Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil cheapens her office with her vengeful behavior | Opinion
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sen. Alvarado-Gil was reprimanded for retaliating against Supervisor Condit.
- Workplace Conduct Unit confirmed violations of Senate rules on retaliation.
- Alvarado-Gil deflected findings, ignoring calls for public apology and accountability.
Nearly two years ago when newly elected state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil held a public swearing in ceremony in Modesto, Stanislaus County Supervisor Channce Condit was full of praise for the Democrat who won in the heavily Republican 4th District.
“I dare to say that electing María Alvarado-Gil was one of the best things we could have done in the interest of Stanislaus County because our county knows what it’s like to be counted out,” Condit told a group of about 100 who gathered in October 2023 at the Modesto Irrigation District offices. “We have an advocate who’s not going to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Alvarado-Gil, who lived in Condit’s supervisorial district, invited Condit to her 2023 holiday fundraiser and wished him a happy Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to Modesto Bee reporter Julietta Bisharyan. At her public swearing-in event, she called Condit “my new supervisor.”
Things have changed since then, including Alvarado-Gil switching to the Republican Party in August 2024. The state legislator accused Condit of conspiring with his father, Chad Condit, to secure $5 million in state funding for infrastructure improvements in south Modesto.
That accusation was made after Chad Condit filed a complaint against Alvarado-Gil, alleging she forced him to perform sexual favors for her, one of which resulted in a serious back injury. Alvarado-Gil fired Chad Condit in December 2023.
Last week, the state Senate formally reprimanded Alvarado-Gil for retaliating against the Condits following an investigation by the Workplace Conduct Unit (WCU). It found that the state senator violated the Legislature’s Policy on Appropriate Workplace Conduct by filing retaliatory complaints with the attorney general and Stanislaus County.
The ruling did not substantiate the harassment claims the supervisor’s father made against the state senator.
Our conclusion: Alvarado-Gil owes Channce Condit an apology for her childish retribution against another public official, one she happily called “my new supervisor” at her public swearing-in ceremony. She also owes an apology to the more than 1 million residents in her district for engaging in a personal vendetta that does nothing to help the district.
What did Alvarado-Gil do?
In May 2024, the state senator requested a Stanislaus County investigation of Supervisor Condit for violation of county ethics and conflict of interest policies.
“It is my position that Supervisor Condit has eroded public trust with my office and the State of California by engaging in self-dealing with my former Chief of Staff, Chad Condit,” Alvarado-Gil said in her request. “Supervisor Condit is the son of Mr. Condit, and both were cohabitants at the time of the transaction, and both were in positions to benefit financially.”
A month earlier, she had asked the state Department of Justice to investigate the authorization of the $5 million in state funding for sidewalks, streetlights and other improvements in south Modesto. That department suggested Alvarado-Gil contact her local district attorney or other agencies because it “does not have the resources to investigate every allegation of misconduct.”
Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero declined to investigate, saying “there is no indication of criminal activity or any other circumstance” that falls within his department’s jurisdiction. The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office received Alvarado-Gil’s complaint and referred her to the state Attorney General’s Office because the allegations “appeared to involve multiple jurisdictions.”
Channce Condit, in a statement to The Modesto Bee, called on Alvarado-Gil to issue a formal and public apology to him and “on behalf of the residents of south Modesto, who endured unnecessary stress and uncertainty because of her false claims.”
Alvarado-Gil did not respond to questions about the sustained retaliation allegation, which is what led to her reprimand.
She should not be quiet about the findings against her. She should apologize to Channce Condit and district residents for behavior that is unfit for a state lawmaker.
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This story was originally published July 22, 2025 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil cheapens her office with her vengeful behavior | Opinion."