California City Mayor Marquette Hawkins is pushing back against anonymous corruption claims circulating on social media, rejecting accusations that he blocked an energy deal to benefit another company.
The allegations were made by a content creator known as CCGPT, who accused Hawkins of rejecting a proposal from Baker Energy Company—founded by MLB legend Dusty Baker—in favor of a competing firm. Hawkins dismissed the claims as baseless, saying, “You can’t just say stuff and not have the proof to back it up.”
Background on the Baker Energy proposal
Before Hawkins took office, Baker Energy had a letter of intent with California City. Company partner John Ryan said the proposal included $10 million in non-refundable payments over nine months, along with jobs and development opportunities.
Hawkins said the deal carried serious financial risks, noting that if the company failed to recover its investment, the city could be left with the financial burden. The council ultimately rejected the deal.
“We would be left holding the bag and left with a huge bill,” Hawkins said.
Conflict-of-interest claims
CCGPT also accused the mayor of having ties to the California City Development Association (CCDA), a nonprofit that recently introduced a separate energy-related letter of intent. Hawkins denied any connection, saying he has no affiliation or role with the group.
Hawkins suggested that former councilman Michael Kulikoff may have received an incentive linked to the Baker Energy proposal—an allegation Kulikoff strongly denied.
Kulickoff called the claim “100 percent false” and urged Hawkins to issue a public apology.
CCGPT responds
The anonymous content creator said their goal is government transparency, not personal attacks. In their statement, they argued the mayor created “the appearance of a conflict of interest” by not recusing himself from CCDA-related matters and accused city officials of being unresponsive to their inquiries.
Mayor’s full response
Hawkins issued a detailed statement explaining that critics are “intentionally conflating” two unrelated proposals:
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A speculative $10 million proposal from one company that could expose the city to future financial liability.
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An LOI from the CCDA, which only authorizes a feasibility study and does not commit the city to any project.
Hawkins said misinformation is driving the narrative, adding that his administration remains committed to transparency and responsible decision-making.
Kulikoff pushes back
Kulickoff reiterated that he never received incentives and said the mayor’s remarks undermine public trust. He called for a retraction and encouraged open discussion at upcoming community forums.
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