Jack Hibbs : War At The City Gates

Hello everyone! We’re excited to sit down with a city attorney today, and I promise you’ll find this discussion enlightening. Welcome to Real Life Presents: The Jack Hibbs Podcast, where we boldly proclaim truth, equip believers, and impact our culture. If this podcast inspires you and encourages you to lead a more fulfilling life in Christ, please leave us a five-star rating. Your positive feedback is like saying “Amen” and helps others discover our content.

Now, open your hearts to what God’s Word has in store for you. Here’s Jack Hibbs.

Hey everyone! Welcome to this episode of the Jack Hibbs Podcast. We are immensely grateful for each of you who joins us—hundreds of thousands strong! But we want to grow even bigger, so please help us spread the word by subscribing, liking, and leaving a review. Your support plays a crucial role; it signals to the social media algorithms that people care about the content we share.

Today, we have a fantastic guest in an equally fantastic location—Huntington Beach, California, in the beautiful Orange County. We’re about to dive into some critical discussions. Joining me is Michael Gates, the city attorney for Huntington Beach. This is no small responsibility, and we’ll explore the important issues he’s currently addressing, including his support for various candidates. Just to clarify, he’s not running for office right now but will be in 2026, so we’ll be sure to reconnect then.

Many people might not fully understand what a city attorney does, so let’s clarify that. What does your role entail, Michael?

That’s a great question! The city attorney handles all legal matters for the city, which includes preparing ordinances for the city council to approve, conducting legal research, and advising the council on what is permissible under the law. Additionally, we prosecute crimes, defend the city against civil suits, and I personally try cases. For instance, last year, I successfully defended a significant police shooting case. Essentially, we manage all legal aspects of city governance, from civil rights issues to First Amendment cases. The only thing we don’t handle is wills and trusts, although we do deal with bankruptcy and real estate matters.

Your biography is quite impressive, and I think it would be valuable to share a link to it for our listeners. It feels like you’ve packed multiple lifetimes into one, balancing a career in law with family life and community involvement. How do you manage it all?

Well, I’ve been married for nearly 30 years, and we have five children. I’ve lived in Huntington Beach for most of my life. My family moved here when I was a child. A significant moment for me occurred in high school when I realized I wanted to actively shape my life rather than just letting it happen to me. From that point on, I’ve committed to making the most of every opportunity.