San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman, one of two Inland Empire politicians whose offices and homes were searched by the FBI last week, is taking a step back from political life, for now.
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”While I do not believe I have done anything that warrants modifying my role as a public servant, I recognize that the ongoing attention surrounding me has the potential to distract from the important work of the county and the organizations I have been privileged to serve,” Hagman wrote in a letter to Dawn Rowe, chairperson of the board of supervisors. “For that reason, I am planning to temporarily reduce my involvement in the Boards, Committees, and Commissions to which I have been appointed while focusing on the duties I was elected by the voters to perform as a member of the Board of Supervisors.”
The letter was released Tuesday afternoon by San Bernardino County in response to a request from this news organization.
Hagman was first elected to the board in 2014 and currently serves on at least 18 committees, including the Inland Empire Health Plan, Inland Empire Public Facilities Corporation, Omnitrans Board of Directors, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The decision “reflects my desire to ensure these organizations can continue their important work without unnecessary distraction while I remain focused on fulfilling my responsibilities as county supervisor. I will continue to be fully engaged in serving my constituents and carrying out of the duties entrusted to me by the voters,” Hagman’s letter continued.
He represents the Fourth District, which covers the west end of San Bernardino County including Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Ontario and Upland.
Hagman did not attend Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting, the first since the FBI raids.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve on these boards and commissions,” Hagman wrote. “I am not stepping away from these important assignments for long and am eager to continue to serve the residents of San Bernardino County with the same dedication and commitment they have entrusted me to provide.”
In addition to Hagman’s Chino Hills home and district office, federal agents also served search warrants at the Ontario home of that city’s Mayor Pro Tem Alan Wapner. The Rancho Cucamonga home and Ontario office of attorney Frank Lizarraga were also searched, as were the West Covina home and office of James Su, the founder and president of EDI Media Inc., a Chinese-language media company. Subpoenas were also served at Ontario City Hall and Ontario International Airport.
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The FBI has not said what it was searching for, only saying the warrants are sealed. No one has been arrested or indicted in connection with the July 28 raids.
The operations follow federal probes alleging ties between local government officials and agents of the Chinese government. In May, former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned from the city council after she was charged with acting as an agent of the Chinese government.
Hagman and Wapner are strong proponents of Ontario International Airport and both have been part of the successful effort to return the airport to local control after decades of it being managed by Los Angeles. They both serve on the Ontario International Airport Authority board, Wapner as president and Hagman as vice president.
Hagman has been involved in Inland Empire politics for more than 25 years. He was appointed to the Chino Hills Parks and Recreation Commission in 2000, then spent a term on the Chino Hills City Council, starting in 2004, including a year as mayor in 2008. That was followed by six years in the Assembly, including serving as Assembly Republican Leader. He left that office in 2014 due to term limits and was elected to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors the same year.
The political fallout from the FBI raids has also affected another member of his family. Ontario Planning Commission Jonathan Hagman, Curt’s son, announced Monday, Aug. 3 he was withdrawing his bid for Ontario City Council.
“After careful consideration, I have made the decision to withdraw from the race for City Council to focus on my family,” Jonathan Hagman wrote on Instagram. “My commitment to Ontario residents, however, remains unchanged.”
Jonathan Hagman, who was appointed to the Planning Commission in February, had announced his candidacy for City Council District 3 on July 15.
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More on the FBI raids
- FBI serves warrants at locations tied to elected officials in San Bernardino County
- Who is Curt Hagman, fixture in San Bernardino County politics linked to FBI probe?
- FBI raids share threads with investigations into Chinese influence in Southern California
- Ontario City Council election upended amid FBI probe linked to candidate’s father
- Curt Hagman doesn’t attend first county supervisors meeting after FBI raids