Here is a press release from the office of 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, who served as then-Supervisor Bill Postmus' Chief of Staff.

It is rather strong in parts. Near the end, Mitzelfelt writes, "However, I remain convinced that it is my responsibility to hold all county officials accountable, therefore if Mr. Postmus refuses to address these concerns to the public, and soon, I will call on him to resign or be removed from office."

Of course, "soon" is a rather ambiguous term.

Here is the text of the release. Click here to view the original PDF.

Mitzelfelt Issues Statement Regarding County Assessor
 
SAN BERNARDINO - San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt today issued the following statement.
 
"In response to inquiries from constituents, and in order to expand on statements I have previously made to the news media, I have decided to issue the following statement regarding San Bernardino  Assessor Bill Postmus:
 
"As I have publicly stated, in July 2006, while serving as chief of staff to then-Supervisor Postmus, I was made aware that Mr. Postmus had admitted himself into a rehabilitation program for treatment of dependency on prescription pain medication. While he was receiving treatment, there was no interruption in leadership in the County or the First District office. In the interim, the Vice Chairman of  the Board of Supervisors presided over countywide issues in Mr. Postmus' absence and I managed the affairs of the First District office. 
 
"I was led to believe that Mr. Postmus had received the help he needed, and because I saw no signs of the problem in Mr. Postmus' behavior, I believed the issue had been resolved. According to county  policy, the issue was being appropriately handled as a medical, and therefore confidential, matter. 
 
"If I had had reason to believe that a longer-term and/or further incapacitating problem existed, or if I had reason to believe Mr. Postmus had used illegal drugs, as has recently been alleged, I would have taken further action. I also need to point out that I was not aware of an alleged relapse or second rehab commitment, and that the timeframe alleged would have fallen during my term as Supervisor  and Mr. Postmus' term as Assessor, therefore I was not in a position to observe the Assessor's behavior on a regular basis. 
 
"In light of recent allegations that the situation could be ongoing, or that it may be more severe than previously thought, I have stated that I believe Mr. Postmus should publicly address the concerns and respond to the allegations that have been made against him. This is due to widespread media reporting on the issue as well as Mr. Postmus' unwillingness to date to provide an explanation to the  public. 
 
"It is important to point out that I am still not certain that the latest allegations against Mr. Postmus regarding illegal drug use are accurate. This is because neither Mr. Postmus nor any credible named source has stood by the allegations or provided any evidence whatsoever. 
 
"However, I remain convinced that it is my responsibility to hold all county officials accountable, therefore if Mr. Postmus refuses to address these concerns to the public, and soon, I will call on him to resign or be removed from office. 
 
"In reference to concerns of many constituents regarding the potential for Mr. Postmus to receive a medical retirement, such a decision could only be made by the board members of the San Bernardino  County Employee Retirement Association. That board is separate from the County Board of Supervisors and I have no authority over decisions made by that board.
 
"Mr. Postmus remains on medical leave at this time and the nature of his medical condition is unknown. I wish him a full recovery. Further, I want the public to know my opinion that even though I would have no influence over whether or not the Assessor could receive a medical retirement, I am as yet unaware of any condition that I believe would warrant a medical retirement."
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