Long Beach City Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez is calling for a review of workplace policies after she said the city quietly closed its investigation into her allegations that Vice Mayor Dee Andrews threatened her in a phone call.
Gonzalez filed a complaint with the city attorney’s officer earlier this year alleging a hostile work environment after she said Andrews told her to “watch her back” or she might get hit by a bus.
An investigation was launched in May and closed in July, according to the City Attorney’s office. City officials have declined to comment on the investigation citing personnel matters.
In a statement released Friday, Gonzalez said the case was closed with “no explanation of the investigation details or process.”
“In my nearly ten years as a City employee, I have never experienced an issue like this,” she said. “As a City, we need to fully address our workplace practices/policies relative to employee threats and intimidation, the role of the City Attorney and the creation of accountability measures for all levels of government.”
Andrews, a third-term councilman who represents the 6th District, was elected vice mayor by his fellow council members in a split vote in July, after the alleged incident.
Andrews could not immediately be reached for comment.
According to a report from FORTHE Media, the incident started in May when Andrews allegedly became irritated after Gonzalez attended an April 27 fundraiser at VIP Create Space, which is an offshoot of World Famous VIP Records.
The iconic record store, which became a 7-Eleven last year, has long been a source of contention in the 6th District.
Andrews in a phone call to Gonzalez allegedly told her not to associate with VIP Records and said “watch your back or you’re going to get hit and killed by a bus.”
After the tense phone conversation, Andrews later left Gonzalez a voicemail in which he apparently tried to clarify his comments. The Long Beach Post obtained the voicemail, emails and text messages relating to the incident in a public records request.
Listen to the audio of Andrews’ phone call:
“I don’t think you would understand what I was trying to say,” Andrews said in the message. “There’s no disrespecting you, or anybody else on that dais. I was just trying to give you some heads up.”
Gonzalez followed up with a text message:
“Hi Dee I just hung up the phone and I’m actually really shocked by the way you talked to me… I need some time to process what you said but I would never talk to a colleague that way.”
In her statement on Friday, Gonzalez said she immediately filed a complaint with the city’s attorney’s office and did not attend that night’s city council meeting because she was “too upset.”
Gonzalez said it was unfortunate that the city closed its investigation without giving her an explanation.
“It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to feel unsafe in the workplace,” she said.
Reporter Stephanie Rivera contributed to this report.