Whistleblower Reinstated As Livingston City Manager Following Settlement
- Team
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2025
CONTACT: Max Szabo | (415) 828-6158
LIVINGSTON – The City of Livingston has reinstated Jose Ramirez as its City Manager. The decision was finalized at tonight’s City Council meeting, marking Ramirez’s official return to the role he previously held.
“This isn’t just about me, it’s about accountability and making sure public service is rooted in integrity,” said Jose Ramirez. “I’m ready to get back to work and refocus on what matters: serving the people of Livingston.”
According to court documents, Ramirez, who served as Livingston’s City Manager from 2011 until his termination in 2021, was fired after refusing to comply with unethical demands and reporting misconduct involving City Council members and officials. His allegations centered on a pattern of corruption involving former Councilmember Gagandeep Kang and his brother, Sergeant Wapinder Kang, who used their positions to pressure Ramirez into securing taxpayer-funded modifications to their private property.
“This case underscores why whistleblower protections matter and serve the public interest,” said Maria Bourn, Ramirez’s attorney. “When it is difficult to come forward it often doesn’t seem as if there can be light to the darkness yet there is.”
When Ramirez refused to comply with the councilmembers’ demands to renovate their properties with public funds, the Kang brothers threatened to fire city staff, withhold public funds, and manipulate political power to get their way. In response, Ramirez reported their actions to the City Attorney, Jose Sanchez, in August 2020. Instead of addressing the misconduct, the city retaliated by subjecting Ramirez to unwarranted performance evaluations and ultimately removing him from his position.
The lawsuit also revealed allegations of ballot tampering in the November 2020 election. Residents and city employees reported that the Kang brothers collected signed but unfilled ballots and filled them out for their preferred candidates. Ramirez reported these concerns to the City Elections Office, the District Attorney, and the FBI.
In addition to the political manipulation and financial misconduct, the case exposed other alarming incidents. Sergeant Wapinder Kang was involved in a pedestrian collision but faced no disciplinary action. Former Councilmember Kang was also accused of making crude and sexually inappropriate remarks to a former Chief of Police Ruben Chavez. Furthermore, while serving on the council, Kang participated
In deposition videos, Mayor Jose Moran recounts how the Kang brothers attempted to recruit him into a political scheme that involved ballot harvesting. In a separate video from Mayor Moran’s Youtube, he details another incident in which Sergeant Kang attempted to bribe the City Attorney. These revelations add further weight to the evidence of misconduct and underscore the extent to which Livingston officials allegedly abused their power.
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Gomerman|Bourn and Associates specializes in employment law and personal injury cases. Since opening its doors in 2012, they have recovered well over $100 million for their clients. To learn more about Gomerman|Bourn and Associates, visit www.gobolaw.com
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