Attorney Marc Carlos and his client, former Chula Vista Councilman Steve Castaneda, discuss an alleged 2005 phone call between District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and then-Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla. According to inewsource, Padilla and Dumanis discussed the filling of a vacant council seat. Padilla said he would be unable to support the DA’s choice.
Weeks after the conversation the city council was investigated on a separate matter and Castaneda would later be indicted for perjury. Had they known about the conversation, Carlos would have asked the DA’s office to recuse itself from prosecuting Castaneda.