Former Fresno City council member Chavez defends newsletter amid calls to investigate spending

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A former Fresno Unified Trustee and a longtime Fresno political leader are accusing former Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez of wrongful spending. 

Luisa Medina and Juan Arambula sent a letter to the Fresno City Attorney, Andrew Janz, with their concerns and are asking him to investigate. 

“He’s using public funds, the benefit to the spouse who happens to be the candidate to replace him,” Medina said. 

Medina says a newsletter Chavez’s city council office distributed is illegally promoting his wife, Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, and her campaign for the District 5 seat. 

Chavez held the seat for that district for years, before he won an election in November for a Fresno Board of Supervisors seat. 

The newsletter in question showcases a picture of Jonasson Rosas at the opening of a new health clinic in District 5. Chavez says she only appeared in the letter in her official role as a Fresno Unified Trustee for the area. He says that she worked as a trustee to help open the clinic. 

The letter does not mention she’s running for the city council seat. 

“The newsletter does not reference any type of, you know, candidate to vote or oppose or support. It’s just an informational newsletter that was being passed out,” Chavez said.

Chavez says he’s been using this newsletter for years, and he’s never had any issues. He says it is not for his campaign and was used within his official duties to give people information on city services. He says his newsletter has been approved by a past city attorney and follows all rules regarding newsletters. 

“I was a little bit surprised. I know both Juan Arambula and Luisa Medina, they have my cell phone number. They could have called me, but I really believe that this is more politically motivated where, you know what, four days away from an election,” he said. 

Medina says this is not about politics, and adds she no longer even lives in the City of Fresno.  She says she’s worried about election integrity. In her letter to the city attorney, she questions why Chavez’s political consultant Alex Tavlian would sign a new contract covering the entire year, knowing Chavez’s would be vacating the city council seat.

“That little piece just raises an alarm about whether or not potentially public funds are being misused. So it’s worthwhile taking a look at that. And that’s what we’re asking,” Medina said.

Chavez says the contract is dependent upon work performed and says if there’s no work, no payment is sent.  

City attorney Andrew Janz says these complaints are outside of his job duties, and if there were to be any investigation, it would likely be through the Fresno District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit. City Council President Mike Karbassi also says it would not be within his role to investigate this either. 

YourCentralValley.com reached out to Tavlian and he says he has no comment on the matter.

The special election for this district is Tuesday, March 18.