San Luis Obispo mayor leaks confidential report, would do it again

June 22, 2026

Mayor Erica Stewart

By KAREN VELIE

After several community watchdogs discovered that San Luis Obispo Mayor Erica Stewart had violated the law when she shared restricted information from the Grand Jury, Stewart responded saying she would do it again.

In 2025, the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury found that San Luis Obispo had failed to protect its residents from loud and ruckus parties hosted by Cal Poly State University students. In addition. the city also failed to enforce permit requirements for rowdy fraternities while it increased the cost of appealing those permits.

On June 13, 2025, the Grand Jury sent Stewart a copy of the report that included a lengthy list of recommendations and a warning that it was a violation of the law to share the report.

“A grand jury shall provide to the affected agency a copy of the report relating to that person or entity two working days prior to its public release and after the approval of the presiding judge,” the email to Stewart quoted Penal Code 933.05(f). “No officer, agency or governing body of a public agency shall disclose any contents of the report prior to the public release of the final report.”

While grand juries release reports to agencies ahead of time so they can work on their responses, other witnesses and agencies are not permitted to review the reports until publicly released. The email ended with another warning not to share the report.

Even so, Stewart, a long-time Cal Poly employee, shared the report two hours and nine minutes after the grand jury sent it to her.

Stewart texted Courtney Kienow, an employee in Cal Poly’s Office of the President, asking if she knew the report was done. Stewart then shared the report with Cal Poly.

Stewart and Kienow shared 32 texts trashing the grand jury and discussing the report before it was released publicly:

Kienow texted, “Only two pages in and so frustrated.”

Stewart texted, “It is as though some of our local friends wrote it,”

Kienow texted, “I am working on a rebuttal. Problem: Cal Poly is not identified in the report as a required respondent so I don’t believe they intend to share it with us at all before it’s published. Our leadership has not received it.”

Kienow texted,  “If she doesn’t send it to me, are you comfortable with me emailing them my corrections based on you sharing it? I will send you what I am proposing.”

Stewart texted, “Happy to share your responses. I have so many problems with the thing as well. Love to chat with you about it. Let me know if you have time this afternoon to chat.”

Kienow texted, “So many people have the advanced copy of the report now… they’ll never know it came from you. Still, greatly appreciate you stepping out for whats right.”

Stewart texted, “So interesting. I told Whitney that I had assumed the university was going to be asked to respond and therefore I gave it to you. So, if it comes up, I am fine with being outed if I have to.”

From June 13 through June 17, SLO City Manager Whitney McDonald and Kienow exchange multiple texts asking what was said in grand jury interviews, to make sure their stories “align.”

On June 23, 2025, the grand jury released the report – “Round & Round with Town & Gown” – 10 days after it was transmitted to the city under a statutory confidentiality order.

In a similar case, Santa Clara City Councilman Anthony Becker was sentenced to 40 days in jail for leaking a draft grand jury report to the San Francisco Forty-Niners, who helped bankroll his political career.

In December 2024, a jury convicted Becker of lying to the Civil Grand Jury when he falsely denied that he leaked its draft report that was critical of Becker, and several of his city council colleagues, for their unethical relationship with the 49ers and for putting the team’s interests above those of the city, a felony.

The jury also convicted Becker of a misdemeanor for violating his duty to not disclose the draft report.

On June 15, Stewart was questioned about releasing the report on the Dave Congalton Show on KVEC. Stewart said she did not break any laws when she shared the report with Cal Poly and that she would do it again.

A resident then called in to Congalton’s show to complain about shoddy inspections by the city. Stewart told the woman to contact city staff and described her job as “cutting ribbons” and setting policy.

Because we believe the public needs the facts, the truth, CalCoastNews has not put up a paywall because it limits readership. However, we are seeking qualification as a paper of record, which will allow us to publish public notices, but it requires 5,000 paid subscribers.

Your subscription will help us to continue investigating and reporting the news.

Support CalCoastNews, subscribe today, click here.