Is Adam Hill crying wolf?

December 24, 2015

One of the photos Adam Hill included in his emails as evidence he is under a protection order.

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill says he’s getting death threats and as a result is being protected by the sheriff’s department. Hill has sent multiple emails describing the threats and posting photos of sheriff’s department vehicles parked on a street.

But, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Commander Stuart MacDonald said that the department does not have a protective order for Hill. Persons who live in the neighborhood say they have not seen any sheriff’s department vehicles in the area. And, the department is not conducting any investigation into Hill’s claims that his life and family are being threatened, MacDonald said.

Hill did not respond to multiple emails asking him to substantiate his claims about death threats or of sheriff’s department protection.

Hill sent the emails following critical media coverage and commentary about his conduct on the board of supervisors. K-Jewel (KKJL) News Director Dick Mason reported on Hill walking out on a board of supervisors 50th anniversary presentation for CAPSLO, Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo.

Dee Torres-Hill

Dee Torres-Hill

Hill’s wife Dee Torres was the director of CAPSLO’s homeless services. In 2013, CalCoastNews published a series of stories in which current and former CAPSLO employees said she routinely took gift cards intended for the needy and homeless and made personal use of them. CAPSLO administrators denied most of the allegations, but they admitted to questioning Torres-Hill about selling items donated to the homeless and not accounting for them.

In March 2014, CAPSLO demoted Torres-Hill and cut her pay. CAPSLO announced the move as a “restructuring” because of financial concerns. Torres sued CAPSLO alleging wrongful termination, retaliatory firing for being a whistleblower and workplace disability discrimination. That lawsuit was settled on undisclosed terms in October 2015.

Mason also questioned money that developer Gary Grossman gave to a nonprofit that Dee Torres-Hill started.

Before she left CAPSLO, Torres-Hill started the SLO Housing Connection, a nonprofit that provides homeless services that appear to duplicate many CAPSLO services, including case management, shelter and employment services. In fall 2014, Grossman made a $50,000 donation to the SLO Housing Connection as Hill aggressively attempted to persuade members of the San Luis Obispo City Council to vote in favor of a land use change that Grossman needed to develop large parcels near the airport,

Hill responded by contacting KKJL’s station manager with threats of a possible lawsuit, Mason said.

Supervisor Adam Hill

Supervisor Adam Hill

“Adam Hill contacting our station management to complain about my reporting is his prerogative, however, he’s attacking the messenger,” Mason said. “I’m only reporting the facts. His absence during CAPSLO’s 50th anniversary presentation, his threats against San Luis City Councilman Dan Carpenter, his involvement with PB Properties and his relationship with developer Gary Grossman are all newsworthy.”

Hill also sent emails to Mason directly accusing him of lying and being responsible for threats to himself and his family.

“ ‘Oh, and Dick, if you were thinking your spreading of hateful lies has no effect?’ Hill wrote. ‘Here’s the current protection outside my house, where I live with my wife and three girls.’ ”

Hills emails also blamed CalCoastNews, Dave Congalton, host of a talk show on KVEC and comments broadcast by radio station KRPL.

“You see I got another death threat stemming from lies told by the good folks at CalCoast, Congalton, and KPRL,” Hill wrote. “There are consequences to your lies. There are people out there who are stirred up and want to hurt me and my family because of the toxic garbage you all put out there. May you and your family never experience this. Shame on you.”

Mason was not present during the call that Hill made to KKJL, he said.

“For his sake, I hope his tone with my supervisor is more diplomatic and professional than the profane diatribes he emails me.”

Dick Mason

Dick Mason

Shortly after Hill called the station’s manager, a second call came in, Mason said. A person claiming to be Maggie Cox, president and CEO of the Barnett and Cox & Associates marketing and PR firm, called. The caller said she was calling on behalf of Grossman and then repeated many of Hill’s complaints, Mason said.

Cox has since said that the call did not come from her or the firm.

“No one from Barnett and Cox contacted the station,” Cox said. “It is a lie.”

Hill also accused Mason of being the voice over on a “Fire Adam Hill” video that says Hill belittles people who cross him. Mason, who said he was unaware of the video before Hill pointed it out, said the voice is not his. A search of YouTube.com turned up four “Fire Adam Hill” videos. Two of the videos appear to be criticisms of other “Fire Adam Hill” videos.

At the same time, others, including public officials, have also received calls and emails from Hill and several of his supporters claiming that the media is endangering Hill’s life and should limit its reporting to softer topics.

San Luis Obispo City Mayor Jan Marx spoke with a manager at KVEC asking that the station direct Congalton to stick with non controversial topics, Congalton said.

Dave Congalton

Dave Congalton

In another email to a local resident who does not support Hill’s reelection, Hill claims Congalton has given his address out on the air and again includes photos of sheriff vehicles he claims are there as part of a protection detail.

“This is current protection needed because of another threat against me, based on lies from CalCoast and Congalton and their accomplices,” Hill wrote. “Come by and tell them about why you spread these lies … your pal  the radio host knows the address as he broadcasts it all the time.”

Congalton has regularly questioned how Hill, on a supervisor’s salary, affords a home at the country club. However, Congalton said he has never mentioned Hill’s address on the air.

“I don’t know his address,” Congalton said.

Earlier this year, a  self-described volunteer for Hill’s reelection campaign warned KVEC management that Hill’s campaign would file a complaint with the FCC and turn advertisers away from KVEC and Dave Congalton’s talk show. The “volunteer” claimed that Congalton had made personal attacks against Hill.

In November, CalCoastNews wrote a series of stories about Hill’s moonlighting for a prominent developer. Hill refused to answer questions regarding his consulting business, his ties to developers or inconsistencies in his government filings.

Instead of answering the questions, Hill posted a statement on Facebook claiming he is being targeted by CalCoastNews on behalf of his political opponents. Hill is currently running for reelection for the District 3 seat.

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The sheriff’s vehicles were probably there to investigate HIM threatening someone.


I have money on the idiot voters of his district voting him in again. They are dumber than he is.


I don’t know what’s scarier, Hills actions or the fact that people continue to vote for him.


Adam Hill sounds off his rocker. He is kind of scary.


Toxicology reports, please.


New “Fire Adam Hill” fliers in from the graphic designer. Go to http://www.FireAdamHill.com, print a bunch up, and spread them around!

Let’s clean up SLO government!


My Xmas wish is for a better year for the public..


Well said Jorge. But please, it’s Christmas, not Xmas.


He’s the reason for the season my friend.


Merry Christmas to you and yours. ;o)




Christmas Carol Menu


Merry Top 50


Adam got run over by a reindeer

Walking home from Marx’s house Christmas eve

You can say there’s no such thing as Santa

But as for me and county, we believe


He’d been drinkin’ too much egg nogg

And Jan begged him not to go

But he’d left his medication

So she stumbled out the door into the snow


When they found him Christmas mornin’

At the scene of the attack

There were hoof prints on her forehead

And incriminatin’ Claus marks on her back


Aam got run over by a reindeer

Walkin’ home from Marx’s Christmas eve

You can say there’s no such thing as Santa

But as for me and the county, we believe


Now the goose is on the table

And the pudding made of pig

And a blue and silver candle

That matches the hair in Dee Dee’s wig


I’ve warned all my friends and neighbors

Better watch out for yourselves

They should never give a license

To a man who drives a sleigh and plays with elves


Adam got run over by a reindeer

Walkin’ home from Marx’s house, Christmas eve

You can say there’s no such thing as Santa

But as for me and county, we believe.


Bwaaaahahahaaaaaaaa!!!


Very clever Pel!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


I think Hill is beginning to melt down due to the competitive pressures stemming from Dan Carpenter running against him for Supervisor of District 3.


Hill is such a fat tub of goo. He needs to be gone.


Hopefully Cal Poly won’t take Hill back and he schleps his toochus back to New Jersey.


Maybe he run against [or replace Rahm Emanuel] in Chicago.


I agree Dan Carpenter would better represent us instead of intimidating business people and residents.


If you Lefties like Adam because he votes-in all Leftest agendas but is not a good person shame on YOU ALL that got him elected. POISON PEN Adam Hill is not healthy for San Luis Obispo County…Character Matters and Hill does not possess Character except as a Cartoon Character!


County Supervisor is not supposed to be affiliated with political ideology, it is a pretty boring job that deals with the nuts and bolts of county government. But Hill has run as a left-wing candidate.


First Hill ran as an environmentalist against Jerry Lenthall. Hill claimed Lenthall was in the pockets of developers. After being Gary Grossman’s water boy, Hill couldn’t run as a greenie anymore as that dog wouldn’t hunt with the voters.


Then Adam ran against Ed Waage, a Pismo Beach councilman. Ed Waage had worked for PG&E for years. So Adam said Waage was a tool of PG&E.


Now that Hill has been exposed as a tool of the very developers he railed against in 2008, he is running on some weird social justice warrior platform that attempts to paint his opponents as meanies and Nazis.


He has two good opponents running against him in Carpenter and Peterson, so there is no excuse for Hill to even make the runoff election, if there is one.