Orange County DA’s Office: A Culture of Malice and Retaliation Against Women- County Responds

From Workplace Harassment to Family Court Punishment: Orange County’s Failure to Protect Women

Jun 07, 2025

Attorneys Bijan Darvish and John Barnett with client Tracy Miller. Press conference on Miller v. OCDA Verdict. June 6, 2025.

SAN DIEGO/ORANGE COUNTY, CA. — In a San Diego courtroom starting May 27, this reporter watched as Tracy Miller, a veteran Orange County prosecutor, recounted a campaign of harassment that drove her from a 25-year career. On June 5, 2025, a jury delivered a damning verdict: Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer and his former deputy, Shawn Nelson, had retaliated against Miller, the highest-ranking woman in the DA’s office at the time, with malice. The award: $3 million in damages, including $1.5 million for emotional distress, plus $25,000 in punitive damages from Spitzer personally. “I was disgusted. Sad. Shamed,” Miller testified, describing Spitzer asking her, in front of colleagues, what size tampons she used, claiming it was for his daughter. Nelson, now an Orange County Superior Court judge, told her, “Todd wants you to be his binky when he needs you.”

The verdict, in Tracy Miller v. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer (Case No. 30-2022-01262015-CU-OE-CJC), exposed a toxic culture in the Orange County DA’s office, one that my reporting suggests mirrors a broader pattern of punishing women across the county’s legal system. From prosecutors to protective mothers in family court, women who challenge power face shaming, exclusion, and retaliation.

A Career of Service, Undermined

Tracy Miller joined the Orange County DA’s office in 1997, after earning degrees from Loyola Marymount, University of Southern California, and Southwestern Law School of Law. She rose through the ranks, prosecuting domestic violence, felonies, and gang-related murders, eventually overseeing critical units.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she coordinated with judges Maria Hernandez and Cheri Pham to keep courtrooms safe, managing high-volume gang and juvenile dockets. Yet, Spitzer dismissed her leadership as “babysitting projects” and reassigned her duties to male subordinates, telling her to “drink wine with [her] lady judge friends.” “I felt powerless,” Miller testified.

A Pattern of Harassment

Miller’s testimony painted a workplace steeped in misogyny. Spitzer showed a video of prosecutor Beth Costello pole-dancing at an executive meeting, calling it “unbecoming.” When Miller objected, he pressed on. He berated her at a Palm Springs conference, yelling she was a “horrible communicator” over a colleague’s absence. He wrote her name on a whiteboard, blaming her for personal woes, from marital fights to car trouble, and silenced her with, “No, don’t talk.” Nelson excluded her from a gang unit meeting, saying, “We’ll just let the boys go.” Former and current prosecutors described a “demanding” environment where women faced threats of firing or demotion. Miller broke down, recalling hiding in a colleague’s office: “That was the first time I ever cried at work, especially in front of a man.”

The jury found Spitzer and Nelson used “gender-based slurs” and undermined Miller’s authority. A pivotal moment came when Miller defended subordinate prosecutor Garcia, who reported sexual harassment by Gary LoGalbo, a high-ranking official, former police officer, and Spitzer’s best man. Miller and prosecutor Chris Duff testified that Spitzer sought to have Garcia written up for what he deemed untruthful reporting of harassment allegations. When Miller intervened, Spitzer targeted her. After a confidential county investigation substantiated the claims against LoGalbo, the report—leaked office-wide by Public Information Officer Kimberly Edds on April 29, 2021—identified Miller as Witness #21 by position and gender. Miller testified that Spitzer then intensified his retaliation, threatening to fire her close colleagues and attempting to dismantle her $6 million Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership (GRIP) program.

Ethical Lapses and Obstruction

Miller also raised alarms about Spitzer’s conduct in the Jamon Buggs capital murder case, involving the 2019 killings of Wendi Miller and Darren Partch. Wendi, a Costa Mesa resident, founder and past CEO of Wings for Justice, operating within the context of Orange County Family Court’s Lamoreaux Justice Center, advocated for children’s best interests and combating the misuse of parental alienation claims in abuse cases and corruption within the family court system.

(See: “ Deaths of Mom and Ex-Pro Hockey Player in Newport Beach Condo Were Not Murder-Suicide: Cops,” OC Register; “Wendi Miller, CEO of Wings For Justice, Remembered,” OC Register; “Overflow crowd remembers Costa Mesa woman found slain in Newport Beach,” OC Register; “ The Wendi Miller Story,” Wings for Justice.)

Tracy Miller testified that Spitzer made racially biased comments during death penalty discussions in the Wendi Miller murder case, suggesting Black men date white women to elevate their status, violating the 2020 California Racial Justice Act. Ebrahim Baytieh, then a senior prosecutor and now a judge, documented this in a memo. Spitzer claimed he addressed cross-racial identification issues, but Tracy Miller said his initial comments and dismissal of those comments undermined case integrity.

A February 2024 appellate ruling (Case No. G062589) by Justice Kathleen E. O’Leary upheld Buggs’ conviction, noting Spitzer “remedied” the error by reassigning the case and forgoing the death penalty (Los Angeles Times, February 23, 2024). “Despite Spitzer’s reluctance to acknowledge his expressed racial bias, he took steps to remedy the harm,” O’Leary wrote.

Miller also alleged Spitzer’s unauthorized contact with Rafael Farias, a witness in the Buggs case that was also facing domestic violence charges, risked prosecution integrity by not disclosing the interaction to the defense.

A Countywide Pattern

The jury, convened in San Diego to avoid conflicts, found Orange County failed to prevent workplace harassment and took “adverse employment action” against Miller.

Miller’s attorney, John Barnett, in an interview with this reporter stated, he sees Miller’s victory as a beacon for women facing systemic mistreatment:

“Tracy Miller’s story is one of extraordinary courage. She stood up to the most powerful man in Orange County, a district attorney who wields power with an iron fist, deciding who faces jail or death and who doesn’t. Knowing it was a long, dangerous, and arduous journey, Tracy prevailed. Her victory gives hope to women and people in workplaces everywhere that they can achieve justice, even against the most powerful. This transcends the workplace, helping women in Orange County and beyond who are treated as second-class citizens, facing retaliation for reporting abuse—treatment we thought belonged to another century but clearly does not”

The DA’s office faces eight more sexual harassment lawsuits tied to Gary LoGalbo, signaling systemic issues.

This reporter’s investigations reveal that this hostility extends to Orange County’s family courts. Protective mothers like Taran Nolan, a quadriplegic, faced custody loss, gag orders, and unsubstantiated domestic violence restraining order claims for reporting abuse. Tawny Minna Grossman and Anna Mogavero faced criminal charges and were labeled parental alienators by family court judges for raising concerns about child sexual abuse and domestic violence. Giselle Fish and Tara Schlinger were deemed unstable and accused of parental alienation for reporting domestic violence and child abuse. My series on Jessica St. Clair, a controversial therapist, who lied about her credentials—exposed coercive reunification tactics—forced therapy dismissing abuse claims—that harmed families.

This silence leaves families like Nolan’s, Mogavero’s and many others without clear recourse.

(See Article: Orange County DA's Office Hostile to Women: Unprotected OC Women Suffer Under Spitzer's Retaliation)

(See Article: Update: Legal Appeal Launched in the Case of Taran Nolan)

(See Article: JUDGED, GAGGED, SEPARATED, SILENCED: OC Judge Retaliates Against Quadriplegic Mother Tar Nolan and the Journalist Who Reported Her Truth)

(See Article: OC Man Charged with 5 Felony Counts of Molestation: Family Court and CPS Ignored Reports for Years)

(See Article: OCDA Ignores Good Cause Law, Family Court Violates Due Process in Tawny Minna Grossman Case)

(See Article: The Victims of Jessica St. Clair, MFT— Part Six)

(See Article: Orange County woman dies months after ex-husband makes seemingly credible threat against her)

These cases echo Miller’s ordeal: women in Orange County are punished for speaking out.

In a request for comment on how the County of Orange will address retaliation against women reporting abuse, particularly in family courts where the OCDA has dismissed reports or refused to investigate, OC Board of Supervisors Chair Doug Chaffee responded:

“The County is committed to ensuring every employee is valued and treated with civility. As public servants it is our responsibility to cultivate a work environment that is free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. My focus remains on ensuring we lead by example in promoting dignity and fairness across our county departments”

His statement, focused solely on county workplaces, but ignores the broader crisis faced by women in Orange County’s justice system.

A follow-up inquiry to Chaffee’s communications coordinator, Emma Fisher, seeking specific comments on family court retaliation and OCDA’s handling of abuse reports, received acknowledgment but no further response by publication time.

Similarly, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and DA Todd Spitzer were contacted for comment on the Tracy Miller v. Todd Spitzer verdict and allegations of retaliation against women reporting abuse, including in family courts, but provided no response by publication time.

Spitzer’s Legacy

Spitzer’s tenure raises ethical questions rooted in his past. In 2008, as a private attorney, he represented Broadcom billionaire Henry T. Nicholas III, indicted for securities fraud and drug distribution, amid allegations of witness intimidation (Orange County Register, December 26, 2008). Though charges were dismissed, the association fuels criticism of Spitzer’s loyalty to powerful allies, like LoGalbo.

In a statement to The Los Angeles Times, Spitzer accepted “full responsibility” but blamed Miller’s “lack of performance,” denying harassment (Los Angeles Times, June 5, 2025). “In hindsight, I realize I was not as sensitive… and for that I am truly sorry,” he said.

Tracy Miller, Miller v. OCDA Verdict Press Conference. June 6, 2025.

A Call for Accountability

On May 28, 2025, I was denied remote trial access for two hours, despite prior admission, with court staff citing “witness tampering” concerns inconsistently applied, as attorneys and other media accessed remotely. This opacity underscores the need for transparency.

Whistleblowers like Damon Tucker and Ebrahim Baytieh, who faced retaliation for challenging Spitzer, demand investigations by the California Attorney General and U.S. Department of Justice. “It’s very important for the public to know what happened,” Barnett said (Los Angeles Times, June 5, 2025).

With eight lawsuits pending and ongoing reporting exposing countywide patterns, Orange County must confront its treatment of women and children. Reform is overdue.

Related Articles:

Hansen, Robert J. “Orange County DA’s Office Hostility to Women,” Davis Vanguard, May 2023. Link
“Appellate court rejects Racial Justice Act appeal in Newport Beach double murder case,” LA Times, February 2024. Link
“Orange County DA’s Office Hostile Work Environment,” Stuck in the Middle Podcast Substack, May 2023. Link
“Before he was on D.A.’s staff: Spitzer was lawyer for indicted Broadcom billionaire,” OC Register, December 26, 2008. Link
“3 More Prosecutors Sue Orange County Alleging Sexual Harassment,” Orange County Register, Jan. 2022. Link
“Volpe, Mike & Hansen, Robert J. Special Investigative Report,” Michael Volpe Investigates Substack, May 2025. Link
“OC Supervisors Move to Settle Eight Harassment Cases Against District Attorney,” Voice of OC, Nov. 2024. Link
“Rackauckas Fires Todd Spitzer From District Attorney’s Office,” OC Register, August 28, 2010. Link
“High-Ranking OC Prosecutor Quits, Says DA Spitzer Jeopardized Mass Shooting Prosecution,” Voice of OC , Feb 23, 2022 Link
“Spitzer Faces Lawsuit – District Attorney,” Davis Vanguard, May 2025. Link
“Blood Feud Rocks O.C. Law Enforcement,” Los Angeles Times, May 2025. Link
https://www.wingsforjustice.com/
https://newuniversity.org/2022/02/06/fired-investigators-accusations-of-corruption-in-oc-resolved/

This ongoing investigative series on the Orange County, California court crisis seeks to bring national attention to systemic failures and advocate for urgent reform and accountability. Lawmakers, the media, and the public must come together to demand justice for families and protection for children.

Are you committed to protecting America’s children and restoring integrity to our legal system?

Contact your legislative representatives. Speak out. Reach out to media outlets. And vote.

Whistleblowers and victims of family court, CPS, probate court, or foster care corruption anywhere in the U.S.—please contact this reporter at juliea005@proton.me.

Together, we can ignite a national movement and create lasting change.

Julie M. Anderson-Holburn is a California-based investigative journalist reporting on criminal and family court corruption, judicial abuse, and systemic failures. Her work is published on NewsBreak, Substack, and The Family Court Circus, and has been featured by the Center for Judicial Excellence and National Safe Parents. Julie believes that exposing the truth is the first step toward meaningful reform.

This article was made possible by the support of readers like you. Thank you.

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Julie M. Anderson-Holburn