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Family of Late Police Captain Pushes for Prosecution of Ex-Fremont City Manager for Embezzlement, Fraud

A statement from Bobbitt’s family reads: “Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt was a man of high integrity. He often said that he was willing to risk retaliation for doing the right thing, including confronting government corruption at its highest levels. Captain Bobbitt believed that high-ranking public officials should be held to a higher standard due to the public trust of their positions.”

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Police Capt. Fred ‘Freddie’ Bobbitt.
Police Capt. Fred ‘Freddie’ Bobbitt.

By Post Staff

The family of late Police Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt is pushing for prosecution of former Fremont City Manager Mark Danaj, who is facing charges of embezzlement and fraud.

Danaj was arraigned on March 9 and his next court date is April 6.

According to Captain Bobbitt’s family members, learning that Danaj was charged with criminal charges was a painful reminder of how Captain Bobbitt had endured retaliation at the hands of Danaj and other city officials. While in his position as Fremont City Manager, Danaj had unsuccessfully attempted to force Bobbitt out of the Fremont Police Department.

A statement from Bobbitt’s family said:

“Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt was a man of high integrity. He often said that he was willing to risk retaliation for doing the right thing, including confronting government corruption at its highest levels. Captain Bobbitt believed that high-ranking public officials should be held to a higher standard due to the public trust of their positions.

“So, we will continue his fight by pushing for prosecution. We are also pursuing the opportunity to testify in front of government bodies regarding the need to fight government corruption in City municipalities, while also highlighting the impact it has on honest employees, and how it affects the community’s trust.”

Before Danaj’s upcoming court date, the District Attorney will face pressure from Bobbitt’s family to prosecute the former City Manager. Between September 2019 and September 2021, Bobbitt had urged the City of Fremont to investigate Danaj for corruption and misuse of his position.

Bobbitt passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 21, 2022, and was honored by the Fremont Police Department, elected officials, and the community during a 2,000-person Memorial Service, along with a 4-mile-long law enforcement funeral procession.

Bobbitt’s family members said that in September 2020, Danaj attempted to use his position to force Bobbitt out of the Fremont Police Department in retaliation for Bobbitt’s calls to investigate Danaj for corruption.

On April 26, 2021, at a Town Hall meeting held by Bobbitt’s supporters to prevent Bobbitt from being forced out, it was revealed that Danaj had been cited for a domestic incident earlier that month.

On Sept. 15, 2021, Danaj was arrested in San Francisco and cited again in a separate domestic violence incident. On Sept. 30, 2021, Danaj abruptly resigned as Fremont City Manager. Many believe that the Fremont City Council may have forced Danaj out after being informed of his numerous criminal incidents, as well as the mounting pressure from Bobbitt’s supporters to investigate Danaj for misusing his position.

In a new set of criminal charges, Danaj was arraigned on March 9, 2022, charged with Felony Embezzlement 504 PC, and Felony Misappropriation of Public Funds 424 PC.

During Danaj’s tenure in Fremont, Bobbitt had challenged Danaj on his mischaracterization of the Police Department and the police union, which some have alleged to have been among the issues that led to the two-year conflict between the two city officials.

In February 2022, the Fremont City Council received a briefing on a binding arbitration decision that ruled in Bobbitt’s favor, which clearly established that Danaj and others had retaliated against Bobbitt.

In September of 2020, Danaj had attempted to push Bobbitt to resign by offering him his full pension, plus a cash payout of approximately $99,900, which is slightly under the $100,000 limit that would have required the City Council’s approval.

After Bobbitt refused to resign, Danaj had Bobbitt removed as the Commander of Patrol, reassigned him to the Animal Shelter, and placed him on a Performance Improvement Plan. The binding arbitration ruling required the City to reinstate Bobbitt as Commander of Patrol and invalidate the Performance Improvement Plan.

Danaj is being represented by Danny O’Malley, brother of Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

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Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

By Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

Juneteenth marks an important moment in our shared history—a time to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors who, even in the face of injustice, chose freedom, unity, and community over fear, anger, and hopelessness. We honor their resilience and the paths they paved so future generations can continue to walk with pride.

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

As we head into the weekend full of festivities and summer celebrations, I want to offer a friendly reminder about who is not invited to the cookout: litter.

At Clean California, we believe the places where we gather—parks, parade routes, street corners, and church lots—should reflect the pride and beauty of the people who fill them. Our mission is to restore and beautify public spaces, transforming areas impacted by trash and neglect into spaces that reflect the strength and spirit of the communities who use them.

Too often, after the music fades and the grills cool, our public spaces are left littered with trash. Just as our ancestors took pride in their communities, we honor their legacy when we clean up after ourselves, teach our children to do the same, and care for our shared spaces.

Small acts can inspire big change. Since 2021, Clean California and its partners have collected and removed over 2.9 million cubic yards of litter. We did this by partnering with local nonprofits and community organizations to organize grassroots cleanup events and beautification projects across California.

Now, we invite all California communities to continue the incredible momentum and take the pledge toward building a cleaner community through our Clean California Community Designation Program. This recognizes cities and neighborhoods committed to long-term cleanliness and civic pride.

This Juneteenth, let’s not only celebrate our history—but also contribute to its legacy. By picking up after ourselves and by leaving no litter behind after celebrations, we have an opportunity to honor our past and shape a cleaner, safer, more vibrant future.

Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about Clean California.

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OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

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Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.

Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.

Our community is hurting. Things have to change.

The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.

I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.

SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.

For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.

This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.

This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.

Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.

Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

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