Stockton’s city council is kicking off the New Year with what looks like another big shakeup. City documents are already hinting at some major changes in leadership.
Hold up, Stockton. It looks like City Attorney Lori Asuncion might be on her way out. Two items lined up for discussion during the meeting’s closed session suggest the council is set to tackle the “discipline/dismissal release” of an unnamed public employee. Emails obtained by Stocktonia confirm that the employee in question is Asuncion.
And just in case there was any doubt, the very next agenda item is all about appointing a new City Attorney. Seems like they’re already planning for the next move.
This vibe isn’t new to Stockton. Last January, former City Manager Harry Black stepped down right before he was about to be fired. That whole situation opened up a can of worms, leading to a year of city hall drama residents are still trying to forget.
Black’s departure set off a chain reaction: employees leaving left and right, public spats turning council meetings into a circus, and leadership changing faster than the weather. Four city managers in one year? Wild. Residents showed up in droves, begging for some stability and professionalism, anything but the reality TV show their city hall had become.
Fast forward to 2026, and it feels like Stockton is hitting rewind, starting the year with the same old song and dance.
Is City Attorney Lori Asuncion On The Chopping Block?
That “discipline/dismissal release” language in the closed session agenda wasn’t accidental. It’s code. And when it’s immediately followed by an item to appoint a new city attorney, the message comes through loud and clear.
Stocktonia got the receipts: City Attorney Lori Asuncion is indeed the employee tied to this closed-session drama. Even without public details, the way things are unfolding speaks volumes.
It’s barely a few weeks into the new year, and the council is already looking to remove another top official. For a city that’s still reeling from last year’s leadership merry-go-round, this feels less like moving forward and more like a bad rerun.
This isn’t just popping up out of nowhere. There’s internal conflict, shifting alliances, and a power struggle simmering behind the scenes. Stockton residents have seen this play before, and they know how it ends.
Council Drama Is Back in Full Effect for 2026
This isn’t just talk; it’s documented. Barely two weeks into 2026, and the council’s internal battles are already public knowledge.
Councilmembers Brando Villapudua and Michele Padilla even formally requested that their push to review the city attorney’s position remain confidential. Yeah, right.
Stocktonia’s emails reveal Villapudua asked for the item to be on the agenda, with Padilla and Mariela Ponce supporting him. Villapudua and Ponce stayed silent when asked for their reasons, and Padilla simply said “no comment.”
Confidential requests, closed-door meetings, zero explanations? That’s not a good look, especially in a city where trust in leadership is already shaky.
Residents have been screaming for transparency, but moves like this just create a bigger gap between City Hall and the people it’s supposed to serve.
Mayor Fugazi Drops the Mic on Councilmembers
Monday wasn’t a quiet day for Mayor Christina Fugazi. She took to social media, putting Vice Mayor Jason Lee and Councilmembers Michael Blower and Mario Enríquez on blast.
Her accusation? They’re “unfairly” targeting the new city manager by pushing for an early performance review. It wasn’t just the review itself that bothered her, but the sneaky way it got on the agenda.
Fugazi emphasized the need for transparency and proper process, especially with the city manager barely having settled into the role. “Our city deserves continuity, and our staff deserve to know that their work will not be undermined by abrupt or unexplained actions,” she declared.
She even backed it up with a smiling photo of herself and the new City Manager Johnny Ford, publicly stating her “full confidence” in him.
Councilmember Blower Fires Back, Calls Out the Hypocrisy
Councilmember Michael Blower wasn’t about to let that slide. He hit back at Stocktonia, disputing the mayor’s take on the review.
“There’s no other action attached to this. It’s not a negative in any way,” Blower insisted.
He didn’t stop there, calling the mayor’s outcry “pretty hypocritical.”
“Especially considering apparently other councilmembers put an item (on the agenda) to not just review but to dismiss our very competent, ethical and honest city attorney, yet she doesn’t call them out,” Blower pointed out.
And just like that, the double standard was glaring. Outrage for one transparency issue, but silence when someone’s job is on the line. Make it make sense.
The Real Tea: Villapudua’s Beef with the City Attorney Runs Deep
This whole situation with Asuncion isn’t a random event; it’s got history.
Stocktonia’s emails reveal a long-standing conflict between Councilmember Brando Villapudua and the city attorney, going back at least six months. This isn’t even the first time Villapudua has tried to get Asuncion reviewed.
Back on January 7, Villapudua emailed City Clerk Katherine Roland, asking for a six-month performance review of the city attorney to be added to Tuesday’s agenda. Padilla and Ponce were on board.
But Roland noted that Asuncion’s last review was August 12, making a six-month review due in mid-February, not now.
So, after a quick back-and-forth, Villapudua changed his request to focus specifically on “discipline, dismissal, or release” of the city attorney.
And guess what? Emails show Padilla and Ponce still backed that revised request. And just like that, the scope shifted.
