Cleared of Sexual Harassment but not of Affairs

Ramos should resign from office even if the affair was consensual. He clearly has a problem knowing what is right and wrong and in a DA this is problematic.

San Bernardino County district attorney cleared of misconduct

10:00 PM PST on Friday, January 15, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

An investigation of San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos clears him of retaliating against an employee he allegedly had an affair with, according to a memo released by the county human resources department Friday.


The investigation, conducted by a Los Angeles law firm hired by the county, did not look into whether Ramos sexually harassed Cheryl Ristow, an investigative technician, because she described the alleged intimate relationship as consensual, the memo states. The report states that allegations that Ramos has had affairs were outside the scope of its investigation.

The memo is only a three-page summary of a 186-page report. The county counsel's office is still determining whether the full report should be released, the memo states.


Ristow, who has been on stress leave since July, said she and Ramos had a 17-month affair that ended in 2005 and that he and three other top officials retaliated against her last May when it appeared it would be made public. She filed a complaint in August.

The report found that disciplinary actions against her were based on verifiable concerns about her work and unrelated to any statements about Ramos she may have made.

In a statement, an attorney for Ramos welcomed the findings, saying they confirm that no harassment or inappropriate conduct occurred with Ristow.

"We denounce allegations of sexual harassment against Mike Ramos as politically trumped-up charges with no basis in fact or law," said Richard Marca, a Riverside attorney.

Ristow filed a legal claim last week seeking $1.5 million in damages for sexual harassment and retaliation.