Grossmont Healthcare candidate questioned over potential campaign violations

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A review of public videos and state law show possible campaign violations in the Grossmont Healthcare District race

by Steve Puterski

Questions surround Grossmont Healthcare District candidate Brenda Miller for apparent campaign violations, such as campaigning from her job at Palomar Medical Center in Poway.

COUNTY — An administrative supervisor at Palomar Medical Center in Poway who is running for office is under fire for appearing to have violated state campaign finance laws.

Dr. Brenda Miller, a candidate for the Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors and an administrative house supervisor at Palomar, appears to be campaigning for political office while working in uniform and on the job. North County Pipeline reviewed several videos posted to YouTube regarding Miller’s conduct since last year.

Miller is challenging incumbent Dr. Michael Emerson for the Zone 3 seat, along with Nadia Farjood, whose husband is San Diego City Councilman Raul Campillo.

“While these allegations are concerning, I will leave it to the investigative bodies to determine if any violations have occurred,” Farjood said. “Regardless, my campaign is focused on building a healthier future for East County.”

Miller and Emerson both did not respond for comment.

Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Trustee Michael Emerson, left, is being challenged by Nadia Farjood and Brenda Miller for the Zone 3 seat in November.

At least five occasions over the past year Miller has appeared to be campaigning from her job at Palomar via Zoom meetings with the Democratic Women’s Club of San Diego during work hours, and multiple occasions in her nursing uniform. Miller did attempt to obscure her location by blurring the background but sometimes failed.

Her conduct appears to violate state law prohibiting the use of public resources and work time for politics and campaigning. State law prohibits the use of public resources for personal or political purposes, and campaigning for office while using publicly owned resources like a laptop computer, or while on public property during work hours, known as state-compensated time, is a misuse of public resources.

The penalties for the violations include a fine of up to $1,000 per day for each day on which a violation occurs, plus three times the value of the unlawful use of public resources. The penalties are assessed and recovered in civil court actions brought by the California attorney general or any district attorney, according to the law.

Miller holds a doctorate of nursing from the University of San Diego, and also is a lecturer at California State University, San Marcos. She lives in La Mesa.

According to Transparent California, Miller earned $121,176 in salary in 2022 and about $290,000 in benefits as a public employee. She is the principal officer of the campaign committee Miller for Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors 2024.

The allegations

Miller’s actions occurred at least five times from August 2023 through February, according to the videos. The first meeting was on Aug. 21, 2023, and Miller advocates for herself in the campaign and asks for votes, donations and other forms of assistance from the members of the club.

Those actions appear to violate the ban on public employees campaigning during their state-compensated time, in a state-owned property, and possibly even using a work laptop or computer bought with tax-payer dollars.

On September 18 and October 16, 2023, Miller is seen in what appears to be the same location, wearing her nursing lab coat and with the lanyard visible. She gives similar speeches at those meetings, asking for political support from the club and its members.

On Jan. 15, Miller again appears to be campaigning from her public workplace with her work lanyard and badge visible. Miller verbally admits she is at work during this meeting.

“I’m also a clinical administrator and I can’t be there today because I am at work,” she said laughing. She then lists off her qualifications and credentials as to why she should be elected.

Miller again campaigned from her public workplace on Feb. 19.

During the meetings, Miller states her position is with the Palomar Health District and she supervises and provides mentoring to nurses in the act of providing health care to patients. She expresses her professional experience as one of her qualifications for the Grossmont Healthcare District board.

Also, state law requires no officer or employee of a local agency shall participate in political activities of any kind while in uniform. Wearing an official employee uniform while campaigning could be construed as an attempt to use one’s official position to influence others.

Miller’s campaign website features photos of Miller in her lab coat with the Palomar Health logo and her official employment badge, which is barred by state law. Her endorsement form shows herself wearing the coat, and her work badge with the letters “RN” displayed.

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This article was published at North County Pipeline and appears here with the author’s permission.

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