{"id":2649377,"date":"2026-08-25T14:19:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-judge-rules-avenal-officials-who-refused-to-leave-after-recall-were-there-illegally\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T15:07:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:07:51","slug":"california-judge-rules-avenal-officials-who-refused-to-leave-after-recall-were-there-illegally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-judge-rules-avenal-officials-who-refused-to-leave-after-recall-were-there-illegally\/","title":{"rendered":"California judge rules Avenal officials who refused to leave after recall were there illegally"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcalifornia-judge-rules-avenal-officials-who-refused-to-leave-after-recall-were-there-illegally%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2649377&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A judge ruled that four California officials in Avenal who remained in office after their recall votes were invalidly occupying their positions. Despite voters removing them in April, these officials had continued participating in city activities, prompting legal action. The court confirmed that the election was lawful and that the officials&#8217; continued tenure was not legitimate. The court also allowed Mayor Alvaro Preciado to run in the upcoming November election. The city will now have only one council member until after the November election, due to the lack of quorum. The ruling emphasizes respecting the voters&#8217; decisions and upholding democratic processes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4616484\/california-councilmembers-refuse-leave-office\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4616484\/california-councilmembers-refuse-leave-office\/\">Avenal<\/a>, California, officials who remained in power after voters recalled them in April are \u201cnot lawfully\u201d holding office, a judge ruled Monday, bringing a legal rebuke to one of the state\u2019s most unusual local <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">election controversies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kings.courts.ca.gov\/location\/kings-superior-court\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.kings.courts.ca.gov\/location\/kings-superior-court\">Kings County Judge<\/a> Jennifer Giuliani said recalled Mayor Alvaro Preciado and city council members Leticia Gamez, Pablo Hernandez, and David Reynosa had occupied offices that had been vacant since Kings County certified the recall results on May 28. The ruling follows months in which the officials challenged the election\u2019s legality and continued participating in city government despite recall votes.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4699862\/dolly-parton-dies-at-age-80\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Dolly Parton dies at age 80<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4699592\/judge-rules-avenal-california-officials-refused-leave-recall-illegal\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>California judge rules Avenal officials who refused to leave after recall were there illegally<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4699045\/firefighters-make-progress-against-a-nevada-wildfire-thats-destroyed-more-than-30-homes\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Firefighters make progress against a Nevada wildfire that\u2019s destroyed more than 30 homes<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe ultimate issue is not close,\u201d Giuliani wrote. \u201cThe court must uphold the will of the electorate, and Avenal voters have spoken decisively.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The April 28 special election removed four of the five members of Avenal\u2019s city council, with each recall receiving at least 70% support. The effort was driven largely by controversy over changes to the city\u2019s fire-protection arrangements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avenal is home to roughly 13,000 people, with about one-quarter of its population housed at Avenal State Prison, one of the area\u2019s largest employers. The city\u2019s economy is also heavily tied to agriculture, and more than 80% of residents are Latino.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recalled officials argued that the election should be invalid because Kings County, rather than the city, conducted it. They had sought to stop the recall before Election Day, but California\u2019s Fifth District Court of Appeal declined to intervene.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the county certified the vote, Preciado, Gamez, and Hernandez continued to attend council meetings and vote on city business. At a June 11 meeting, the three voted to retain their own seats and approved the city budget, even as recall supporters presented a restraining-order request seeking their removal. Reynosa, the fourth recalled council member, was absent from that meeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dispute prompted recall supporters to pursue a quo warranto action, an uncommon legal procedure used to challenge whether someone is lawfully occupying public office. California Attorney General Rob Bonta got involved and authorized the action, allowing the court challenge to proceed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In her ruling, Giuliani acknowledged a procedural irregularity in the election process but found it neither affected the outcome nor justified overriding the vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo hold otherwise,\u201d she wrote, would \u201cthwart the democratic will.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antony Lopez, Avenal\u2019s city manager, said the city would comply with the ruling and that the four officials planned to step down immediately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe respect the court\u2019s decision,\u201d Lopez said in a statement. \u201cWe also believe today confirms that the city was right to bring these questions before a court rather than simply surrender its municipal authority.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4626762\/recalled-avenal-california-city-council-members-refuse-leave-legal-battle\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4626762\">RECALLED CALIFORNIA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DIG IN AS LEGAL BATTLE ESCALATES <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lopez, who is not elected but has publicly sided with the recalled officials, said Avenal would be left with only one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-president-of-los-angeles-city-council-resigns-after-leaked-audio-of-racist-comments\/\" title=\"Democrat President of Los Angeles ... Resigns After Leaked Audio of Racist Comments\">sitting council member<\/a>. Without a quorum, the council will be unable to hold meetings until after the Nov. 3 general election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The court also ruled that Preciado may run on the November ballot, despite being recalled earlier this year. A city lawyer said the recalled officials may appeal portions of the ruling after the election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Avenal officials illegally stayed in office after April recall, judge rules<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2649378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP19032738021376.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4045,48231,43169,37989],"class_list":["post-2649377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california","tag-government-officials","tag-judicial-ruling","tag-recall-election"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP19032738021376.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2649377"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649377\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2649397,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649377\/revisions\/2649397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2649378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2649377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2649377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2649377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}