Compton council censures Councilman Andre Spicer, revokes CalCard rights and strips committee roles

The City Council voted on May 26 to adopt a censure resolution against Councilmember Andre Spicer after review of an independent investigator’s findings that he had used the city CalCard for multiple purchases that were not clearly related to travel or authorized city business.

City legal counsel summarized the investigator’s conclusions, saying several charges lacked receipts or adequate documentation and that in multiple instances Spicer could not recall the purpose of charges. After council debate, members added modifications to the draft resolution to remove Councilmember Spicer from all city committees, boards and commissions and to strip the mayor pro tem title; the council then adopted the modified resolution.

The action revoked his CalCard rights, and the council directed staff to transmit the investigator’s report and related invoices to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and to the District Attorney’s Office for any further review. The resolution as adopted served as a formal legislative reprimand; it did not remove Spicer from office.

Council members who supported the resolution said the step is necessary to protect public funds and to restore public confidence; members who opposed or abstained cited procedural questions about how the item arrived on the agenda in the prior meeting. The city attorney explained that prior attempts to add the item required a two‑thirds majority under state open‑meeting rules; the item was properly placed on the current agenda for full council consideration.

The council’s vote also included administrative steps: department staff collected CalCards and secured them in the city manager’s office and staff stated any future CalCard program would need stricter controls if the program continues. The resolution did not specify a criminal finding; the council’s action is legislative and administrative; the matter was referred to law enforcement for any potential investigation.

The investigator’s report, staff materials, and the council resolution are to be maintained in the administrative record; the staff report did not provide a resolution number or criminal charges and the council did not assign one at the meeting.