Photo: Orange County District Attorney's Office
A bitter feud between Orange County's top prosecutor and a former investigator has rocked the local law enforcement community. For over seven years, District Attorney Todd Spitzer and former supervising investigator Damon Tucker have been embroiled in an acrimonious dispute filled with accusations of corruption and ethical breaches.
Tucker, who was fired from the DA's office in December 2020, claims he uncovered potential evidence of money laundering, terrorist threats, and extortion involving Spitzer. He alleges that Spitzer and others quashed the investigation and retaliated against him, leaving him humiliated and shunned by the law enforcement community. Tucker's lawsuit against the county resulted in him winning his job back in 2022, along with a $2 million settlement.
Spitzer has publicly labeled Tucker a "dirty cop" and accused him of working with political opponents to damage his reputation. Tucker has called for investigations by the California attorney general, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other agencies into Spitzer and his associates. The California Attorney General's office is reviewing Tucker's complaint, while the State Bar of California has requested more information.
The dispute dates back to 2016, when Tucker began investigating allegations of campaign finance irregularities involving Spitzer, who was then an Orange County supervisor. Tucker claims the investigation was left unfinished and was never referred to an outside agency. After Spitzer was elected district attorney in 2018, Tucker alleges he was ordered to stop his investigation and remove Spitzer's name from his inquiries.
As the feud continues, both parties face scrutiny. The district attorney's office is already under investigation for its treatment of employees, with Spitzer and others facing a potential civil trial over accusations of retaliation against female employees who reported sexual harassment.