The FBI executed search warrants on Tuesday morning at the home and office of longtime Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer, as well as the residence of his handpicked successor, Assistant Assessor Vince Robb. The raids, which also targeted the county assessor's office on Arnold Drive, come just days after Robb was elected to replace Kramer, who is retiring after 32 years in office.
The warrants, signed June 4 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Illman, authorize agents to search for evidence of wire fraud and other unspecified offenses.
The FBI has declined to comment on the investigation, but the timing has raised questions. Kramer, speaking to reporters outside his office, alleged that "low people in high places" are attempting to weaponize the FBI to intimidate his office over property valuations on large estates.
Kramer has a history of controversy, including a 2003 forged deed that allowed him to save $21,000 in property taxes, accusations of overvaluing properties to retaliate against a developer in 2009, and a 2023 lawsuit from a former appraiser who claimed Kramer deliberately undervalued a senior-housing complex by at least $3 million. The federal probe may be linked to a previous raid on political consultant Mary Jo Rossi, who is connected to DeNova Homes, a company whose executives have been charged with bribery in Antioch.
Robb's opponent in the election, Nick Spinner, called for transparency and accountability, saying he hopes the public gets clear answers through the proper process.