Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Date: March 18, 2018 at 12:21:21 PM PDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Greetings

Council member Gordo,

I am requesting a conversation with you. I own property in your district and will be a part of many
developments over the years in Pasadena and even larger developments in many of the San Gabriel
Valley cities. I am engraining myself into the business communities and am not reaching out to harp
on cannabis. I would like to have a chance for you to meet me and see more about what I am
working on from restaurants, hospitality, to cannabis. I feel under different circumstances I would
be a asset to the city. I am hopeful for a conversation.

Regards,
Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120

From: Shaun Szameit <[email protected]>

Date: August 9, 2018 at 1:22:47 PM PDT
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: Request to Speak

Coucilmember Gordo,

My name is Shaun Szameit, I am kindly requesting the ability to speak with you. I am asking for 20
minutes of your time to explain my side of this story and the timeline of what has transpired since
2009 when I was first introduced to the medical cannabis program and began my efforts in
Pasadena.

I am a strong member of this community and want to be involved for a very long time. I have been
accepted by the business community and have made my street a more productive and valuable
corridor with my business operating. There are thousands of Pasadena residents, literally thousands
that support my efforts and can show clearly that I am the only actual medical only facility.

I have consistently separated myself from the other operators in this city which I need to point out
that they opened after your 2016 ban which was properly adopted. 90% of the other dispensaries in
this city are illegally selling recreational marijuana which is against state law and they are an easy
target for enforcement however the city is doing nothing about it. I follow the cannabis state law to
the letter and have never engaged in any of the practices of everyone else in this city that has
attempted to operate during a ban.

I was the first Union endorsed United Food and Commercial Workers organization in the San
Gabriel Valley, and now have union facilities in multiple jurisdictions. Pasadena is where I spend my
life and to not be included in this city would be a devastating blow to the young career that I have

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

dedicated my short adult life towards. I can be an asset and have the desire to be involved and give
back.

I am not attempting to forcefully convince you of anything but purely am requesting to be able to
explain the details that have resulted in this process and what differentiates myself.

I look forward to hopefully speaking.

Regards,
Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120
•

Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 11:03 AM

To: Gordo, Victor <[email protected]>
Cc: De La Cuba, Vannia <[email protected]>
Subject: Contact Request from Website
Name : Shaun Szameit
Phone: 6262535120
Email: [email protected]
Message:
Following up in regards to confirming a time next week to sit down
with Councilmember Gordo. My name is Shaun Szameit and I spoke
to him at the town hall meeting. He requested I coordinate with you
Vannia for the time and place. I believe he said there was a trial that
made him unavailable this week. Is it possible to confirm next
weeks day and time? Thank you very much. Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120
•
On Oct 24, 2018, at 6:05 PM, De La Cuba, Vannia
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Shaun,
Victor is unable to meet next week. I'll work with him to get some
possible dates/times for the second week of November and get those
to you as quickly as possible.

Kindly,
Vannia

Vannia De La Cuba
Field Representative to Councilmember Victor M. Gordo

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

City of Pasadena – District 5

100 N. Garfield Ave. | 2nd Floor, Rm. S228 |Pasadena, CA 91109
Tel: (626) 744-4741 | Fax (626) 398-1836 |
Email: [email protected]
•
On Dec 4, 2018, at 10:16 AM, Shaun <[email protected]> wrote:

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Good morning, I was told in person that a meeting for Coffee was going to
happen and I have patiently waiting since October 15th. If the intent is to
not follow through with this please just let me know courteously. I respect
the busy schedule you must have and hope that a dialogue is possible
considering that I am a huge Union supporter and have multiple labor peace
agreements established in various municipalities and I see your a very
commendable union attorney. I believe it’s in the best interest of all to have
a open conversation, it’s very long overdue.
Regards and Warm Wishes
Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120
•
From: Shaun <[email protected]>
Date: December 6, 2018 at 5:29:17 PM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Request to speak

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Good evening,

Will you please call me or sit down to speak? I just saw Council member Wilson at the Playhouse
Association meeting and he told me to contact you and that you would speak with me. I appreciate
your time, thank you in advance.

Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120

On Dec 7, 2018, at 7:28 PM, Gordo, Victor <[email protected]> wrote:

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

Shaun: You are correct: I did tell you I would meet with you. However, the existing
litigation presents a problem. Notwithstanding that, I will keep my word to you and
tour your facility under the conditions we not discuss the ordinance or any legal
issues. Victor
•
From: Shaun <[email protected]>
Date: December 12, 2018 at 1:30:52 PM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Loss for words

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Swat team is arresting my employees and taking everything I own as we speak. This is so unfair I
promised to close at the end of the year if I want given an opportunity. My life is being ruined
now. I apologize for the text but I’m completely heartbroken I am sitting here with my daughter
and completely shocked.

I really wanted to be a part of this community. I won’t reopen like the other did, I was in the
process of liquidating the inventory to empty the location for the 1st of the year and lost at least
75,000 today. So many medical only patients visited every single day. The city clearly doesn’t want
me. Thank you for your response I appreciate that very much.

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Date: December 12, 2018 at 6:51:27 PM PST
To: "Gordo, Victor" <[email protected]>
Subject: Urgent request from constituent

I am a human being and I earnestly was trying to do the right thing. Why could we not have a
conversation? I was willing to shut down the minute you told me in person that what I had to say
wasn’t enough. Why was I not worth the time sir? How is this not punitive? Was this purely to put
me in my place? I was in the process of closing and liquidating, I wanted to give my staff an
appreciative holiday bonus for their efforts all this time before I closed my doors and told them to
expect to have to close or relocate on the 1st, we were liquidating medical inventory so I could give
them income for the grace period they would not have a job. Now they have no paycheck for
Christmas and were blasted in the newspaper with their names and pIctures. We all have
children! We are not marijuana dealers! I expect as my councilman for you to give me a
conversation. Why can all your colleagues and you cannot? Sir I am not angry this happened, my
position hasn’t changed, please meet with me.

Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120
•

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Date: December 17, 2018 at 7:53:41 AM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Lunch

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Do you have the ability to meet with me today to discuss before going to closed session? I will go
anywhere. I feel there is more information that could help in the decision making and bring light to
certain aspects.

Regards,
Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120
•

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Date: December 17, 2018 at 10:49:14 PM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Prayers for your family

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I just wanted to send you a note to let you know your family is in our prayers, the mayor stated you
had a family emergency this evening and we pray all is well. At the end of the day family is all that
matters.

Warm wishes
Shaun Szameit

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2019 9:08 AM
To: Gordo, Victor; De La Cuba, Vannia
Subject: Request to meet
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Good morning Council Member,

Good morning, I hope your health and family are well as you were not in attendance for the
second time unfortunately at the timing of public demonstration directly reflecting decisions

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

you pushed for. I urge you to be compelled to put aside 15 minutes to have a cup of coffee
and discuss the future direction of the city of Pasadena. This is going too far and there is
absolutely no excuse to completely ignore a request from your constituent to meet for
years. This is unprofessional and condescending, your able to put aside time to look for a
canine in the community for appearances however we have thousands of residents begging
you for a change in the unjust cannabis regulations.

It’s not too late to do what’s right.

Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120

From: "Recall Gordo" <[email protected]>

Date: Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 3:55 PM -0800
Subject: Recall Victor Gordo District 5 City of Pasadena

Victor Gordo puts his personal profits ahead of the people of Pasadena. He is unresponsive to calls
and correspondence, and inaccessible to community members and constituents. He
misses Council meetings. Gordo avoids police brutality issues because the police officers’ union is
his largest financial contributor. Gordo’s conflict of interest as a rental property landlord impedes
addressing homelessness or consideration of rent control and just cause, despite local support
evidenced by Pasadena’s Yes on measure 10 vote in November 2018. He opposed placing affordable
housing in NW Pasadena, suggesting instead that the
“overconcentration of affordable housing” is blight. His objection was noted specifically to Heritage
Square South, a project for homeless seniors on city-owned land, delaying consideration of it for at
least a year, while homelessness rises amongst seniors. Gordo referred local cannabis legislation to a
committee that he chaired so h e could write a law that punishes state compliant cannabis operators.
Gordo seeks to bring in outside cannabis operators, even if they have been cited for violations in
other cities but bans Pasadena-based operators if they were cited for violations. Victor Gordo is out
of touch with his constituents and should be recalled!

Residents willing to post lawn signs please respond to this email and they will be delivered.
Please come and speak at the upcoming city council meetings. We are organized and will succeed!
We deserve a better District 5 Representative that cares about his residents, all residents!

From: Shaun <[email protected]>

Date: January 28, 2019 at 10:52:50 PM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Urgent request

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unless you know the content is safe.

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 Emails to Councilman Victor Gordo from illegal pot deal Shaun Szameit

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Please as my council member speak with me and help me resolve my issues. Please give me a chance
to clear my name. I am not asking you to discuss pending litigation, I am asking for your help. I
will help anyone in this city and I want to build your supporters. I am not saying you need it
however I believe we could do great things in district 5. I want to build the community, these are
not just words I mean it. I will prove it with action.

Shaun Szameit
626-253-5120