Board Declines to Negotiate with Branch : Supervisors: Any deal for the recorder’s resignation would be ‘inappropriate,’ says Gaddi H. Vasquez.

Orange County supervisors said Tuesday that they will not negotiate with embattled Recorder Lee A. Branch in an attempt to seek his ouster from office.

Following a closed meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez said any deal in exchange for Branch’s resignation would be “inappropriate” for the board to consider.

“There is no room for a negotiated settlement in this case,” Vasquez said. “The public will pass ultimate judgment in June.”

Branch, the subject of sexual harassment and physical abuse allegations by employees within the office, is up for reelection this June.

On Tuesday, Branch’s attorney, Lloyd Charton, said the allegations against his client were “laughable” and he reaffirmed that Branch had no intention of resigning his office of 15 years.

Charton said Branch would address all of the misconduct charges in a news conference Friday.

“The county ought to be ashamed of themselves for their treatment of a man who has served them so long,” Charton said.

In recent days, county officials had been discussing settlement options as possible incentives for Branch to leave office.

One scenario under discussion would have allowed crediting Branch with an additional two years toward his retirement, about half the amount needed for him to leave government on a full-salaried pension. Branch earns about $75,000 a year.

County Counsel Terry Andrus acknowledged that “compromise scenarios” were presented to the board Tuesday, but all were rejected. Andrus declined to discuss the details of those settlement options.

Supervisors have expressed particular frustration in dealing with the Branch matter. Since the recorder popularly elected, the board has no authority to dismiss him. Two supervisors have called for him to resign.

As a result, the board will place the Branch matter on its Jan. 25 agenda for public discussion. Among the possible actions available to them is a censure of Branch or a public reprimand, county officials said privately on Tuesday.

A less likely option, officials said, would be to seek Branch’s removal on misconduct allegations through a little-used legal provision available to the Orange County Grand Jury.

Under that provision, the Grand Jury would conduct its own misconduct investigation and present its findings to the district attorney’s office for action.

The grand jury has questioned Assistant Recorder Ella M. Murphy about the technical workings of the office, but it was unclear whether the grand jury’s inquiries extended to actual misconduct allegations involving Branch.

The Branch investigation was sparked by employee complaints about Branch’s personal relationship with documents manager Nancy L. Smith. Some employees have complained that Branch showed favoritism to Smith within the office and made lewd remarks to another office worker.

In separate incidents, both Branch and Smith have been accused of physically abusing employees on the recorder’s office staff. Branch has acknowledged his relationship with Smith, who is expected to be transferred from her position in the office. But both have denied the accusations made by employees.