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Emails reveal Aispuro “wiped out” by Gibson

January 26, 2013
Bruce Gibson

Bruce Gibson

Emails between San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson and his administrative assistant call into question claims he made the day he announced his extramarital affair with his assistant.

On Nov. 16, Gibson told the Tribune that his affair with Cherie Aispuro did not take either of them away from their county responsibilities.

“Both Cherie and I gave 110 percent to this job,” he said. “It’s something we feel is important.”

Gibson’s staunchest defenders continue to insist that the affair did not affect job performance.

However, in an email chain from last April obtained by CalCoastNews, Gibson and Aispuro discuss how an earlier interlude had left both unable to perform their county duties.

Shortly before 1 p.m. on April 12, SLO Board of Supervisor’s Secretary Fran Zohns informs Gibson that one of his constituents wants to discuss the vacation rental ordinance.

Aispuro, who is copied on the exchange, emails Gibson that he should wait to contact the constituent until the next day so that she can eavesdrop. Gibson agrees noting how worn out he is.

“OK, I don’t have the energy to deal with this today anyway,” Gibson says in the email.

Aispuro then admits she has spent the work day in bed.

“I just woke up,” Aispuro writes back at 4:01 p.m. “You wiped me out.”

“Sorry to be so demanding! :-)” Gibson responds.

In November, after Gibson announced his affair, county officials said that even though there is not a county policy against having an affair with a subordinate, Aispuro would be moved to a new permanent position.

Nevertheless, emails between Gibson and Aispuro make the transfer sound temporary.

“Even though I’m on “vacation,” I’m trying to monitor emails,” Aispuro said in an email to Gibson on Nov. 19. “I got ur [sic] back BG.”

Last week, Gibson admitted he had brought his mistress back to work in his office as his subordinate. The county then posted an agreement between Gibson and Aispuro in which they claim they will not sue the county over their affair.

A few days later, a group of District 2 residents posted requests on Facebook and Twitter asking county residents to attend the upcoming Jan. 29 Board of Supervisors meeting and call on Gibson to step down from his position.

 


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Maybe this is the video of them mentioned earlier?


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Jesus Bruce, can it get any worse? Wait, sure it can. Can’t wait until ALL the E-mails are released.

I also wonder how many times the two of them went on taxpayer funded trips to meetings and seminars, etc…

Maybe they saved us some money by shacking up together in one room…

I can’t imagine the personality type that takes all this criticism and sticks with it. The Supe job doesn’t pay enough to justify taking all this crriticism and being the butt of countless jokes. At some point he HAS to say enough is enough and get out of the spotlight.

All you ambitious pols out there get ready, the seat is likely to be wide open in 2014.

Maybe Rodger Anderson will run again. He should have won the seat the first time. Rodger is one of the most honest, gracious and proper men I’ve ever known. He would never have had an affair with an assistant, Stevie would have killed him.


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QUOTING NILES Q: “I can’t imagine the personality type that takes all this criticism and sticks with it.”


The part of Gibson that is doing his thinking now has no shame.


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AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rodger Anderson is Respectable, Trustworthy, Honest and has Integrity. The apple does not fall far from the tree. His whole family that have been in this area forever are that way. Needless to say with these positive traits of character, he would never fit in with the likes of people like Bruce Gibson and Adam I wish I had balls Hill.


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As The Stomach Churns. My concern is about the wanton attitude towards the female employees of the County by male Administrators and Supervisors. It’s obvious they are considered sexual playthings and objects to be sought out and procured either through intimidation or monetary enticements. And those who are not desired have to live with the fact that others will have greater job security in times of cut backs and job elimination. Is this really going on? Who knows. But the elements are all present . Something is going on but when faced with clear evidence it gets swept under the rug. I wonder how many other types of improprieties and violations are being hush, hushed. It reminds me of what happens on collage campuses with the violation of female students.


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No Wonder SLO is one of the Happiest places to live. You can do ANYTHING you want and with our Obvious societal A.D.D. in a few minutes, no one cares. Sweet.


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QUOTING INSIGHT: “It’s obvious they are considered sexual playthings and objects to be sought out and procured either through intimidation or monetary enticements.”


Indeed. I’m sure, at this point, part of the fitness exam for women is how quickly she can bend over and how vigorously she can wave her legs in the air.


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OK, I admit it. I dropped my ban on the Dave Congalton show & was listening yesterday around 6pm when this whole Bruce Gibson situation came up. Dave mentioned that of course Adam Hill couldn’t/wouldn’t speak up about Bruce (agreed) but he also said Frank Mecham wouldn’t say anything either because HE has some past issues of his own… Huh?!


As a long-time Mecham supporter, this threw me for a loop. I have been disappointed that 1) Mecham supported Lisa Chitty and 2) Mecham hasn’t said a peep about Gibson’s (or Hill’s) embarrassing and unethical behavior but now I’m wondering about what Dave said and hope it’s not true. I’d like to think the Board has at least one or two ethical supervisors left.


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So of course in your mind pasoparent5, Mecham is hiding something.


Two things he has done to displease you: support Lisa and not speak out against Bruce, (which by the way NONE of the Supes did, and I did watch the meeting) and BOOM – he is guilty of something now too because a radio talk show host that you usually don’t listen to drops a “hint.” REALLY? This is how you get your “news” and form decisions? Yikes…….and scary.


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Oh gosh, zip it Lynette. I’ll repeat it for you since you BOOM seem to have missed it but I am a longtime Mecham SUPPORTER and was merely repeating what Congalton said.


The only scary thing is how you blindly follow an unethical man like Bruce Gibson–an adulterous homewrecker who’s using taxpayer dollars to fund his own mistress’ job. BOOM Lynette. Don’t reply to me because you’re a bully. BOOM thanks.


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Believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see…and you’ll be OK!


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Don’t be so quick to believe Mr. Home Town Radio. Remember Gail McPherson was was “go to girl” during the 30 Year Sewer War.

All of his skeletons have yet to emerge from the closet.


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Gail and Congalton are so chummy. He appears to worship her. She was the puppet-master in the recent sewer wars, the last 10 or so, but she didn’t live here before that. She had a big beef with the Water Board due to mistakes she got caught doing in Riverside county. Revenge is what she brought to Los Osos and we have been paying for it ever since with a CSD bankrupted and further damage to our aquifers due to sewer delay.


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Dave is a radio show host…Gail was big news at the time of the sewer wars. In my opinion she was also bad news for Los Osos but she was news. Dave is in the news business.


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But the REAL news was never discussed…and that involved her past. Funny how that works.

Do some research, and the truth will become self evident..


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I don’t disagree with that…point taken…


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On the other hand, at least Mecham isn’t a hypocrite. I’m not saying he should be a supe, but his apparent unwillingness to condemn others for activities he has apparently done himself indicates, at the very least, he knows what he did was wrong in the eyes of the voters, and that the hypocrisy of condemning Hill and Gibson might have a negative impact on his future in politics.


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Can you speculate some more? I have a few friends over and we’re taking a swig each time someone posts with a speculation or unfounded assumption.


You’re doing great, keep it up!


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You have friends? What a surprise.


This is an internet message board where people post their opinions. My opinion is no more “speculation” than the opinions of yourself or other posters here.


Yet I don’t see you criticizing all posters–including yourself–for “speculation.” So why target my opinion?


Is my opinion really that much of a threat to your own viewpoint?


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So i understand that at least on April 11th and or 12th the highly paid (by us, who dont even get kissed first) put out 110%. My question is simple, did she get paid for April 12th. Who signs her timecard to verify attendance at work. Gibson ? Conflict of interest. I bet even this corrupt county has a policy stating that “relatives” can not approve one anothers timecard when there is a clear conflict of interest or special bias. Surely we have that. But who can you ask, they appear to all be scum, every damn city and county employee is involved in this cesspool of corruption. From the cops that sell drugs to the ones who kill and torture citizens to these high officials that use the courthouse as their personal whorehouse


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SLO County has a written policy against nepotism. So a Supervisor could not hire, and pay, a spouse to work for him or her. A spouse could work for free as the Supervisor’s legislative assistant. Only someone unencumbered by the thought process would say that an unmarried cohabitant should be treated differently than a spouse. Wake up you lawyers sitting in the County Counsel’s office. It is nearly too late.


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This has been a problem in SLO County for decades.

One example is Paavo Ogren and his ex spouse Jill Ogren both having high wage high profile management jobs with the county for a very long time…


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So that fact makes you think that they can’t be doing their jobs? Have you ever watched either of them give reports while on the job? At the Supes or the WRAC? I have and they are both very knowledgeable and professional.


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For half the money Gibson and his almost not-so-insignificant other are taking from the citizens of this county – anybody (even I or you) could do the job. It ain’f rocket science!. After all, Los Osos has benefited greatly from Gibson’s efforts!


As to Mecham, well Paso Robles would not be where it is now without him. You can read that anyway you want. And, yes he should have the fortitude to speak publically to the Gibson and/or Hill issues. He is an elected representative of this county and was elected to uphold ethically government practices, amongst other things.


Congrats should go out to Debbie Arnold for her position and the votes she has made in her short time on the BOS. Government is to serve the people, not yourself. If one gets rewarded for bad or unethical behavior – most likely they will continue said behavior.


And yes, it would be very interesting to determine exactly how it is proven that Cherie is actually performing the job she is getting paid for. Name me one company that does not keep records of time at work and work done. But, evidently it is OK that Brucie is the only one that does this for Cherie – really?


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Paso_citizen, if you can do the job better, please convince me that you know what the job is.


What is Gibson’s reward for telling us? Volumes and volumes of hatred from the public here and at the BOS and who knows where else.


So…. you think Arnold isn’t influenced by the COLAB-talking point speakers yesterday? Numbers of speakers really represents all of the constituency? Ha-ha, you need to dip into the mire of the Los Osos sewer wars to see that this is not so.


Look, Gibson is Aispuro’s supervisor. He is the only person who gets to chime in on how she performs her job. She is unfailingly polite to the sewer attackers, even when they attack Gibson. She calls them back and gets them information that they want. Think you could do that job? Good luck!


Yes, in reality Los Osos has benefitted from Gibson’s efforts, and those who want no sewer or hate the kind we are getting say just the opposite.


I have not much of an opinion on Mecham and don’t presume to say what he should or should not say. All I know about him was when he first joined the board, he was sympathetic and fuzzy to the sewer-haters. He wised up I am happy to say.


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I must say, you have earned an “E” for effort. Please enlighten all of us with one simple answer – just what would Bruce have to do in order to be considered unworthy of being on the BOS?

Does ethics play no part in how you judge an elected official?


As you stated above:

“Look, Gibson is Aispuro’s supervisor. He is the only person who gets to chime in on how she performs her job.”


I might agree that this is not a violation of any written law (should be), but think about it. You have the power of performance review, salary increases, time off, and all those other things that a supervisor of an employee has over a person you are having sexual relations with (even if it is consenual) and this causes you no concern? Holy jeez!


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Did Mr. Gibson do his job before we knew any of this? Yes he did.


I think drunken public conduct, assault or murder would be over the edge, crimes that anyone would be punished for. Affairs and divorces get their own sort of punishment in the divorce courts. If you work in the corporate world there are other rules there.


So now we find he has confessed to an affair. Next step, vote one way or the other if he runs again. Simple. It’s all the political agendas that are being wrapped into the event itself and flung out like red paint that gets my back up.


The commenters at yesterday’s Supes meeting were completely transparent about their mud slinging motivations, as they accusations were never just about morality, but always coupled with some political talking point right off the COLAB website or were by the well-known disgruntled over the Los Osos sewer, who have now just amped up the volume.


Did Ms. Aispuro do her job before this happened? Yes she did. Did we ever have a say in her performance evaluations? No we didn’t.


But I do know that she has done her job for Mr. Gibson in Los Osos, always taking notes and calling people back with information that they have requested. With an amazing amount of grace and patience. That is what I personally know.


If this situation causes the Supes enough concern, I’m sure that they can write a change to policy. I mean really, this has happened how many times with an elected Supervisor? And considering the volume of county staff, how many times did this happen at the staff level? A very small percentage, I am sure, and no you don’t get extra percentage points for the high profile case.


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The issue isn’t whether they are “knowledgeable and professional.” The issue is the lack of ethics involved when nepotism occurs in the workplace.


http://ag.ca.gov/publications/coi.pdf (California State Attorney General’s Office, “Conflicts of Interest”)


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Right on!!


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The County Counsel’s job is to keep county administrators, managers and BOS members out of trouble and, when they get into to trouble, to limit the damage to the county.


In other words, if Gibson signs off Cherie’s time card, the county counsel would only become involved if it was publicly outed and it caused problems to the county.


So far, county counsel has done nothing to discourage conflict-of-interest-laden sexual relationships by the county BOS members, administrators and managers. We have seen numerous county folks court liability by their conflict-of-interest sexual relationships. In my opinion, the county counsel has done nothing but damage control and aid in the coverup of these relationships.


So the county counsel is doing nothing but allowing taxpayer financial liability to accrue. Worse, taxpayers are paying for the county counsel’s role in aiding damage control and coverup.


What we need is a ballot measure which establishes a taxpayer-advocate county counsel, with a REAL short term in office…like two years, max.


Yes, it will cost taxpayers more, but at least we will have someone to represent our best interests.


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I have heard rumors of a video….Now wouldn’t that be terrifying.

I live in this pondscums district and am wondering exactly how does one initiate a recall. Is there a website the county has to get started or have Gibson and Hill blocked access to it.


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Here is a site to the California Secretary of State for information on the recall process:


http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/recalls/recall.pdf


The SLO County recorder can provide more detailed information.


I don’t live in the 2nd District, but this is a painfully embarrassment for the entire County and is disrupting the conduct of the County’s business. If Supervisor Gibson really cares for this County and especially his district, he would resign so that the voters in the 2nd District could elect a Supervisor who will be able to devote full attention to the business of the County and his/her constituents.


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The arrogance is unbelievable…I’m starting to believe that one or two terms is enough for any elected official on all levels. Until we as a people once again begin to fill our legislative houses with decent honorable men and women we need to limit terms. I recommend supporting term limits for all representatives top to bottom. If it’s good enough for our nations leader and the leader of the free world than it’s good enough for the likes of a philandering Gibson and prank call Hill.


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Hmmmm….the world’s oldest profession comes to mind when you put in that context.


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I’m just waiting for one of the other supervisors to finally stand up and publiclly state how wrong Mr Gibson was and is with his dealings of this issue….. I will remember at the next election


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Yes, it would be nice – but something tells me it ain’t goin to happen. It seems that once you are elected to the BOS – you are obligated to protect each other. I can understand that being the case for Adam Hill (he likes having the focus on someone other than him), but the others – give me a break!


If this is what country government is all about, no wonder we are what we are.


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Criticism won’t come from the supes.


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