Dominic Foppoli

Dominic Foppoli
Foppoli in 2015
Mayor of Windsor, California
In office December 5, 2018 – May 21, 2021
Preceded by	Debora Fudge
Succeeded by	Sam Salmon
Personal details
Born	Dominic Foppoli (1982-05-22) May 22, 1982 California, U.S.
Political party	Republican (before 2016) Democrat (2016–present)
Residence(s)	Windsor, California, U.S.
Education	Dominican University of California (BA) Sonoma State University (MBA)
Occupation	Vintner

Dominic Foppoli (born May 22, 1982) is an American politician and businessperson. He is the former Mayor of Windsor, California, a position he held from December 2018 until May 2021. Between April and May 2021, numerous women made sexual abuse and assault allegations against Foppoli dating back to 2002. Foppoli, who denies wrongdoing, is currently under investigation by the Attorney General of California. He is also under investigation for possible campaign finance violations by the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Foppoli initially refused to resign from office, causing a recall campaign to be launched in April 2021; he subsequently resigned on May 21, 2021.

Early life and education

Foppoli is of Italian heritage. His family is from Tovo di Sant'Agata in Lombardy. His great-grandfather moved from Italy to the United States over 100 years ago. Foppoli was born and raised in Sonoma County, California, living mainly in the Windsor, California community for his adult life. Foppoli has three siblings. As a child, he worked as a busboy at a family-owned restaurant. At age sixteen, he worked at Windsor Waterworks.

He graduated from Cardinal Newman High School in 2000. In 2002, Foppoli briefly lived in Los Angeles where he pursued a career in acting. He attended Dominican University, where he was a member of the Young Republicans club. He graduated from Dominican with a bachelor's degree in politics in 2005. Foppoli completed his Master of Business Administration with a concentration on wine business from Sonoma State University.

Career

Old Redwood Brewing Company, in downtown Windsor, California, was formerly co-owned by Dominic Foppoli until its closure in 2018.

Foppoli works for three wineries, all owned and operated by the Foppoli family. As of April 1, he served as general manager at Foppoli Wines, president of Benevelo Wines. He also co-owns Christopher Creek Winery in Healdsburg, California. Foppoli's family has been involved in the wine industry since 1906, when his grandfather emigrated from Italy to California and started making wine. Foppoli has also worked in real estate and operated a wine export business, the latter operated with his older brother. He was named one of North Bay Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" for his work in the wine industry.

Foppoli, his siblings, and other partners, purchased Christopher Creek winery in 2012. That same year, he opened Old Redwood Brewing Co., in Windsor, with several partners. In 2018, Foppoli and brewery business partner Clay Fritz, entered into a partnership with Jean-Charles Boisset to reopen the brewery as Windsor Brewing Co. The new brewery never opened. In 2020, Foppoli invested in Whitestar Security Group, a Santa Rosa-based security firm. The company stopped operations in 2021 after losing lucrative contracts following accusations against Foppoli of sexual assault and harassment. Foppoli also served as chief executive officer of Christopher Creek Winery until he was asked to step down by his brother in the wake of sexual assault and abuse allegations in April 2021.

Politics

In 2003, Foppoli announced his candidacy for California State Assembly. During the election, Foppoli's campaign promoted numerous unfounded claims about his opponent, including operating an illegal bar in Cloverdale, theft, and clearcutting. Foppoli lost the Republican primary.

The following year, he attended the 2004 Republican National Convention as a delegate for the state of California and, in 2005, he was named second vice chairman of the Sonoma County Republican Party's executive committee. He was the youngest person to ever hold the position.

While attending Dominican University, Foppoli became involved in the Marin County Republican Party and the university's Young Republicans club. He helped the County party raise funds, promote get out the vote efforts, and maintain its office in 2004 and 2005. On his resumé, Foppoli described himself as the executive director of the Marin County party. The Windsor Times later reported that senior members of the Marin County Republican Party denied that Foppoli was the executive director of the party. Foppoli was an intern at the White House during the George W. Bush presidency from October to December 2005.

Foppoli ran for Windsor Town Council in 2006. His platform included being a self-described "environmental conservative", implementing a parcel tax, improving public safety, and business growth. He raised more money than any other candidate, $19,005 by October 2006, including $10,000 donated by Foppoli himself. During the election, Foppoli's qualifications were questioned by the Sonoma West Times & News. He claimed he was a policy analyst and advisor for the Bush administration; that he served on a gang task force in the White House; was a liaison between the White House and local governments; and that he promoted California wine in Mexico for the administration - all over the course of three to six months. He also claimed he was a staff member because he had his own office and security badge. It was confirmed with the White House Office that Foppoli was an intern for two months. When asked why he exaggerated his work in the Marin County Republican Party and at the White House, Foppoli blamed "youthful enthusiasm." Foppoli did not win the Windsor Town Council election that year.

Windsor Town Council and Mayor

Small businesses in downtown Windsor, California, in 2013. Foppoli was named to Windsor's planning commission that year.

Foppoli was appointed to the Windsor, California Planning Commission in 2013. The following year, on November 4, 2014, he was elected to the Windsor Town Council. At 32 years old, he was the youngest council member ever elected in the town. He won with 25.5% of the vote out of a line up of five candidates.

In 2016, he expressed interest in becoming mayor to fellow councilmember Bruce Okrepkie. He said he wanted to become mayor before attending the Republican National Convention in Indianapolis, so he could promote that he was a mayor and not just a councilmember. While in Indianapolis, Foppoli boasted on social media about having dinner with Rudy Giuliani during the convention. He was later appointed vice mayor in 2016. He also left the Republican party and became a Democrat.

Foppoli was set to become mayor in 2017. However, the council decided to postpone its decision until 2018 after accusations of drunken and harassing behavior by Foppoli arose via an email sent to then Windsor Mayor, Debora Fudge, in November 2017.

He won re-election to the town council in November 2018 and was appointed to a two-year term as mayor of Windsor by his fellow town councilmembers on December 5, 2018.

He attended the California Democratic Party State Convention in 2019. Months later, during the Kincade Fire, Foppoli slept in his car at the emergency operations center as the fire threatened Windsor. He met with Governor Gavin Newsom and State Senator Bill Dodd during the fire and participated in numerous press conferences. During the fire, a batch of beer at Russian River Brewing Company was going to be spoiled. Foppoli gathered the National Guard, who had been gathered in Windsor to help with the wildfire, to help save the beer. His response to the wildfire was praised by his fellow councilmembers, who endorsed him again as mayor in 2020.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Foppoli co-starred on a web series called "Meals with the Mayor(s)" with Guy Fieri. They interviewed local restaurants about how businesses responded to the statewide stay-at-home order. Foppoli also held numerous parties at his house and at Christopher Creek Winery during the pandemic, breaking state and county stay-at-home mandates. In November 2020, Windsor held its first election for mayor. He won a two-year term. He was also elected second vice president of the Mayors and Council Members Department at the League of California Cities.

In April 2021, Foppoli was appointed to represent Sonoma County on the Board of Directors of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. That same month, Foppoli was accused of sexual assault, rape and harassment by numerous women. He was removed from his newly appointed position and also removed as second vice president of the Mayors and Council Members Department at the League of California Cities. Despite calls for Foppoli to resign from the public and a recall campaign being launched, he refused, and announced he would instead "step down" from his role as mayor, while still maintaining the title. He was not allowed to visit Windsor Town Hall without receiving the permission of the town manager. Foppoli resigned from office on May 21, 2021, after Farrah Abraham accused him of sexual assault.

As of May 2021, the California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating claims that Foppoli used political campaign expenses to pay for personal expenditures between 2014 and 2020.

Accusations

Farrah Abraham, pictured here in 2017, made a police report against Foppoli in 2021.

In 2017 emails were sent to the Windsor Mayor accusing Foppoli of sexual misconduct, which he denied. After another email in 2020, the council referred both letters to the Sonoma County Sheriff. On April 2, 2021, Farrah Abraham made a report against Foppoli to Palm Beach Police Department in Florida accusing him of sexual battery.

On April 8, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle journalists Alexandria Bordas and Cynthia Dizikes reported that four women had accused Foppoli of sexually harassing, assaulting, or raping them. In subsequent weeks, additional accusations were made by other women. The incidents date from 2001 to 2021. In February 2022, a woman who alleged that Foppoli had forced her to perform oral sex on him in a hotel room filed a police report against him in Reno, Nevada.

In response to the initial San Francisco Chronicle 2021 article, Foppoli denied the accusations in a statement released by his attorney and at an emergency town council meeting. Foppoli initially refused to resign despite calls for him to do so. On April 16, 2021, he announced that he would "step back from an active role as Mayor". The United Residents for Recalling Foppoli Committee subsequently filed a "notice of intention" for a recall election with the Windsor city clerk. Foppoli resigned on May 21, ending the recall effort.

Foppoli was expelled from the Active 20-30 Club, a civic organization of which he was an active member. He was removed from his position as second vice president of the Mayors and Council Members Department at the League of California Cities. Christopher Creek Winery was removed as a member of Sonoma County Vintners and Russian River Valley Winegrowers. He was also removed from his appointment to the board of directors of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.

The Sonoma County Sheriff, Mark Essick, announced a criminal investigation into the allegations against Foppoli on the day the San Francisco Chronicle report was first published. After deputy district attorney Esther Lemus accused Foppoli of sexual assault and rape, the California Attorney General's office took over the investigation. In March 2024 the California Attorney General's office suspended their criminal investigations into the accusations against Foppoli. Civil claims against him are due to go to trial in 2025.

Personal life

Foppoli is Catholic. He lives in Windsor, California. He also owns a home, which has been in the Foppoli family for years, in Mazzo di Valtellina, Italy. In October 2020, Foppoli tested positive for COVID-19 after a work trip to Tennessee.

Foppoli has appeared on numerous television programs. In 2002, Foppoli appeared with his then girlfriend, Shannon McCarthy, on Meet My Folks. Foppoli was recruited by Bravo to appear on a reality show about dating in 2012. Foppoli filmed two pilot episodes and quit the project. In 2015, Foppoli appeared on The Steve Harvey Show competing for the title of the sexiest man in California. In 2018, he appeared on 48 Hours about the 2015 murder of Emad Tawfilis by vintner Robert Dahl. In the episode, Foppoli was called "the prince of wine country." In September 2023, it was reported that Foppoli was engaged to a 26-year-old Italian woman.

External links

• Dominic Foppoli at IMDb