Integrity Isn’t Optional
When a fellow director was accused of taking MID water, Robert didn’t look the other way. He demanded answers, held the line on ethics and put ratepayers first.
Demanding transparency
- As board president, Robert commissioned an investigation into the alleged water theft.
- When it stalled, he moved to keep it going and suggested sending the matter to a grand jury.
- He then asked the California Attorney General to investigate.
“If people aren’t told the truth, then democracy doesn’t work.”Robert Frobose, The Valley Citizen, Oct. 30, 2017
Building a culture of integrity
- Robert spoke out when a director voted against his own investigation.
- He won’t trade his vote for campaign money, even as Byrd and his business partner put $32,000 behind his opponent.
- He called out Byrd’s claim that all of his land was inside the district. It isn’t.
“Bob Frobose believes MID’s first principle should be integrity.”Eric Caine, The Valley Citizen, Sept. 21, 2026
“My vote is not for sale.”Robert Frobose, The Modesto Bee, Jan. 7, 2026
Putting ratepayers first
- When MID water is taken, ratepayers pay the price. Robert won’t let that slide.
- He raised the price for out-of-district corporate growers from $60 to $200 an acre-foot, while Byrd pushed to sell MID water cheap.
- His Resolution 2026-10 would keep ratepayers from paying for damage caused by a few bad actors.
“When somebody steals something from MID…the rest of the ratepayers are picking up that tab.”Robert Frobose, The Modesto Focus, June 10, 2026
“…that woman and all those other people who need to water their gardens are my constituents. That’s the people I’m representing, them and all our in-district farmers.”Robert Frobose, on walking door-to-door in 2022, The Valley Citizen, Aug. 26, 2026
The Byrd Scandal: What Happened
At every step, Robert pushed for answers. Here’s the timeline.
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The allegation
MID water, outside MID
Director Larry Byrd was accused of using district canal water on an almond orchard at the AB La Grange ranch, outside MID’s boundaries. MID’s investigation found his trees needed more water than his wells pumped.
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Dec. 2025
Robert demanded an investigation
As board president, Robert commissioned an investigation. When he moved to continue it, the vote deadlocked 2–2, with Byrd voting against his own investigation.
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Jan. 2026
Ethics experts weigh in
Ethics experts told The Modesto Bee that Byrd had a clear conflict of interest when he voted against his own investigation. Another ethics expert likened it to a betrayal of public trust.
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June 2026
Robert went to the state
Robert asked the California Attorney General to open an investigation into the alleged water theft.
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Today
Now under investigation
The Stanislaus County District Attorney is investigating the allegations, and the state’s ethics watchdog is reviewing Byrd’s vote.
“It is our responsibility, as elected officials, to protect the public’s interest.”Robert Frobose, on asking the Attorney General to investigate, The Modesto Focus, June 11, 2026
Who’s paying to replace the board president who investigated Byrd?
- Ty Angle is Byrd’s business partner on the AB La Grange Ranch, the same ranch at the center of the water theft allegations.The Valley Citizen, Sept. 21, 2026
- Director Janice Keating, who voted with Byrd to end the investigation, received $10,000 from the AB La Grange Ranch, JX Byrd Cattle Company, Cal Coast Almonds and Brandon Angle.The Valley Citizen, Sept. 21, 2026
- Byrd pushed to sell MID water cheap. Before it was widely known that some of his orchards are outside the district, Byrd strongly advocated selling MID water to out-of-district growers at below-market prices.The Modesto Focus, Jan. 20, 2026
“You think I didn’t want that water for 60 bucks an acre-foot? Oh, my god, you gotta be out of your mind.”Larry Byrd, at MID’s December 2025 board meeting, The Modesto Bee
- Robert can’t be bought. Angle reportedly pressured Robert to vote for selling water at $60 an acre-foot, citing his $2,500 contribution to Robert’s campaign. Robert voted against it in 2024. Now Byrd and his business partner are funding the campaign to replace him.The Modesto Bee, Jan. 7, 2026
“When you abuse the public trust, you lose the trust of the public. My duty is to in-district farmers and MID ratepayers. As long as I’m on the Board, MID is not for sale.”Robert Frobose, The Valley Citizen, Sept. 21, 2026
Standing Firm Amid Board Dysfunction
When the board divided, Robert kept the focus on ethics and on you.
Byrd voted against his own investigation
Robert also suggested sending the matter to a grand jury.
“Clear conflict of interest,” ethics experts say
Should Byrd have voted on whether to continue the investigation into himself?
“That’s an easy, obvious no. The conflict of interest is substantial and strong, and that alone should have been enough to recuse.”Gerard Wellman, political science professor, CSU Stanislaus
“My vote is not for sale.”Robert Frobose
The other “no” vote was censured for mistreating staff
Director Janice Keating, who joined Byrd in voting to end the investigation, had been censured by the board earlier that year for mistreating staff.
Keating lost her lawsuit against Robert
The year before, Keating lost a gender discrimination lawsuit she brought against Robert.
See everything Robert has delivered for MID ratepayers.
See Robert’s record →Questions? CMFroboseforMID@gmail.com