El Cajon – A protracted legal showdown between former city councilmember Ben Kalasho and the City of El Cajon has entered a new phase. Kalasho, who resigned from the council in 2019, claims the city is targeting him with code‑enforcement actions and is now seeking to hold Mayor Bill Wells in contempt of court.
Background of the dispute
The city alleges Kalasho made unpermitted improvements to a residence he owns, imposing daily fines that eventually exceeded $2.5 million, according to the Union‑Tribune. Kalasho denies the allegations, stating, “None of it is true.” He has filed a counter‑complaint asserting he is a political target.
Trust controversy
Complicating matters, part of the disputed property was placed in a trust managed by Maximilian Von Ayers. City attorneys argue that Von Ayers does not exist and that Kalasho fabricated the individual. Kalasho maintains that Von Ayers is a real person residing in Germany and notes that trust managers are often difficult to reach.
Previous court actions
In 2020, a court reportedly ordered Kalasho to pay $300,000 to multiple plaintiffs for alleged defamation and fraud, a judgment Kalasho says was never issued. He also served an eight‑day jail sentence in 2023 for contempt after failing to appear in court, which he contends was due to the court demanding documents he did not possess.
Current move against the mayor
Kalasho’s latest tactic is to request that Mayor Bill Wells be held in contempt for allegedly refusing to answer additional deposition questions related to the code‑enforcement case. A prior deposition of Wells lasted less than an hour, and the court found that insufficient. The city’s attorneys sought a postponement, which the court denied, according to docket filings. A hearing on the contempt motion is scheduled for January.
Mayor’s response
Mayor Wells, while limited in comment due to ongoing litigation, described the allegation that he is “picking on” Kalasho as “ludicrous” and said he does not focus on the former councilmember.
Local political context
The dispute unfolds amid a busy local political season. NBC San Diego’s Joey Safchik is hosting a series of interviews with candidates for city council, state senate, and other offices, including former San Diego city attorney Mara Elliott, former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey, and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones. Safchik also highlighted upcoming events such as the Politifest debate on Measure B, a county‑wide sales‑tax measure.
Residents interested in the legal battle or upcoming local elections can follow the docket filings or attend the scheduled hearings. For further information, contact the Politics Report at the email addresses provided in the original source.
Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.
