For a few minutes, Fremont wasn't the happiest city in America

Fremont mayor had to give proclamation to the police officer who corroborated the existence of her lurid sexts to a county official

A morose Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, right, with Fremont Det. Michael Gebhardt on Tuesday night. Gebhardt has a pending lawsuit against the city.

CITY NEWS

FREMONT

—AWKWARD—Fremont Mayor Lily Mei honored Det. Michael Gebhardt’s 20 years on the police force with a proclamation on Tuesday night. Sounds perfectly normal, right?

—Wrong. Mei has some history with Gebhardt.

—In November 2022, Gebhardt alleged in a lawsuit against the city that Fremont police officials retaliated against him after speaking out against illegal recordings of juvenile detainees and their attorneys.

Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, State Senate candidate, texted topless photos to an East Bay official

Lawsuit alleges Fremont Mayor Lily Mei told police she was blackmailed with personal photos she sent to an Alameda County official

—The lawsuit reaffirmed the existence of sexts Mei sent to an unnamed Alameda County official. Mei reported to Gebhardt that the sexts were being used as extortion and blackmail against her, according to the lawsuit.

“On or around August 4, 2020, Plaintiff learned from the Fremont City Mayor, who was running for re-election, that she was being extorted and blackmailed with private photos she had sent to another elected Alameda County official. Plaintiff recognized the gravity of the situation and immediately began a criminal investigation,” according to the lawsuit.

—On Tuesday, Mei was clearly uncomfortable reading the proclamation aloud and later standing with Gebhardt and his family for a group photo.

—The lawsuit is still being litigated in court. The case was listed on a closed session agenda last month. Gebhardt remains on the job.

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