Shasta supervisors offer CEO job to leader of 'New California' secessionist group
The vice president of a movement that wants to split California into two states, has been offered the Shasta County executive officer's job, officials announced Tuesday.
Chriss Street, a leader of the New California movement, was one of seven candidates who interviewed for the position last month.
Street was one of seven candidates for the job. A panel that included the five county supervisors, department heads and residents interviewed the finalists on Feb. 25-26.
Street is the former Orange County treasurer-tax collector who decided not to run for reelection in 2010, the same year Street was ordered to pay more than $7 million in damages for allegedly mismanaging a trust, according to the Los Angeles Times.
New California is a rival to the State of Jefferson movement, which has enjoyed support in the North State. Both groups want to split the state, but in different ways.
Street is the host of the syndicated radio show Agenda 21, an activist movement that wants to stop what it calls the totalitarian take over of the United States.
And he has written articles for far-right-leaning Breitbart.
At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, several residents who were in attendance spoke out against hiring Street as the new CEO.
"I think it would be devastating for this county to have that particular individual appointed to CEO being that he had a judgment against him for $7 million," Steven Kohn said. "You want to bring the community together and you want trust, that is not the way do it. I can't imagine you bringing this guy in creating more trust in Shasta County. I think it would do exactly the opposite."
David Maung, a spokesman for Shasta County, said that after interviews by a temporary advisory committee, Street was ranked number one by three members of the committee and number two by a fourth member of the group, Maung said in an email.
"A majority of the Board of Supervisors extended a preliminary offer of employment to Mr. Street, contingent on the completion of a background investigation in accordance with legal requirements. That background investigation is in progress. A final appointment is yet to be made," Maung said.
Maung went on to say that the board also voted 5-0 to investigate who leaked confidential information from a closed-door session among the supervisors. The investigation will be conducted by the County Counsel's Office, Maung said.
Maung's email did not say what confidential information was released, but denied that Street was "soundly" rejected by the advisory committee. He also said there was no information presented in closed session about Street being divorced.
"Regardless, any such information about Mr. Street’s marital status is irrelevant to the board’s decision, and any decision based on an applicant’s marital status is prohibited by state law," Maung said.
The county has operated with interim CEOs since Matt Pontes stepped down from the position in June 2022.
Pontes resigned after only two years on the job. Soon after stepping down, Pontes took a job as timber giant Sierra Pacific Industries’ first director of wildfire and fuels management.
Pontes’ time as county executive officer was marked by the pandemic that turned supervisors' meetings into a focal point for audience anger over state and federal health restrictions.
His decision to resign came about a month after he told the Record Searchlight he planned to stay in his job despite Jones' efforts to "blackmail" him and destroy his career with information about a 28-year-old felony conviction.
Record Searchlight reporter David Benda contributed to the story.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County offers CEO job to leader of California secessionist group
