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ABC Board Member Lynda Johnson.
Incident report filed by ABC Board member Lynda Johnson. Click on image to view larger document.
Staff Report
Hews Media Group-Community News has obtained documents that show ABC Board Member Lynda Johnson filed two false incident reports in late 2016 alleging Publisher Brian Hews threatened and harassed her.
In the reports Johnson alleged Hews sent “threatening electronic communications,” which is a violation of California Criminal Code section 653M(b).
“I was shocked when I found out about the reports,” said Hews, “I was even more shocked about Johnson’s accusations.”
The allegations were likely in retaliation for a series of articles published by Hews outlining Johnson’s tumultuous tenure as a Board member including taking thousands from the cash-strapped district for health insurance instead of giving the money back to ABC.
Johnson, a registered Democrat, and Deputy Field Representative for L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, has also drawn criticism when HMG-CN documented her questionable collaboration and recent endorsement of Melinda Kimsey, a staunch Republican and local newspaper editor who herself has a history of filing lawsuits against a school district.
In 2008, Kimsey falsely accused a 4th grade teacher of pedophilia and sexual harassment, putting the teacher “through hell” for two years.
Ten days before trial, Kimsey withdrew her entire story in front of a judge and paid a $20,000 fine.
Melinda Kimsey
Kimsey, like Johnson, was also vehemently against the ABC infrastructure bond that failed to pass, leaving the district in a state of disrepair at almost every school.
An indignant Hews said, “It seems as if Johnson and Kimsey like to blatantly lie to authorities to financially and psychologically hurt innocent people.”
Johnson said in the incident report, “regarding annoying emails, Hews sent several emails to Johnson regarding a statement given by another Board member.”
“I did not send several emails, it was two, and I was very accommodating to Ms. Johnson during that time,” said Hews.
The emails were related to an altercation Johnson had with then ABC Vice President Chris Apodaca in the district parking lot after a Board meeting.
Witnesses told HMG-CN that Johnson was extremely angry and hurled several “F-bombs” at Apodaca, while Apodaca tried to walk away and diffuse the situation.
Johnson said she would bring her own witnesses to refute the story but she never produced them.
Hews sent emails starting Aug 18 asking Johnson for comment on the parking lot incident; Hews then published the story online.
Johnson emailed Hews, “I am disappointed that you did not allow me to comment.”
“I told her I was publishing the story in my print newspaper and I would include her comment, which I did,” said Hews.
“There was no harassment, I waited for and then published her comment in print,” said Hews.
“Johnson lied in the incident report to the Cerritos Sheriff’s.”
On August 18, after the article was published online, HMG-CN was sent a screen capture of Johnson’s Facebook page on which she posted the story asking for comment.
Immediately below a “like” of the post by Cerritos resident Brad Beach, an avid supporter of both Johnson and Melinda Kimsey and who’s mother, an apppointed Cerritos Commissioner, works for Kimsey for no pay, was a comment from Brian Cook, a friend of Johnson’s.
Cook posted under Beach’s post, “um…do you need my service? (patting my right hip.)”
“We all know what ‘patting the right hip’ meant,” said Hews, alluding to someone patting a firearm in a holster on their hip.
“And Johnson left the comment up for everyone to see, I should have filed a report on Cook’s threat and Johnson’s tacit approval of the post.”
Facebook post by Linda Johnson with “likes” from Cerritos resident Brad Beach of a questionable post by Brian Cook.
The next day Hews received unsolicited phone calls from ABC staff asking specifics about HMG-CN’s print newspaper, its circulation, and legal adjudication.
“I emailed her back asking if the inquiry was coincidence with the Aug. 18 article publishing,” said Hews.
After that email, Johnson asked Hews not to email her and to contact the district office for comment.
“I complied with her request, even though I don’t have to. Johnson is an elected public figure, all publishers and reporters know what that entails,” said Hews.
From August to December 2016 Hews sent all emails to district staff to obtain comments.
But Johnson once again filed another incident report and told detectives Hews threatened her with emails Dec. 6 and Dec. 26.
Hews first emailed ABC staff in December on two issues; Johnson did not answer either request.
The first request (Dec. 6) asked if Johnson would comment on her new job with Supervisor Janice Hahn.
The second request (Dec. 26) asked for her comment on a legal opinion by ABC’s law firm ruling that a conflict of interest existed between her Hahn job and her elected ABC position.
Subsequently, Hews was forced to send emails to Johnson, which Johnson told the Cerritos Detective was “threatening.”
The Dec. 6 email said:
“Greetings Lynda:
Would like a comment from you on your new job.
Do you see a conflict of interest between your Board position and the Deputy position? Your are representing the same cities.
For instance tonight will you give a proclamation to Chen as a rep for Hahn?
You are against unions, abstained from Prop 55, and wanted to close two schools in Haw Gardens and Artesia yet you are working for progressive Hahn?
Thank you. Publishing article at 4 today.”
At the time, many openly questioned that hiring, as Johnson’s political views and vindictive actions against the ABCUSD union and teachers were in sharp contrast to those of Supervisor Hahn’s.
Later, HMG-CN exclusively obtained the opinion from ABC’s law firm that said Johnson was in violation of Government Code 1126 and should either resign her ABCUSD Board position or quit her job with Supervisor Hahn.
Click here to see opinion letter.
Hews sent another email to Johnson on Dec. 26, 2016 for comment.
Hews wrote, “I have the Dec. 22 opinion letter, would you like to provide me with a quote? Publishing later today. Brian.”
Four hours later at 4:33 p.m. Hews asked for comment once again writing, “No quote? You should say something…”
Johnson never responded, Hews published the story.
Johnson’s response to the emails was to file an incident report and call the emails “threatening.”
Johnson told the detective, “I never responded to Hews and discovered he posted an article (about the opinion letter) online. I felt Hews’ emails were harassing and threatening in nature.”
Approximately one month after Johnson filed the second report, a detective at the Cerritos Sheriff Station left a voice mail for Hews about “an criminal incident filed against you.”
“Obviously I was very alarmed and apprehensive when returning the call, I have never been called by a detective I did not know what it was about, I did not know Johnson filed the report,” said Hews.
“The detective asked me about Lynda Johnson and told me about her report, I told him I was a newspaper publisher and that her allegations were baseless.”
The detective then said, “if you are a newspaper publisher there is no case here, it can’t be threatening or harassment. I’m closing this case right now, have a nice day.”
“He shut the conversation down after he learned I was a newspaper publisher,” said Hews, “but that was secondary, my emails were not threatening or harassing yet Johnson told the detective that, she lied on police report.
In California, P.C. § 148.5(a) defines the offense of making a false police report.
“Every person who reports to any peace officer that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, knowing the report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”
The penalty is 6 months in the county jail; the court could also impose probation, counseling classes, and community service or community labor. In addition, the court may impose restitution and court fines.
Thank you Brian Hews. It is good to see that you are not letting loss of advertising money from Lynda Johnson and friends deter you from telling the truth. Keep up the good work. You bent over backwards to let her tell her side and Ms. Lynda Johnson did not have any satisfactory answers so she lied about you.