Jerry Brown cleared in secret taping case

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A spokesman for Jerry Brown went rogue when he secretly recorded conversations with several reporters. That was the conclusion of an investigation into the recordings by the Alameda County district attorney’s office, which cleared Brown of any wrongdoing in the case.

Dist. Atty. Nancy O’Malley released a statement Thursday saying her office has concluded that state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown’s office did not break the law when former Brown spokesman Scott Gerber surreptitiously recorded conversations with numerous reporters.

O’Malley announced that no charges would be filed in the case, and that Brown spokesman Scott Gerber was acting contrary to direct orders from Brown’s chief deputy when he recorded the conversations.

Gerber resigned days after the recordings became public in November.

The state Republican Party attacked Brown when the recordings became public and called for an independent probe into the tapings.

-- Anthony York