Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore for State Senate 2026 campaign finance statements indicate that Gore utilized his Field Director, Christopher Grabill, as a campaign consultant.
Grabill appears to receive a County of Sonoma salary in addition to campaign consulting monies from his boss.
Schedule E typically includes advances and reimbursements for travel and related expenses, including lodging and meals.
No description was provided for the $4k payment made to Grabill.
Schedule F itemizes accrued expenses. As reference, the schedule shows an expense for Gore’s Chief of Staff, Jenny Chamberlain, with a clearly detailed description of a candidate fundraiser.
Grabill did not disclose a consulting business on his assuming office statement of economic interest submitted to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) in September 2023.
He appeared to serve on the City of Santa Rosa’s Board of Public Utilities through March 26, 2025.
The Enforcement Division of the Fair Political Practices Commission stipulated a $200 penalty for Grabill in 2020 due to a failure to report financial interests.
In 2016, Grabill was reported by Mr. Scott Flater to the FPPC for laundered campaign contributions.
Due to pending civil litigation concerning conduct related to the Enforcement Division’s investigation (Sonoma County Superior Court Case No. SCV-259927 Gallaher, et al. v. Sonoma Media Investments, LLC, et al.), the Enforcement Division closed the matter without prejudice.
It appears that violations were found, but no action was taken.
Grabill’s character may be questionable due to his reference in a 2021 article in The Press Democrat regarding his friendship with former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, an alleged serial rapist.
Grabill declined requests to comment about his involvement. “I'm assisting with a sensitive ongoing investigation right now, in any way I can,” he wrote in an email response to The Press Democrat.
According to Lemus’ attorney, Grabill was with Lemus and Foppoli on a night in February 2020 when Lemus said she suspects she was raped by Foppoli.
Lemus previously told The Press Democrat that she, Foppoli and others visited a brewpub after a crab feed hosted by the Windsor Boys & Girls Cub — the type of North Coast winter event that brings politicians together with civic groups across the county. Foppoli and another man — Grabill, according to Carrillo — drove Lemus home after she became violently ill during the after-party, Lemus told The Press Democrat.
Carrillo said authorities told her of the law enforcement interview with Grabill.
“We learned from that contact that only Dominic Foppoli took Ms. Lemus into the home and we understand only that Mr. Grabill has remained fully cooperative with the investigation,” she said.
Grabill, who sits on Santa Rosa’s Board of Public Utilities, declined multiple requests to comment or be interviewed by The Press Democrat.
“I want to be respectful of that, as justice for survivors is so deeply important,” Grabill said in an email, referring to the investigation. “First and foremost, I believe and support women and survivors.”
He was outspoken on social media in the aftermath of the initial story by the San Francisco Chronicle detailing the allegations of sexual assault and abuse against Foppoli from four women.
“What I read this morning is horrifying and makes me want to throw up,” he wrote on April 8. “Men especially, need to speak up, hold each other accountable, humble themselves and support survivors in seeking justice and accountability.”
“We should believe women and survivors first, while constitutional law and due process take their course and (Foppoli) has an opportunity to both defend himself and be held accountable,” Grabill said.
He described Foppoli as a friend and said he regretted not being more aware of the alleged behavior.
“I am ashamed and disturbed,” Grabill said. “I have worked with him on many policy issues and considered him a friend. ... I apologize for not seeing this and for the complicity that entails. I’m deeply ashamed and also accountable for that.”
Lemus went to sheriff’s investigators with her account on April 8. On April 10, when she went public with her account in The Press Democrat, Grabill took to social media to voice support for Lemus. “I’m here to support you Esther,” he wrote.
“Men must speak out and stand with survivors, men must hold each other accountable without hesitation,” he wrote. “I take full responsibility for my working relationships or friendships.”
Grabill since appears to have taken down his Facebook page.
Grabill is the son of the late local affordable housing champion, David Grabill, and longtime Santa Rosa Junior College trustee Dorothy Battenfield. He is the housing director at the nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul of Sonoma County, which is run by his friend, Santa Rosa Councilman Jack Tibbetts. The charity has contracted with Sonoma County to manage housing sites for homeless people. Until recently, it contracted with a Foppoli-backed company to provide security at those sites.
Grabill has nothing but wonderful things to say about Supervisor Gore, as indicated on his Facebook page.
I sent the following email to the County of Sonoma this morning, but have not yet received a response.
Good Morning,
I will be publishing an article about the matter below, and am seeking clarification.
Could you kindly provide the 2024 and 2025 SEI for Mr. Christopher Grabill? Please note that SEI's are not subject to PRA timelines and should immediately be made publicly accessible via email.
The Friends of James Gore for State Senate 2026 Schedule E indicates that Mr. Grabill was paid by Supervisor Gore as a campaign consultant. However, Mr. Grabill's LinkedIn profile indicates that he is the BOS/CAO Field Representative, District 4. Is Mr. Grabill still employed as Gore's Field Rep? If no longer employed with the County of Sonoma, was Grabill's consulting business disclosed on his leaving office SEI? Is there a business license in existence for Grabill's business? If Grabill is actively employed as Gore's field rep, could the County kindly confirm how this business endeavor is acceptable per their COI policy?
