Former Antioch Mayor Don Freitas announced he will be running for Antioch City Council in District 3 this November.
Although its long been rumored Freitas would run, he confirmed it publicly in a social media post after the release of a Contra Costa County Grand Jury report on the state of Antioch – including council behaviors. – read the report.
Here is his statement:
Let me state that I am a candidate for the Antioch City Council, District 3 seat on November 5th, 2024. As a life long resident of Antioch I have had the privilege of of representing our community in a number of elected and appointed positions such as Mayor from 2000 to 2008.
The direction of our City by the current Mayor Lamar Thorpe and some members of the present Council for the last several years has been an unmitigated disaster. And today, the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury has factually documented many of the issues facing us in a report entitled “Challenges Facing the City of Antioch”. It is a must read !!! I am asking all registered voters in Antioch to “vote for change” in this election.
We need new leadership that is concerned about the betterment of our residents instead of the political ambitions of a few elected officials that have effectively damaged our community. Get the report by logging in to Contra Costa News. And on November 5th support much needed positive change in Antioch.
In the 2012 election, Freitas was seeking election as Mayor, however, he took third place with 20.49% of the vote behind Wade Harper (40.77%) and Gary Agopian (32.79%). In 2008 election, Mayor Freitas lost re-election to Jim Davis in a tight race which was separated by just 475 votes.
Redistricting Took Ogorchock Out of District 3
The District 3 Council Seat will be vacant because there is no incumbent—as the Grand Jury Report stated, they believe a Brown Act Violation occurred on redistricting with Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Tamisha Torres-Walker and Monica Wilson meeting to tweak the lines to force Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock out of her District and placed her in District 4 with Wilson–it was approved in a 3-2 vote. Wilson (36.60%) defeated Ogorchock (27.88%) in the 2022 election.
During the March 2022 meeting, seven members of the public spoke and accused the council of blatant gerrymandering. To watch the 47:42 minute meeting, click here.
Antwon Webster Also Running for District 3.
Previously announced, Webster is also running for District 3. Webster was in the Air Force and currently serves as an active member on the City of Antioch’s Board of Administrative Appeals and community activist. His future priorities include public safety, development and financial accountability.
Previous Stories:
- July 2 – Barbanica Calls for Criminal Investigation, Asks Antioch Mayor, Councilmembers to Resign
- July 2 – Grand Jury Finds Evidence Antioch City Council Committed Brown Act Violations
3 comments
LOL. Is that picture of Don from 2004?
Personally I think the we should send the three block voting, behind our backs colluding council persons and mayor should be removed from office and redisticting go back to the old lines. That redistricting should have never happened. Such BS.
That’s how Democrats win. They cheat.
We all know it’s not on merit.
Wasn’t this lady down like 7 votes and they had a recount and she ends up winning
Weren’t they signing up homeless people to vote. How many had IDs?
This a big scandal. Antioch is a case study for all of this. They want to see what they can get away with before people start saying anything.
The police isn’t what it used to be. The mayor is incompetent and flat out stupid. The weather isn’t what it used to be.
What did they think was going to happen. Lawlessness and chaos that’s how they rule.
Let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture. A lady in another town in California gets run down from a robbery suspect.
Now you can’t shop here. What can you do without your life being at risk.
California is the biggest joke in the entire country and we are all complicit in it. A once majestic place has turned into a waste land with a bright spot here and there.
Its always they should be arrested or sued. It’s never have a brain and step down.
They made arrests joke and the entire law a joke.
But vote for us we have the solution because guess what we created the problem.
For being a beacon of the free society we sure do run a lot of corrupt regimes. America is as America says it is. Whether it’s bullshit or not.
That is our downfall.
What I want to happen doesn’t matter because at this point there may be no return.
Lawlessness everywhere. The once powerful nation is but a mere shadow of its self and we are living proof of it and experience it on a daily basis.
It doesn’t need to be like this but the people are wandering right into a Covid situation.
This President said he would attack the populace with f 15s. Outlandish what it is happening.
This is very cliche but this is the most important election of our life time.
Democrats are on the way out. We deserve better. It has to be a landslide so they can’t cheat.