Outside attorney found Pérez campaigned during classroom appearance, made divisive comments at board meeting

A divided College of the Desert Board of Trustees voted Thursday to issue a warning to Trustee Rubén Pérez, finding that he inappropriately used a classroom appearance to campaign for his own re-election and, on another occasion, made disrespectful comments about a fellow trustee that created divisiveness on the board.

The vote resolved multiple ethics complaints, including one filed by the subject of those comments, Trustee Joel Kinnamon. A board subcommittee appointed to review the complaints hired an outside attorney to investigate.

The vote fell along established political lines, with Pérez and Trustee Bea Gonzalez opposed to issuing the warning and Kinnamon in favor, along with Trustees Bonnie Stefan and Ron Oden. During the meeting, Pérez said from the board dais: “I don’t agree, but I understand what’s going on here.” He made no further comment.

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