By Craig Larsen
On June 21, 2022, Santa Clara resident Craig Larsen made this statement to City Council during the public presentation time. It’s reprinted here with his permission. Minor edits have been made for clarity.
Dear Mayor Gillmor and Councilmembers,
Transparency and accountability are often key commitments made in campaigns for public office.
They are important to ensure to the public we have elected officials whose actions are that of honesty, integrity, and fairness, to name a few values.
In addition to those, the public expects elected officials to disclose conflicts of interest, update their public calendars promptly, and make timely financial disclosures, among other required provisions.
Corrections, when needed, should be made promptly. Failure to do so erodes the public’s trust.
When transparency and accountability are found lacking in a city council, it tarnishes not only the council’s reputation but also degrades the image of the city as a whole.
At the June 7 meeting, a petition, Item 22-780, was presented by Mr. Brian Doyle.
That petition was in regards to a sitting councilmember, Mr. (Kevin) Park, and Mr. Park’s reportedly inconsistent statements submitted in public filings as required for public office campaigns.
Mr. Doyle’s petition was heard, debated, and denied, not so much on the merits of the petition itself, but due to Mr. Doyle’s ongoing litigation with the City.
It was recommended that the petition be re-submitted once legal issues between Mr. Doyle and the City had been resolved – whenever that might be.
I was very dismayed.
What kind of City Council do we have here?
Do we have a City Council that is transparent and accountable?
Is this vote to deny the petition, not based on the petition’s merits, a symptom of a larger problem?
Does this Council violate the public trust and play favorites in their dealings with other entities as well?
Mr. Park has had plenty of time to resolve the issues raised by Mr. Doyle and yet, these issues persist.
The public does not need half-hearted, condescending apologies wrapped in arrogance talked down to the public as one might to a child. The public demands transparency and accountability.
So what can be done?
Tonight, I am submitting to the City Clerk’s office my own petition to have the same matter as presented by Mr. Doyle placed on a future Council meeting agenda.
My petition is remarkably similar to that of Mr. Doyle’s. I have no legal entanglements with the City, so there is no need to wait until any legal proceedings are resolved.
Should Mr. Park wish to demonstrate his commitment to transparency and accountability to the public in this forum, I will withdraw my petition.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
[…] Craig Larsen submitted one at the June 21 Council meeting and wrote about how he wants Counclmember Kevin Park to honestly disclose his income. […]
Kevin Park gets away with everything from domestic violence to not claiming his financials and not meeting with the counselor on a regular basis and lying about it. He is also in the 49ers pocket and we all know it everybody just keeps beating around the bush and will not make this man accountable for his mistakes. A long time Santa Clara Neighbor
And there’s more! Thanks again, Suds Jain!
08/31/2021 9:16:15 AM Suds text to Anthony Becker: I’ll call you back.
08/31/2021 9:32:17 AM Suds text to Anthony Becker: I was in my Doyle one on one. Free till 10 then after 11
(Editor’s note: Jain was still meeting with the former City Attorney the day before Jain was planning to cut the City Attorney loose. What a Machiavellian thing to do.)
(Editor’s note: Now this next txt msg is a real mind blower from Suds attorney who wrote letters to FPPC saying Suds could vote on downtown. Wrong on that one too, Byron! Text message was received the day before Suds was instructed to fire the City Attorney:
08/31/2021 1:09:49 PM Byron Fleck to Suds Jain: Please fire Doyle tomorrow! No if, ands or buts. Let him bring his wrongful discharge claim. The guy is a disaster to residents. – Cost residents $5MM+ in an ill considered defense of a well founded (as determined by two courts) CVRA case. – Hung Santa Clara with the moniker of a racially discriminatory City as found by the courts above. – failure to communicate settlement offer in CVRA matter which may have saved residents $1MM, in apparent violation of California Rules of Professional Conduct 1.4.1. See, https://www.sdcba.org/?pg=FTR- Jan-2020- – oh, the well worn axiom in common law dating to 13th century England. You can be a witness or attorney advocate, but not both.None of this Now Im going to put my resident hat on now. Disgusting. – breaching his fiduciary duty to client (Council) by not in forming Council that interest was accruing $400k+ on attorneys fees award in CVRA suit. – calling the 49ers thugs in written correspondence. How Santa Clara addresses local business? https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-francisco-49ers- wont-meet-with-city-official-after-tirade-and-threats/ – look. No more cronies. Next time use a search firm or independent counsel to recommend a qualified attorney. –
finally, this new Council was sworn in December 8, 2020. To date, although having a 5-2 majority, you all appear incapable of accomplishing a bare minimum. Ie, getting rid of demonstrated incompetence. Takes soon 9 months to do the obvious? – please identify any City or business anywhere who would not fire such an incompetent attorney? Hint: None. Anywhere. This is an easy one. More challenges ahead much more difficult. But my god, if you cannot do the easy stuff.
(Editor’s note: incriminating and disgusting. Obviously, Fleck is in on the destruction of Santa Clara too.)
Thank you again PRA 21-759!
Can you say “wow?” Too bad Byron Fleck didn’t disclose what a disaster attorney he is and how many times he’s demonstrated incompetence.
For the record, fleck is Jain’s PERSONAL
attorney and seems to be moonlighting
as PERSONAL attorney to other council.
Just sayin’.
So Byron what are you costing city with your bad advice to suds to fire city attorney and no doubt city manager?
Pot.kettle.black.
Great now our stupid council members are listening to a drunken attorney for advice. The residents of Santa Clara are doomed. Five sellouts to destroy such a beautiful city.
This txt msg exchange between the 49er 5 will blow your mind. They are talking about the Special Meeting they called for Wednesday, September 1, to fire then City Attorney Brian Doyle. This was sooooooo planned. Thanks for sharing Suds! What a lovely statement about the staff too:
8/28/21 – 1:15 PM
Suds Jain: I’m in a media blackout. Enjoying time with my parents. F them all.
Becker: Hahaha love it!!
8/29/21 – 3:51 PM
Becker: Weird how start time changed. (Screenshot of email msg with Nadine Nader titled “Meeting start time” to Becker and City Clerk that states:
“Hello Anthony: As I noted in my email to the council on Friday, Julie still needed to poll the council for each members best time and date availability. After review of the calendars and coordination with the other council members I think 6 o’clock ended up being….msg gets cut off on txt.
There is another msg from Becker to the City Clerk, “Nora Do you know why the start time for the meeting Wednesday changed from 4:30om till 6:00pm? I thought it was pretty set on 4:30pm? (Wow, Becker was very concerned about this time change!)
Suds: We can’t give anyone excuses to not be there so I’m fine with 6 pm (editor: guess Suds had his orders to just get the job done!)
Becker: Yeah. Karen has back to school night at 7. (Editor: guess Becker didn’t think the deed would take too long)
Becker: Good point
Suds: I’ll just let staff figure it out
Becker: Yeah
Great stuff. Obviously, the 49er 5 knew what was going down on Wednesday, September 1. And now they won’t give Brian Doyle the courtesy of hearing his petitions because the 49er 5 will be EXPOSED for the traitors they are!
Thanks again for sharing these texts Suds and thank you to PRA 21-759 for providing the information!
Happy 4th of July weekend.
Hi John, appreciate the work you do here. I was shocked when I read that they brought up the soccer park again after we had stop that the 1st time. I’m a concerned resident but not too familiar what to do when you post “FPPC Complaint No. COM-06072022-01793: Kevin Park”.
Have you noticed the Instagram adds promoting Kevin Park and now Karen Hardy’s work to bring the World Cup to Levi’s stadium. They are paid by Santa Clara Now. I can send a screenshot if that helps.
The issue of kevin park 700 issues are now before fppc
Thank you Craig Larsen for standing up for Brian Doyle.
That kind of proactiveness is what this city needs more of.
Tired of BS these a$$hats are getting away with.
Could you do another one calling Raj and Karen
and the 49ers out to report their violation of lobbyist
ordinance.
How can my husband and I sign the petition?
Brittney. Need your email and will send you info. Email to me. Debbiesn1121@gmail.com
Excellent letter.
I’m going to take a wild guess and predict there will be five votes to ignore this petition. Just a wild guess…
I think all council members need to be held to a higher standard and if they cannot do what is expected of them, to vote them off the council, immediately. Our council presently has no backbone to the 49ers and when it does, it still has no control over what should be happening due to it being so watered down. Our council is representing the citizens of this great town, and for years it was a boys club until terms limits were put into place. Outsiders should not he able to dictate what our citizens need. We need a council that will be held accountable and not lie during their campaign or after they’ve been elected. If you are representing the citizens of Santa Clara, appear on council meetings when they are viz Zoom, report all monies earned honestly and keep your calendar up to date. Transparency is key!
Great comments. With these council majority, it will be hard to get rid of them except in an election. People should go straight to DA or grand jury.
FPPC Complaint No. COM-06072022-01793: Kevin Park