Release of vile emails could influence this SLO County election. But don’t bet on it

>> FACT CHECK: Did Adam Hill send vulgar emails to Dave Congalton? Or is this a political hit?

What a mess.

A series of despicable emails sent to KVEC radio talk show host David Congalton back in 2016 surfaces more than three years later — perfectly timed to discredit Adam Hill’s current campaign for reelection.

The emails, sent by a “Sal Krill,” were traced through an IP address to an account belonging to Dee Torres, who was married to Hill at the time.

The messages include profanity, crude references to sex acts and vague threats, such as this: “You have only begun to pay, Congalton.”

Let’s be clear: Anyone who would author such toxic garbage is not fit to hold public office.

Likewise, anyone who would fabricate it to take down a candidate should be prosecuted.

So who did it?

Hill denies sending the emails, and a computer expert retained on Hill’s behalf concluded the IP address could have been spoofed.

In the end, the DA’s Office decided there wasn’t enough evidence to press charges.

“Here, we could not establish beyond a reasonable doubt who was sitting at a computer and typing the harassing email messages,” District Attorney Dan Dow told us via email. “It is highly unlikely that the messages were the result of hacking and spoofing. There were multiple adults and teenagers living in the residence at the time.”

Aside from denying that he sent the emails — and claiming, in effect, that this is a dirty political trick — Hill isn’t speculating about how this could have happened.

He angrily told Tribune reporter Monica Vaughan that he does not have the “burden of poof.”

That’s partially correct. Were he being judged in a court of law, he would not have that burden.

But the court of public opinion is another story.

Given Hill’s history of angry outbursts and inappropriate emails — including a “f--- you” message sent to a constituent in 2018 — it’s understandable that some voters would believe Hill capable of sending those emails. And over-the-top reactions, such as his response to Vaughan, aren’t likely to change their minds.

On the flip side, there are Hill supporters who believe his detractors would stoop to any length to destroy him.

Why the delay?

This isn’t just a “whodunit.” There’s also the question of why this is surfacing now. These emails are so disturbing, why sit on them so long?

Here’s where the story gets a bit convoluted.

Congalton told The Tribune that he had requested a report of the investigation from the DA’s Office multiple times.

But the DA’s Office says it didn’t get the request until last fall, which led to the release on Nov. 7, 2019.

Congalton didn’t speak about it on the air until nearly three months later, on Jan. 29, when the election campaign was getting into full swing.

“I’m not trying to influence the election,” he told listeners then, adding that he fully expects Hill to win.

Once the emails to Congalton were made public, conservatives renewed their complaints about Hill. At Supervisor John Peschong’s request, the Board of Supervisors will take up the matter in closed session, though a date has not been set.

We’re not sure what purpose that could serve — it smacks a little of James Comey reopening the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails right before the 2016 presidential election.

If the author of the emails couldn’t be determined three years ago, is there a way to do so now?

Where does that leave us?

Unfortunately, absent a confession, there’s little likelihood we will ever know who the culprit is with 100% certainty.

So here’s where things stand: Plenty of Hill supporters remain convinced he’s the victim here, while his detractors will see him as the guilty party.

In a heavily Democratic district, it’s highly likely that Hill will be reelected, especially since his conservative opponent, Stacy Korsgaden, is far outside the mainstream.

In other words, the outcome of the election is all but certain; in that, we agree with Congalton.

One last takeaway: If the emails indeed are a political dirty trick intended to discredit Hill and he’s completely innocent, he’s not helping his cause with his combative responses.

His reaction to The Tribune’s reporter crossed the line of acceptable behavior.

He subjected Vaughan to a tirade for even questioning him about the matter. He bullied her for daring to reach out to him on a day he had a Board of Supervisors meeting; for including his campaign manager in an email asking for comment; and for reacting to a “blog” out to discredit him.

In other words, he attacked her for doing her job.

That may be standard behavior these days in Washington, D.C., but we expect better from officials in San Luis Obispo County.

Hill has told us that he continues to work on anger management.

That’s good, but his recent exchange with our reporter shows he has more work to do.

For starters, he can address questions and concerns about the emails — which are bound to come up — courteously, professionally and honestly.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the year Adam Hill cursed a constituent.

This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 5:36 AM.