Police raids of the clubs drew national attention and sparked questions about the propriety of the tactics involved. Police RaidsĪ different kind of raid at two Kearny Mesa strip clubs in 20 also generated headlines and led to legal action. Lance Malone, Galardi’s lobbyist, was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison. At his sentencing, he apologized for embarrassing San Diego. Michael Galardi, the former owner of Cheetahs strip club, pleaded guilty to bribing politicians both in San Diego and Nevada. Former Councilman Charles Lewis died in 2004 prior to the trial. Three members of the San Diego City Council were indicted in 2003 for allegedly taking illegal campaign contributions from a strip club owner in exchange for promising they would work to lift the city’s so-called “no touch” ordinance prohibiting nude dancers from touching patrons.įormer Councilman Ralph Inzunza was convicted in 2005 and later served nearly two years in federal custody.įormer Councilman Michael Zucchet was convicted as well, but a federal judge threw out seven of Zucchet’s convictions and the other two were later dismissed. StrippergateĮvents surrounding the local exotic dancing industry drew frequent headlines back in the early-to-mid 2000s as a result of the infamous “Strippergate” public corruption case that featured a federal raid of San Diego City Hall and ensnared local politicians. The wild scene was the latest in what is likely to be a year-long battle over Gonzalez’s legislation.īut it was far from the first time the exotic dancing industry has landed at the center of prominent political and legal issues in San Diego, and it is unlikely to be the last. “My bill has nothing do with the state of your employment,” Gonzalez said. She told them that they should already be classified as employees due to other court rulings and laws in place. Gonzalez, with supporters nearby holding signs in favor of the bill that said “#Disrupt Inequality!”, engaged with the protestors. The San Diego Democrat’s legislation in question, AB 5, would codify into law the California Supreme Court’s 2018 Dynamex decision that makes it more difficult for employers to classify workers as independent contractors. The roughly 25 exotic dancers, whose signs said things such as “stripped of our independence” and “make stripping great again,” oppose a Gonzalez bill they believe would force them to become employees rather than independent contractors. Sign-holding strippers chanted, “Strip my clothes, not my rights,” during a protest outside Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s downtown San Diego office Thursday. Photo by Adriana Heldiz Local exotic dancers protest outside of Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s office in downtown San Diego. Local exotic dancers protest outside of Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s office in downtown San Diego. Brews & News: Voice of San Diego Live Podcasts.Strippers Keep Stealing San Diego’s Political Spotlight | Voice of San Diego Close
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