The Stockton City Council has initiated a censure process against District 5 Councilmember Brando Villapudua after allegations surfaced that he made an obscene gesture during a recent public meeting.
Vice Mayor Jason Lee and District 1 Councilmember Michele Padilla formally requested the censure hearing, alleging that Villapudua directed a middle finger toward a member of the public. Their Jan. 21 letter to City Clerk Katherine Roland did not specify when the alleged incident occurred or who was targeted by the gesture. However, a Feb. 3 post on the social media page 209 Times claimed that Villapudua "flipped off" the page's founder, Motecuzoma Sanchez.
Sanchez, a political consultant, has had a tumultuous relationship with Villapudua. In 2023, Villapudua was granted a temporary restraining order against Sanchez, alleging harassment and threats related to political disputes. The restraining order was later quashed.
As evidence for the censure request, Lee and Padilla referenced a 209 Times video in which Villapudua appears to scratch his chin with his middle finger while looking at the camera. They argued this was a violation of council decorum policies, which require members to maintain professionalism and respect.
Community members voiced mixed reactions during the Feb. 4 council meeting. Some defended Villapudua’s right to free speech, while others criticized the council for prioritizing personal disputes over pressing city issues.
"I served on this council for 16 and a half years… I have never seen something this petty," said former Councilmember Ralph Lee White.
NAACP Stockton Branch President Bobby Bivens also questioned whether any actual laws or policies were broken, stating, "I don't see anywhere in the city charter that says you can't flip nobody off."
Villapudua issued a statement expressing disappointment in the proceedings. "It is disheartening to witness my colleagues shift their focus from pressing community issues to engage in trivial disputes," he said. "I have nothing to conceal."
The council ultimately voted to proceed with the censure process, forming an ad hoc committee to investigate. The committee, including Mayor Christina Fugazi, Councilmember Mariela Ponce, and Councilmember Mario Enríquez, will review the complaint and recommend whether Villapudua should face formal censure.
Censure is a symbolic punishment that does not affect a councilmember’s ability to serve but serves as an official reprimand.
This article is a summary of an article originally published by The Stockton Record, written by Hannah Workman.
