FBI Searches County Assessor’s Office, Personal Residences Tuesday

A team of FBI agents executed a series of search warrants at private homes and the Contra Costa County Assessor’s office Tuesday.

Agents declined to specify who or what they were looking for though a bureau spokesperson confirmed warrants had been served at the assessors office at 2530 Arnold Drive in Martinez, the home of longtime Assessor Gus Kramer on West Arlington Street in Martinez, as well as Assistant county Assessor Vince Robb’s home on Temple Drive in Pacheco.

Kramer spoke to reporters gathered at the assessor’s office, saying: “Apparently, low people in high places are attempting to weaponize the FBI to intimidate the assessment’s office regarding some properties’ values, on some very large properties. It’s really too bad.”

Kramer said the FBI had also executed a warrant at his home.

“I say, I used to work for the sheriff’s office. I understand what they’re doing, but all they had to do was come into the office and ask for it politely. We would have given them everything they wanted,” Kramer told KTVU.

Kramer has faced accusations by law enforcement in the past but has never been charged with a crime or removed from office. He is currently serving out the remainder of his eighth term and will officially retire in December.

A grand jury accused Kramer of “willful or corrupt misconduct in office” in 2019, the accusation stemming from an alleged hostile work environment he allegedly contributed to from 2013 to 2019.

Kramer said at the time he was the victim of “political persecution.” The case ultimately resulted in a mistrial.