Even as the legal dust settles, there’s scant transparency in Paso Robles regarding what I’ll call “the former General Manager Ty Lewis, current City Councilman Chris Bausch, Tribune debacle.” We do know the Tribune’s Public Records Act (PRA) lawsuit prevailed over Paso and Bausch, but that’s about it.
Did the emails and texts the Trib demanded prove anything? Did Lewis bully and harass Bausch? Did Bausch conspire with others to get Lewis fired? Do we actually know what happened between them? The Tribune’s analysis of the records couldn’t find a conspiracy, so the short answer’s no.
In the aftermath, however, we know Bausch remains defiant and Mayor John Hamon wants him out.
“I was well within my rights to take several months to turn over 700 searches,” Bausch claimed despite the legal ruling against him.
“Leadership requires accountability, and it is unacceptable for elected officials to
engage in conduct that exposes the city to repeated legal challenges,” Hamon said. “Every dollar spent on litigation is a dollar taken away from residents that depend on their government to manage precious tax revenue responsibly.”
Precious indeed. Paso’s on the hook for some serious bucks, agreeing to pay $250K to The Tribune for legal fees. Paso’s also covering Bausch’s $27,000 legal fees. Bausch countersued both Paso and the Trib, but his countersuit was resolved in conjunction with the Trib’s suit. All this bullshit and all these legal fees could have been avoided if Bausch merely turned over the requested records and let the truth come out.
“Public officials are entrusted to act with integrity, good sense, and respect for
the office they hold,” a pissed-off Hamon said. “Instead, Mr. Bausch’s actions have brought nearly a half million dollars of taxpayer dollars to be diverted from crucial city services—funds that should have been invested in infrastructure, public safety, and community programs. Rather, they were paid out in legal fees including his own personal defense and settlements that could have been entirely avoided.”
And hey! Let’s not forget the $365K Ty Lewis is supposed to get for his complaint against Paso claiming Bausch created a hostile work environment for him and conspired with—among others—CalCoastNews “reporter” Karen Velie to spread rumors about him, ruining his reputation. That’s $642K if you’re counting, not including the city’s own legal defense fees.
As far as Bausch is concerned, this is all Hamon’s fault for hiring Lewis in the first place: “Take responsibility, John. Own it. It’s OK; we can move past this, but only when you take responsibility. I didn’t ask for any of this,” he said.
Ridiculous. What an embarrassment for Paso Robles. Everyone involved looks petty, fatuous, and buffoonish.
Speaking of buffoonish, how does that old aphorism go? “She who represents herself in court has a fool for a lawyer and a jackass for a client.” Former Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate Gaea Powell is representing herself against the SLO County District Attorney’s voter fraud charges, and Judge Timothy Covello seems to think that’s pretty dumb.
“When you state in your Faretta waiver … you want to exercise your right to have the legal case explained to you in common language. There is no right,” Covello told Powell at a Sept. 22 court hearing. “You don’t have the right to have anything re-explained to you by the court or anybody else.”
Powell fired her court-appointed public defender Andrew Jennings because, as she explained via email, “He was frustrated with me and insisted that I allow him to create the case strategy and that I comply. That is not in my nature, and I subscribe to the Art of War methodology. I need an attorney who is not intimidated or easily manipulated by the DA’s Office. Counsel who has the savvy and courage to go up [against] Goliath.”
“Savvy” and “courage” are good, but “legal expertise” and a “law degree” might also come in handy. Powell faces nine criminal charges for allegedly filing false nomination papers for her candidacy and voting fraudulently during her 2022 and 2024 mayoral campaigns.
But hey! Covello has allowed her to proceed as her own representative.
“The defendant doesn’t need to have legal knowledge to represent themselves,” Covello said. “The court is not in a position to [say] if that is good exercise of her judgement.”
Can I say? It’s stupid. Like, real dumb.
Before the court hearing, Powell told New Times and Tribune reporters that District Attorney Dan Dow is a secret liberal, which she restated in an email: “As I mentioned today, I believe Dan Dow is a liberal masquerading as a conservative, and he is a liar. He is more concerned about grabbing headlines and charging people with serious crimes who he knows could be easily frightened and/or intimidated into pleading no contest.”
Boy, I sure hope members of Cal Poly’s Turning Point USA club, who are planning a Sept. 29 vigil for assassinated right-wing activist Charlie Kirk with a speech by Dow, see through his conservative ruse.
Powell is spectacularly ignorant if she thinks Dow is faking his right-wing Christian MAGA nationalism. The dude’s probably wearing red, white, and blue stars and stripes Underoos® over his Jesus tramp stamp as we speak. ∆
The Shredder still believes in free speech and a free press. Tell it to shut up at shredder@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Autumn Arts Annual 2025.
Although not a formal Christian myself, the last two paragraphs of this week’s contribution by The Shredder may be one of the most offensive things I’ve read in a long time myself. It’s truly repugnant and The Shredder’s joy and delight in writing it is a testament to who’s side he’s on. I only hope he never needs the services of his local constabulary. It wouldn’t surprise me if they happen to take a long time to respond or was he put on hold taking his call. SLO is a very small town, sir. His words have managed to basically piss off a large portion of this county, but then again, why should anyone expect anything different from this degenerate?
Since when is it offensive to point out that someone is, in fact, who they say they are?
Greg H:
The person you are referring to is both a full bird Colonel and our county’s top law enforcement official. I’m not one to worship authority, but while you spend time disparaging him, he served in the sands of the middle east defending your right to do so.
The job of his office is to hold people accountable and to protect the interests of the victims of crime. Although not a practicing Christian myself, he has the right to hold whatever personal religious beliefs he chooses to. Further, he is an elected official, if you don’t like his performance, you’re free to vote however you choose, but enough members of your community disagree with you so much, they voted him into office. It would appear you hold a minority position.
She’s going to jail.
OMG, Gaea said church boy “DA Dan Dow is a secret liberal”!!! Trying to stop laughing!
More proof Gaea Powell is deep in the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and delusion.
I agree with Tom and Greg H. And FMO is too easily offended, as he supports the Christian nationalist movement. FMO, sounds like he can’t handle the truth.
Scott:
It would be interesting to know what you find more offensive, the Christian aspect of nationalism or just nationalism in general? If you aren’t for America, who are you for? If you aren’t for Christ, who are you for? I am not a Christian myself, but I find nothing incompatible with a fear of God and an upstanding nation. Before throwing out the baby with the bathwater, perhaps you should read their Book. You may not be aware of it, but if it wasn’t for the Protestant origin of our nation, your President might be wearing a mitre, we would all be speaking Latin, and no one’s children would be safe. No thank you, I’ll take “Christian nationalism” any day.