Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy resigns amid probe into legal residence
Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy resigns amid probe into legal residence
Fairfield Mayor Catherine "Cat" Moy resigned Tuesday morning on the heels of an ongoing probe ordered by the City Council into her legal home address and a major loss in her bid for Solano County supervisor.
FAIRFIELD, Calif. - Fairfield Mayor Catherine "Cat" Moy resigned Tuesday morning on the heels of an ongoing probe ordered by the City Council into her legal home address and a major loss in her bid for Solano County supervisor.
In an emotional letter posted to social media on Tuesday morning, Moy wrote: "My days of serving as an elected official in our hometown ends today. I am at peace with being a private citizen of Fairfield."
Fairfield spokesperson Bill Way confirmed that Moy's resignation was submitted.
"At the moment, we don't have a comment yet until we get all the information together," Way said.
Featured
18-year-old killed at Fairfield high school graduation identified
The shooting happened as the graduating students were exiting the stadium and meeting their families.
Vice Mayor Pam Bertani will be assuming the role, wrote Moy, becoming the city's first African American mayor.
Investigation
What we know:
Attorney Gary Winuk was hired by Fairfield City Council members in November to investigate whether Moy "meets the residency requirements articulated under state law to remain eligible to continue her term as mayor."
Moy stated in her resignation announcement that she and her family have "suffered extreme duress and discrimination" because of the investigation, prompting her decision to leave office.
Catherine Moy, mayor of Fairfield, in Fairfield, California, US, on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. A secret plan backed by tech billionaires to create a new city northeast of San Francisco is running into resistance an indication of the long road ahead in a
Moy also alleged the investigation led to her defeat at the polls on June 2, when she lost to incumbent Wanda Williams for the seat of Solano County supervisor for District 3, which encompasses a majority of Fairfield, parts of Suisun City and Travis Air Force Base.
Winuk's report, issued to the council in March, was released to the public in May, and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to claim Moy was not a Fairfield resident, adding that continuing the investigation would be at the City Council's discretion.
Featured
Relative says mother tried to save her son in Fairfield shooting
A pastor says he is related to the victim who died and the boy's 11-year-old sister who was injured at the graduation ceremony shooting in Fairfield. He said their mom tried to give the boy CPR.
To date, legal fees for the investigation have amounted to $66,170, paid out of the city's general fund. All six city councilmembers called for the investigation in November after fielding complaints from "a lot of people coming to the dais claiming [Moy] wasn't in city limits," City Councilmember Doug Carr said in a phone call.
Moy's announcement comes just hours before a special meeting Tuesday to determine whether the City Council would continue with the investigation into Moy's legal residency or not.
In emails, Moy claimed the investigation "always was and remains a setup."
She has stated that the attempt to remove her was partly due to her vocal opposition to California Forever, a massive, venture capitalist-backed real estate development planned for southeast Solano County.
Community challenges
In her letter, Moy addressed recent events in Fairfield, over which she has received criticism at recent council meetings.
"As you know, over the past few weeks, Fairfield has suffered horrific loss, turmoil, and currently mourns the life of Jamario Baker, while we pray for other victims of the shooting at Sem Yeto's graduation," she wrote. "When a fight broke out at Fairfield High School on May 20, 2026, officers responded. Videos from that incident went viral. People, including me, were emotionally shaken, and had many questions. We still do."
City Council meets and discusses next steps
Supporters of the former mayor echoed her claims that the investigation was politically motivated. "One hundred percent this was nothing but a political hit job so the corrupt can continue ruling," said one attendee.
However, others in the audience welcomed the leadership change, dismissing the idea that outside interests drove the probe.
"There’s no California Forever behind this, no special interests were behind this," one resident countered during the meeting. "This was Cat burning her own career down. It’s well deserved. I’m here tonight to congratulate her on her retirement and good riddance."
Amid the finger-pointing, city leaders urged a shift toward stability, particularly as Fairfield continues to reel from recent community trauma, including a fatal high school graduation shooting and viral video of an officer using force on a teenager.
"We need to heal our community," said Acting Mayor Pam Bertani. "I can tell you that is what our community needs right now, hope, unity, and healing."
The Fairfield City Council announced it will convene a special meeting on June 16 to formalize its transition plan. To fill the mayoral vacancy through November, the council has two options: appoint a replacement directly or call a special election within 60 days.