Santa Ana : Bobb’s Personal Calls Are Private, Judge Rules

A Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that City Manager Robert C. Bobb is not required to produce records of personal phone calls made from a city telephone installed in his car.

Judge Harmon G. Scoville turned down a request by private investigator Preston Guillory to see all of Bobb’s records after the city manager testified in the judge’s chambers about which calls were personal. Bobb paid a $602.82 bill in January for 13 months’ worth of calls, after Guillory requested to see the records.

Guillory, who said he is working for a group of Santa Ana businessmen--which he declined to identify--said the group may file a lawsuit because Bobb and Mayor Dan Griset didn’t pay any bills until after Guillory began his inquiry. Scoville ordered the city to turn over edited records (excluding all the personal calls) today.

“This lawsuit has achieved absolutely nothing,” City Atty. Edward C. Cooper said. Earlier, Cooper argued that Bobb shouldn’t have to reveal private calls to the public because he has the right to prevent “his friends, his doctor or his wife from being disturbed by Mr. Guillory’s calls.”