Daly City may have lost thousands of dollars when Councilwoman Pamela DiGiovanni used a city car for personal use, including birthday parties and dance classes, according to the city spokeswoman.
A city-funded investigation found that DiGiovanni used a city car from 2021 to 2023, possibly costing the city money, but city spokeswoman Leilani Ramos said the total loss has not been calculated.
Council hired two third-party investigators after city employees filed multiple complaints alleging abuse and harassment by DiGiovanni. Ellis Investigations conducted an investigation in 2023, followed by Van Dermyden Markus Law Corporation in 2025. The two investigations cost a total of $95,655.
Karin Bailey, an attorney-investigator with Ellis Investigation, concluded that DiGiovanni used a city car after conducting 20 interviews and reviewing evidence including documents, text messages, emails and photos.
DiGiovanni used a city car for birthday parties, dance classes in South San Francisco, a golf tournament, a Mother’s Day celebration and trips to the grocery store, according to Bailey. DiGiovanni also stored personal items such as clothes, paperwork and campaign material, suggesting she used it as a personal car, Bailey wrote.
DiGiovanni did attempt to return the keys between events but couldn’t access the cashier’s office, according to text messages.
During a previous council meeting, DiGiovanni said the investigation lacked substance because the interviews were not conducted under oath.
Bailey used a resident’s email as evidence to support her investigation. At the time, the resident asked for answers after noticing DiGiovanni was using the car for campaign activities.
“With gas prices at an all-time high, we the community are struggling to make ends meet while Pamela DiGiovanni is wasting city resources for her personal use. This is unacceptable and the public demands action from local government immediately,” an email sent to council by the resident in 2022 said.
The resident, who didn’t sign the email, alleged that DiGiovanni distributed leaflets at Westlake Shopping Center while using a city car and offered rides.
“All her actions put the city in extreme risk for liability but have never been addressed,” the resident wrote.
Recreation Commission chair Fernando Montanes called for further action during public comment at the Oct. 12 council meeting, after council reinstated its censure of DiGiovanni.
Council voted 4-1 on Sept. 28 to censure DiGiovanni for not completing the training assigned to her last year.
At the meeting, DiGiovanni said she would not complete the training because it was politically biased. She also said the accusations of harassment and abuse were politically motivated because she is up for reelection.
The city referred the findings to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office and the Fair Political Practices Commission, according to Ramos. The city has not been aware of any action being taken at the time, she said.
“$100,000 was spent on the investigations. It has to lead to substantial conclusions where we uphold ethics and we carry and deliver accountability,” Montantes said during public comment.
He said he would continue to speak during public comment until DiGiovanni complies with the training.
“I am speaking for my community now. We are sick and tired of the inaction. We are sick and tired of no resolution, no conclusion to this entire story. There has to be justice,” Montanes said.