the district attorney!”
Would you trust Todd Spitzer and his friends around your daughter? Your sister? Would you trust Todd Spitzer and his friends to run a DA’s office?
Sources:
Former OC prosecutor says she was sexually harassed, retaliated again
Orange County D.A’.s office again faces allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation
OC District Attorney’s Conduct Costs Taxpayers Millions In Court Loss
https://voiceofoc.org/2025/06/oc-district-attorneys-conduct-costs-taxpayers-millions-in-court-loss/
A blood feud rocks O.C. law enforcement with claims of ‘dirty cop,’ ‘corrupt’ D.A.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-16/blood-feud-rocks-o-c-law-enforcement
“The Encyclopedia of American Politics” Ballotpedia
Dare to Struggle 