South El Monte Mayor Sues Over City Council Censure and Sanctions

Lawsuit alleges council exceeded authority in punishing mayor for alleged Brown Act violation

Apr. 5, 2026 at 2:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The mayor of South El Monte, Gloria Olmos, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and three of her City Council colleagues. The lawsuit argues the council overstepped its authority by censuring Olmos and imposing sanctions against her, including stripping her ability to request travel reimbursements, in retaliation for her vocal opposition to allowing commercial cannabis in the city. The council took the action after an investigation into allegations that Olmos leaked confidential information from a closed-session meeting, but the details of what was allegedly disclosed remain unclear.

Why it matters

This case highlights the tensions between elected officials in South El Monte and the limits of a city council's power to discipline a co-equal elected leader. It also raises questions about transparency and the confidentiality of closed-session discussions under the Brown Act, California's open meeting law.

The details

The City Council voted 3-1 on March 3 to censure Mayor Olmos, strip her of travel reimbursement privileges, and require her to retake ethics training. The council acted after a third-party investigation found evidence that Olmos had engaged in a conversation or forwarded confidential information from a June 2025 closed-session meeting about anticipated litigation. However, the specific details of what was allegedly leaked remain unclear, as the council refused to publicly disclose the information, citing potential liability risks. Olmos has argued the council overstepped its authority and denied her due process by not providing her full access to the investigation report.

  • In June 2025, concerns arose about Mayor Olmos potentially disclosing confidential information from a closed-session meeting.
  • In December 2025, Olmos first received notice of the allegations against her.
  • On March 3, 2026, the City Council voted 3-1 to censure Olmos and impose sanctions.

The players

Gloria Olmos

The mayor of South El Monte who is suing the city and three City Council members over her censure and sanctions.

Hector Delgado

A South El Monte City Council member who voted in favor of censuring and sanctioning Mayor Olmos.

Rudy Bojorquez

A South El Monte City Council member who voted in favor of censuring and sanctioning Mayor Olmos.

Larry Rodriguez

A South El Monte City Council member who voted in favor of censuring and sanctioning Mayor Olmos.

Manuel Acosta

The South El Monte City Council member who voted against censuring and sanctioning Mayor Olmos.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'These measures were punitive, stigmatizing and designed to diminish Plaintiff's effectiveness as an elected official, publicly brand her as a 'criminal' and deter or punish protected speech, political expression, dissent and the exercise of her elected duties.'”

— David Torres-Siegrist, Attorney for Mayor Gloria Olmos

“'We follow rules for a reason.'”

— Larry Rodriguez, South El Monte City Council member

“'I believe it is an innocuous topic. When you know what it is, you're going to say, 'Oh well, everyone knows about that.''”

— Manuel Acosta, South El Monte City Council member

“'I would not, did not, violate the Brown Act, straight up. I promise you it was nothing that would ever put the city at risk.'”

— Gloria Olmos, Mayor of South El Monte

What’s next

The federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Mayor Olmos seeks to reverse the censure and sanctions imposed by the City Council. A judge will need to determine whether the council exceeded its authority in disciplining the mayor.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the delicate balance of power between a city's mayor and its council, as well as the importance of transparency and due process when elected officials are accused of wrongdoing. The outcome of Olmos' lawsuit could set precedents for how California municipalities handle internal conflicts between co-equal elected leaders.