An Investigative Series by The Chief
Folks we have chronicled the fall of my fellow Dominican University of California alumni Dominic Foppoli over the last few months. We are putting a bow on the series today with a summary and concluding thoughts on the former mayor of Windsor.
Dominic has been accused of rape/sexual assault by 9 women publicly, we believe there have been at least 30 privately. We also believe that number is closer to 60 or 100 when you take into account most survivors never come public with their story. Foppoli finally stepped down as Mayor when a celebrity of MTV fame, Farrah Abraham, came forward publicly and said she had turned over digital, and I believe, video evidence to local police in Florida.
Like any coward, Foppoli resigned on a Friday, the slowest day in the news cycle and one most folks pay zero attention to. However, this does not stop the upcoming criminal and civil suits against Foppoli, the town of Windsor, and his family winery. Truth be told, his resignation should have come a long while ago.
You see Dominic is a larger-than-life character who fancies himself relevant, he wore a sash emblazoned with the word “mayor” like he was Mayor Quimby or something.
He also had polo shirts and a jacket custom made with his name and the word “mayor” on them. This is typically not sanctioned, but Ken McNab doesn’t have a brain, so Dominic got a free pass. Seriously Windsor has a population of around 30k, my hometown has one over 170k and hardly anyone cares about our mayor. Dominic wanted the title and the power that comes along with it. This was evident when he was telling folks to “mute or unmute” when they spoke at the infamous council meeting where the council was voting to ask him to resign. It came to my attention last night that Dominic tried to bully out Rosa Reynoza when she was going to run for mayor in 2020. Dominic told Reynoza that he would “get way more votes than her, and he would make several campaign donations in her name to local charities if she bowed out.” This is illegal use of campaign funds and speaks to the character of this wannabe “Godfather type character.” All this for a job paying 10k a year by the way. Makes sense when you find out he drove a Range Rover with a custom plate reading “DOMSRANGE,” he was also quite proud of his white Tesla.
In reality, he was just a real-life version of a character from the movie Wedding Crashers.
He never wanted to be involved in that dance club or Active 20-30 for legitimate reasons, he couldn’t care less. He needed dumb titles and meaningless committee assignments in order to go to the conventions and pick up chicks. He would find a victim, ply them with alcohol, and likely add a date rape drug, and wait for it to take its course. If that failed, the only other play in his playbook was to wait until he found someone too drunk to stand and “become the good guy” by walking them to his room or diverting the Uber/Lyft cab to his personal residence. Thus, giving the victim no chance of escape. Even more cowardly, he would claim he had video footage of the deed that he held over the head of the survivor as leverage. Quite the sick human this Foppoli is huh?
We interviewed a former girl friend of mine who is a criminal defense lawyer in the Bay Area County of Alameda. She told me Dominic is in a heap big trouble and he didn’t realize it until it was too late. His comments about the women amounted to “they wanted it” or “well they seduced me” are not going to work in front of a jury. Worse yet, he instructed Robert Stryk to make claims of a sex tape and he has, in a sense, called the victims “alcoholics, philanders, and adulterers.” Hate to break it to you, but none of that matters, only the events of the night in question matter. She told me the firm she worked for would likely only take a case like this on a large retainer and would need to convince the client that he likely is looking at an unfavorable plea deal at best. If he thinks attacking the survivors at trial is smart, he will get an even harsher sentence, most judges are none too lenient on sex crimes, especially a serial rapist like Foppoli. Worse yet Foppoli thinks a defense of “it was all consensual” will work, not likely when 9 women are all reciting the same story without any of them knowing one another. It’s over Dominic.
What we think will happen: We think Dominic is toast as far as Florida is concerned. It seems as if Abraham handed over plenty of evidence and likely it comes down to how many crimes he will be charged with. The holdup is they are likely waiting on California. We feel CA is dragging its feet because Dominic has played so many games in the past. As things sit currently in CA, it comes down to 2 witnesses the night Esther Lemus was assaulted/raped. The two folks are Amy Holter and Chris Grabill. Holter and Grabill are not being charged with any crimes, nor do we believe either will be, but both were present during the assault/rape of Lemus. Holter is a former girlfriend of Foppoli’s and Grabill a friend. Both are saying the right things publicly and are “cooperating with the police” but what does that really mean? Seems like, if they were cooperating fully, Dominic would be in handcuffs doing the perp walk? Florida is waiting, and will swoop in if CA fails to act, or do anything. Remember this, Deb Fudge, Ken McNab, and Ruben Martinez have helped Dominic at every turn so far, why would they stop now? Think I’m joking? Ask yourself this question, how many folks do you know like Dominic who were allowed to roam free after 9 women have come forward accusing them of rape/assault? Bet you can’t name anyone.
The good news is FL has no allegiance to Dominic hence the reason he stepped down immediately. He now knows his number 1 job is to fight these charges and he is dispatching his small group of friends to do so. One thing is for certain, he will be charged and convicted in CA, FL or both places. We feel he will be getting about 10 years of hard time in jail and will be forced to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. It seems like both states are trying to feel each other out, if CA moves first, FL likely hits him with a fine and minimal jail time to be served at the same time as CA and a felony. If FL moves first, it will be a very strict, as the crime with the most evidence happened on their soil. Disclosure: I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV. I’m going off what my friend told me.
Some closing thoughts on his enablers: I really hope some of you take the time to grow up or disappear from this earth. Dominic, through your aiding/abetting and ignoring, has raped/sexually assaulted 9 women. To the former editor who spiked the story at the Press Democrat, by my count 4 additional women were assaulted/raped after you refused to run the story. Deb Fudge I hope your career goes up in flames. You are a joke of a human and a horrific actor. You personally enabled Dominic by spiking the emailed complaint directed to you about your “protégé.” Ken McNab, you are lucky that government jobs exist because in the real world, I don’t think you would even be hired to work the overnight shift at a Jack in the Box once folks find out about you covering Dominic’s rear better than an adult diaper.
Ruben Martinez and Mark Essick, I truly hope for both your sakes that Dominic is charged and convicted in FL and CA. I guess you could save face slightly if your department ends up arresting him. What truly is sad is that Fudge, Martinez, and Essick took an oath upon being elected/sworn in as an officer/councilmember to protect your fellow citizens from all enemies both foreign and domestic…. Just to point this out, you allowed a domestic enemy (rapist) to wreak havoc on your home city/county. Let that sink in.
Just for the record here, I want to let you in on some of the witnesses/people I spoke to regarding Mr. Foppoli. A Lyft driver who constantly ferried folks to and from his parties at his Christopher Creek Winery after hours. This person told me that the parties were constant, drunken debauchery with Dominic making crude comments toward most women present. A vendor who made frequent stops at his winery now refuses to step foot anywhere near his properties after hearing the way he speaks to his own staff and talk about other women. Some of Foppoli’s comments (to his female staff mind you) included: “What is your cup size” “Do thongs hurt you or feel like a wedgie?” “Let’s have a guess what underwear you’re wearing contest!” and my personal favorite line of his “are they real or fake? Can I touch them?” Yeah, this guy is one sick puppy dog. Keep in mind these statements were made to staffers likely between the ages of 21-30 by a male who was 33-38, this makes him a disgusting creep. I was also told he would threaten termination or retaliation should they go to HR. I would love to see the personnel files and get the opportunity to reach out to former tasting room workers between say, the ages 18-33, as to why they voluntarily separated from the winery. Dominic fancied himself as a real-life Van Wilder of National Lampoon fame, too bad this ain’t Hollywood.
More disturbingly, we spoke to two folks who witnessed the same behavior from 2 campaigns of his. One while running for mayor, the other for State Assembly. During the campaign for mayor, Dominick made crude comments to two 17-year-old volunteers. Check this statement out “I want to apologize for my large (manhood) and I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, but I do like showing it off.” WOW. I spoke to another person who was on the ill-fated Assembly campaign. This person spoke of Dominic making similar crude remarks. Again, to underage co-eds, saying he “only buys magnum sized condoms (if you’re curious, magnum is the largest/biggest condom made) so it’s a reference to his large “manhood.” He also spoke about how he likes wearing tight pants to show it off. The sick part, his campaign manager, who he named by name (her maiden name), was a couple feet away, laughing and joking about the matter. Disgusting.
Is there a single grown adult around Dominic? The answer is no. The folks—McNab, Fudge, Martinez, Essick, and his former Assembly campaign manager—feel a close connection to Dominic. They ignored his behavior and in the case of some, encouraged it more. You see, around rapists like Dominic, there are naïve folks, just the way the rapist wants it. Dominic needed you more then you needed him, he could comp you wine or whatnot, he just needed you to look the other way. Each of you willingly did. Sadly, if any of you were to jump from the height Dominic has inflated your ego and fall the distance necessary to land on your actual IQ, the fall would kill you instantly. Dominic needed a group of useful idiots. You all had no idea, but he carefully recruited you, vetted you, and lured you into his web of deceit. How else would you explain McNab, Fudge, Essick, and Martinez stonewalling investigations and papering over email complaints from constituents? How would you explain this one? Shortly after the Chronicle article, his former campaign manager called me hyperventilating as she told me that she saw “so many bad things” during Foppoli’s campaign for Assembly yet in the next breath saying that I can’t use her name on any post about Dominic because she still communicates with Dominic on social media and wants to remain his friend! This was less than 3 months ago! The answer to all these questions is easy, you all support his lifestyle and behavior, only when he became toxic did some of you publicly denounce him. Shame on all of you, you all have blood on your hands.
We consider this the final post on this issue. Thank you for your time, and mostly I want to thank the former campaign manager for sharing my blog with Dominic and his “friend.” I don’t want to name his name since apparently just the word “Liam” triggers a “cease and desist letter.” Keep in mind I never knew Liam’s last name, nor his involvement with Dominic necessitated hiring a lawyer until the lawyer told us. Due to your wanting to alert Dominic and his friend, this blog went viral. We got over 900 hits in one day! Even better, 2 local papers picked it up, as well as the attorney for the survivors. I was even told it was the “talk of the town.” Thanks to you helping Dominic, you made this blog famous in a county I think I have only stepped foot in once! Even better, I can say I have never been to Windsor, and I couldn’t likely find it on a map! Not bad for a tiny blog five counties away.
The Chief
PS to the campaign manager, you lied to me about your involvement with Dominic. I have a request in to the CA Secretary of State Elections Division as to when you separated from the campaign, I hope for your sake there is a termination form on file. If not, as the kids say, I plan on “firing you directly into the sun” on this blog.
Happy Hunting!
Editor’s Note: Rosa Reynosa ended up replacing Foppoli on the Windsor City Council
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