Mayor’s New Eyeglasses Raise Eyebrows

Mayor Karina Quintanilla is Sporting New Eyeglasses that Cause Concern

PALM DESERT — Mayor Karina Quintanilla was first seen in September sporting some chic new eyeglasses. Beware. These aren’t merely a fashion statement.

They are Ray Ban glasses that incorporate Meta’s AI technology and have recording and audio capabilities, according to City Manager Todd Hileman. They are commonly referred to as “smart glasses.” You can pick up a pair for as little as $299.

The embattled mayor was first spotted wearing them at the Sept. 12 City Council meeting. That’s when staff took note and alerted Hileman, according to an email he sent to staff. Uken Report obtained a copy of the email through the California Public Records Act. Some portions have redacted.

In an email Hileman sent to staff at 1:39 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16, Hilleman wrote: “I wanted to let you know that it was brought to staff’s attention on Friday morning that the eyeglasses that Mayor Quintanilla was wearing during Thursday’s Council meeting were Ray Ban glasses that incorporate Meta’s AI technology and have recording and audio capabilities. I am sharing this with you, as it is being discussed by employees at City Hall and it is therefore likely that either you or the media may receive inquiries about the glasses.

“It is my understanding that she has decided to wear them to Council meetings and other functions due to her safety concerns. It is important to note that she wore these glasses at the September 12 City Council meeting, including during the closed session. Mayor Quintanilla has stated that the glasses were not recording during the closed session and has agreed to refrain from bringing them into the meeting room in the future. City staff has also requested that she refrain from wearing these glasses during private meetings with staff. …. This is meant as an FYI only, so you are aware.”

Quintanilla’s “safety concerns” stem in large part from a pair of written death threats delivered to City Hall and received on the same day, Aug. 27, addressed to Quintanilla. The two letters contained the following statements

• “We hope somebody bashes your head in.”
• “We want you dead.”

The incident was immediately reported to City Clerk Anthony Mejia the immediate supervisor. He then reported it to the city manager. Quintanilla and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department were notified.

Quintanilla was in her office. According to the Violent Incident Log, obtained through a public Records Request, Mejia walked over      to the mayor’s office to notify her of the letters.

“I expressed a reluctance to let her read them,” Mejia states in the LOG. “She insisted and proceeded to take photos. She agreed the photos were not for public consumption but so she could alert her team.”

Yet, the very next day she showed up with photos in hand on a local television show with a sympathetic host.

The city manager suggested she cancel her weekly coffee with the mayor; she agreed.

Her political consultant, John Siegel, used the death threats as a way to tap donors for cash.

You may read a copy of the incident report here. Some portions have been redacted.

The investigation into the “death threats” is unresolved.

“Unfortunately, the investigation is ongoing, and no additional details are available at this time.,” Lt. Deirdre Vickers, Public Information Officer for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, told Uken Report.

With the investigation stalled, the din of speculation intensifies. Did Quintanilla and/or supporters craft the threats themselves to gain sympathy for the beleaguered mayor who has lost the support of the majority of her council to her opponent Chris Scott?

These are just some of the questions residents are asking as they prepare to cast their ballots.

And spy glasses? Among her colleagues?