By Robert Haugh
Santa Clara News Online got a lot of reactions to yesterday’s story about how Councilmember Kevin Park failed to disclose his income for two years as required by state law.
Most Mission City residents were outraged. Some felt this was Park acting in character.
Park has a history of late or incorrect reports, especially when it’s about undisclosed meetings with 49ers.
Or sometimes when he doesn’t report asking the team for money.
Former City Attorney Brian Doyle called to the public’s attention Park’s failure to disclose his income on June 7.
But the 49er Five refused to agendize the item for discussion saying Doyle had a conflict.
“The obligation to file a Form 700 is part of the Political Reform Act,” said Deputy District Attorney John Chase in an email. “The enforcement provisions are in numerous statutes beginning at Government Code section 91000.”
Chase is the head of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Team.
On June 21, Santa Clara resident Craig Larsen made the same request as Doyle from weeks earlier. Larsen said he had no conflict.
Here’s Larsen’s full statement from the Council meeting.
After that, Park amended his form and reported income on June 29.
On Tuesday, July 12, Larsen came before the City Council again and said that Park had amended his two Form 700 statements.
But Larsen still wanted Park to explain himself.
“It should not take petitions from the public for elected officials to do the right thing,” Larsen said.
But again, the Council rejected the request to let Park explain himself. The vote was 3-3 with Park abstaining.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor, Councilmembers Kathy Watanabe and Suds Jain voted to allow Park to explain himself.
Park remained silent during the debate.
(Editor’s Note: Jain did not vote with the 49er Five as suggested yesterday. Santa Clara News Online regrets the error and will give Jain an opportunity to write an oped to explain why he voted differently on June 7 and on July 12).
What’s Next?
“In this case, the FPPC investigated and it has authority to impose administrative penalties and sometimes sue for civil penalties,” according to Chase.
According to sources, the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is looking into Park’s failure to report his income.
Other actions are also possible.
“The civil prosecutor, either the city attorney or the district attorney, or any city resident can sue the recalcitrant and recover an amount related to the amount not disclosed,” said Chase.
“In practice around the state, the late filing of a Form 700 is generally punished by fines imposed by the filing clerk, which in this case would be the Santa Clara City Clerk.
“Finally, the district attorney can file a misdemeanor charge.”
This is a developing story.
Editor’s Note: The 49er Five are Councilmembers Anthony Becker, Raj Chahal, Suds Jain, Karen Hardy and Kevin Park.
Jed York spent $3 million in November 2020 to elect Becker, Jain and Park. They were previously 0-6 in Santa Clara elections. Chahal and Hardy have received gifts from the team recently without reporting them.
The 49er Five meet with the team on an almost weekly basis and have voted to help the team win millions of dollars in concessions from the City since December 2020.
I have lived in Santa Clara for just about twenty months so far. My council member is Chapel. I lived here for many many years when I was much younger. I simply cannot believe how corrupt this City Council is. It is just breathtaking and no one does a damn thing. Now the endless commercials about Becker and Karen Hardy are starting.
What can we do here to start something rolling?
This is an interesting article for me personally. I retired as a State Employee in 2016. I filled out all the required forms for FPPC when I left. They sent me a letter FOUR YEARS later saying that I had not filed the proper forms and the ONLY reason I did not get a fine was that I retired. How is it that these forms were not filled out and what about the Brown Act violations that are so evident.
“Santa Clara News Online regrets the error and will give Jain an opportunity to write an oped…” So your error means we all have to suffer through Suds pathetic words? Great.
On a positive note.
It gives readers a
chance to share
their views of
Suds and his band
of grifters.
Robert, I really appreciate the work you do and am a daily reader but I’m not sure 14 comments (especially when a number of them are from Suds and John Galt) constitutes “a lot of reactions.”
Keep up the good work but maybe tone down the self aggrandizement a little. Your reporting speaks for itself.
My reference is to the emails, texts, and Facebook messages I received yesterday. It was much higher than usual.
Craig Larsen should sue Park. There is pure cause. Unlike Brian exline who sued Lisa Gillmor for pure harassment because the 49ers told him to.
With Hardy and Chahal you have people with real jobs but completely wrong about the 49ers. They are decent people, good citizens, contribute much, but they are wrong.
I am all for the voting rights act. I like Raj and I trust him. But the fact that far white guy Becker and Stalker Suds got in is a oriblem. I could have seen Haggag as a downtown council guy. Better than a guy who runs around events talking shots of lisa.
Park joined with Stalker Suds Jain and Bugsy Becker to send Able Catdona to attack and dig up Lisa Gillmor for her legitimate Form 700 activity.
STALKER SUDS