The attorney general of California ordered the city officials on Monday to turn over their financial records and pass a statement under oath on high salaries that caused resignations and public protests.

According to Edmund G. Brown Jr., attorney general who is running for governor, he is also looking for some irregularities with regard to the involvement of city officials to some absentee election ballots. He said that his office received several complaints and reports from the residents of Bell saying that the residents are asked to sign the absentee ballots and collected them. He said that the same allegations also appeared in the Los Angeles Times. Brown said that if the accusation to the city officials is true, this is considered as a serious violation of the state law.

According to the California Law, the absentee ballots must be sent through mail or it must be delivered in the polling place by the voters unless they are ill or disabled. According to Brown, past and present resident of Bell that was encouraged to sign the absentee ballots can call a toll-free hotline to report the incident. Brown said that he already subpoenaed the testimony of the city officials of Bell including the city council members. He ordered them to provide records to their pension benefits, gifts, outside interests, bank accounts, tax returns, and pay.

The statement of Brown said that state lawyers will obtain the statement of the officials under oath on August 19 and 20. According to reports, some city officials including Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia, Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo and Police Chief Randy Adams resigned last month because of the reports that they are receiving a salary of more than a hundred thousand dollars each. Other officials also decreased their salary because of the protest of the people about their high salaries.