By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento Homeless Union issued a statement this week condemning what it described as the misuse of its federal civil rights litigation in a complaint filed against Sacramento County Board of Supervisors candidate Dr. Flojaune Cofer during the final days of the primary election campaign.
According to the organization, a complaint filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) by attorney Brian T. Hildreth on behalf of Richard Dwyer improperly cited the group’s litigation against the City of Sacramento and created what the union called a false impression that Cofer had been compensated for her participation in the case.
The Sacramento Homeless Union stated that it was not consulted before its case was referenced in the FPPC complaint and said the filing offered no evidence, payment records, receipts or other factual basis to support allegations that Cofer had been paid for work connected to the litigation.
The organization said Cofer was never compensated by the Sacramento Homeless Union for her participation in Sacramento Homeless Union v. City of Sacramento.
According to the statement, the complaint relied in part on Cofer’s public description of her role as a doctoral-level expert witness in proceedings related to the case while attempting to infer compensation that the union says did not occur.
The organization maintained that Cofer never stated she had been paid by the Sacramento Homeless Union, its attorneys or any party connected to the litigation.
The Sacramento Homeless Union said Cofer voluntarily provided expert public health analysis and testimony concerning conditions facing unhoused Californians, including older adults, people with disabilities and children exposed to extreme heat and other public health risks while living outdoors.
The organization credited her contributions with helping support legal efforts that resulted in court-ordered protections and climate-related safeguards for unhoused residents facing dangerous conditions.
According to the group, Cofer’s participation reflected public health advocacy and concern for vulnerable populations rather than financial compensation.
The statement characterized the FPPC complaint as a politically motivated attack advanced by Cofer’s opponents and individuals seeking to prevent her election. The union argued that the allegations were unsupported by evidence and were intended to generate controversy during the closing days of the campaign.
The organization further asserted that using unsupported allegations to influence voters was inappropriate and criticized what it described as the use of complaints and litigation as political tools designed to damage reputations and affect election outcomes.
The Sacramento Homeless Union has submitted a formal response to the Enforcement Division of the FPPC clarifying that Cofer was never compensated by the organization in connection with the litigation. The union also reported forwarding its filing to the Office of Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar of California in support of a complaint Cofer filed regarding what she alleges are false and misleading claims.
The group said it was particularly troubled by what it viewed as the exploitation of issues involving homelessness, public health advocacy and civil rights litigation for political purposes.
According to the statement, the underlying lawsuit against the City of Sacramento concerns conditions affecting unhoused residents during extreme weather events and public health emergencies, issues the organization described as matters of life and death for vulnerable community members.
The Sacramento Homeless Union added that it would not allow its organization or its litigation to be used to spread narratives that it believes are unsupported by facts.
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