By Robert Haugh
Indicted Santa Clara City Councilman Anthony Becker showed up to court be arraigned Monday. But he did not enter a plea.
Becker was represented by Christopher Montoya, a public defender. But he’s asked for more time to find a private attorney.
Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya instructed Becker to report to the sheriff’s department to be booked and return to court May 3 to enter his plea.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen had harsh words for Becker.
“When you leak a confidential report to the target of that report, you’re taking sides against Santa Clara County,” Rosen said.
“When you do both of those things leak and lie as an elected official who’s sworn to protect and defend the interest of your constituents before and above your private interests, you have violated everyone’s trust and broken the law.”
Rosen also called out the 49ers who’s former executive Rahul Chandhok personally attacked grand jury members.
Legal experts said Chandhok violated professional and ethical rules. Chandhok no longer works for the team.
“The 49ers’ smearing of individual grand jurors was wrong and shameful,” Rosen said. “The 49ers should apologize.”
The team has not responded to Rosen.
Becker allegedly leaked a grand jury report to the 49ers and the SV Voice, a pro-49er publication. He then lied to the grand jury about doing so.
The 49ers have supported Becker with over $3.5 million of campaign contributions for a city council campaign and a mayoral race. Becker has never won a race without their help.
The SV Voice is a pro-49er publication that’s also close to Becker. One of their reporters Carolyn Schuk secretly wrote memos for Becker that he falsely claimed he wrote.
Becker could face up four years in prison if convicted of the felony for perjury.
[…] had asked Superior Court Judge Daniel Nishigaya for a delay in May so he could find a private […]
[…] He was represented by a Public Defender, Christopher Montoya on that day. […]
[…] was represented by Public Defender Christopher Montoya. That was a surprise because Becker deferred his plea last month, citing the need to select private counsel. But at the hearing yesterday, he remained […]
[…] month, indicted Santa Clara City Councilman Anthony Becker went to court and said he wanted a new attorney. Currently, Becker is being represented by Christopher Montoya, a […]
[…] appeared in court two weeks ago but was given more time to find a private attorney. Two weeks ago, he was represented by public […]
[…] Attorney Jeff Rosen is charging Becker with allegedly leaking a confidential grand jury report to the 49ers and the Silicon Valley […]
With the smear campaign directed at grand jury members, attempting to sway their decisions re political corruption in Santa Clara, this codified California statute would perhaps be applicable, for starters, that Becker, Chandhok, and others at the 49ers or city. Of course this was done with media support, and the SVV “reporters” were mouthpieces for the 49ers and Becker, and imo knowingly used the “impartial and objective” media to personally attack grand jury members and their families (ie when and where they attended church, etc)
PC 95: Influencing a Juror or Judge
Legal Definition:
PC 95: “Every person who corruptly attempts to influence a juror, or any person summoned or drawn as a juror, or chosen as an arbitrator or umpire, or appointed a referee, in respect to his or her verdict in, or decision of, any cause or proceeding, pending, or about to be brought before him or her, is punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment…”
This section also defines what kind of communication is penalized under this statute:
Any oral or written communication that is specifically intended to influence a protected party in the performance of their official duty;
Any communication through books, papers or other instruments;
Any communication that is intended to persuade a protected person;
Any promise or assurance of financial benefit or other advantages.
This is very serious stuff…..
These or other additional charges can always be added to this case. DA’s often undercharge suspects to get their cooperation in going after bigger fish in exchange for lesser charges and prison time.
Observation,
Jury tampering is about trying to get the verdict that is desired from a jury. In this case the jury had come out with their report and that civil grand jury was not going to be taking further action related to the Forty Niners.
The Forty Niners were not jury tampering but were pulling shenanigans for public relations. They were trying to undermine the impact of the grand jury report by adjusting perceptions of it. Yes part of this was to allege that the jury was filled with Gillmor allies and I suppose that accusing them of being part of a grand jury for political reasons is a type of attack but saying that someone attends St. Justin’s is not an attack.
I actually expect that there were at least some jurors who did volunteer to be on the grand jury to be part of an effort that would investigate the Forty Niners influence on our city council. I can feel bias coming from the report.
But that does not mean that it does not contain a lot that is legitimate. It investigated and reported on a lot of troubling things that should have been more widely known by the public.
This is not an argument worth having between us. If there are grounds for “jury tampering” then Rosen will pursue them. If he does then I will be surprised. Maybe there is a surprise in store for me but I do not think that Chandhok would be stupid enough to provably commit a significant crime.
I think Becker did and mainly because he lied about it under oath. He probably was subpoenaed to be interviewed by the grand jury to get him in a situation in which he had to either admit to leaking the report or lie about it. He stupidly chose to lie about it and in so doing committed a felony offense.
And now all the people for whom he served as a useful idiot and who enabled all his bad behavior and waste of his office to engage in childish public squabbling will now desert him and leave him to hang out to dry alone.
Emails sent from Jain to press attack the recused jurors.
The GJ doesn’t know what cases they will be reviewing when they are sworn in.
They volunteer their service to give back to the community.
Frank,
I think that is generally the case.
But I would not be very surprised if there was some coordination between Rosen and Gillmor on having a civil grand jury take a look into Forty Niner influence on the Santa Clara city council and part of this including Gillmor encouraging some people she knows to volunteer. I do not think this is necessarily wrong.
I do not like it when some of the council majority seem to base their actions and statements with Lisa Gillmor negatively in mind. I also do not like it when their opponents and/or Gillmor’s supporters will not acknowledge or even entertain anything negative about her. She is not some kind of guileless unpolitical public servant.
Along with raising some major points of legitimate concern and criticism the grand jury report had a considerable amount of overly wrought rhetoric and trumped up exaggerations. I took it as something that had value for the public and needed to be part of the discussion prior to the election for mayor. And I also saw it as part of a concerted political effort to support Lisa Gillmor.
I thought today would be a great day to repost a statement I made with Santa Clara Online back in Nov 2022.
Thank You Mr. Haugh for being the only source that I trust with posting exactly what I write. In the future, you have my approval to correct my grammar and spelling errors.
If you have time tonight, Call in, email in, or show up at the Council Meeting to voice your thoughts on just how our City has been run since the 49ers took over control of the council.
Burt Field
Burt.field@gmail.com
Burt Field
NOVEMBER 4, 2022 AT 10:53 AM
Sad… that said, we still have a vote, as I have learned together we are stronger, in fact unbreakable and unbeatable come to mind.
The “40 Whiners” have 31 more years to figure this out, and I don’t think they are even close to being done.
What we have to do is stay vigilant and understand that nothing out of that corner of the room will end up working out well for us. No matter how it is dressed up, no matter who says what…. their true colors have been shown.
They are liars. But they are also, cheats, and bullies.
At best, they view Santa Clara, and the residents as nothing more than a doormat, and what do you do with a doormat… you wipe your feet on it. Think about it, how many times in your life have you ever thought about your doormat?
By contrast, I actually think about my toilet paper at least once in awhile.
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on me
Fool me a third time….We need to stay vigilant, and focused.
So here we go, “Ready, ….Focus,…Action”. Had to change my terminology… some will know why.
2023 will see some pretty large changes in how our City is run, and hopefully we will be able at least for a few years live our lives with less interference from one really poorly run local company.
Burt Field
burt.field@gmail.com
It will be interesting to find out who is paying for AB’s attorney. He has made it very clear (ad nauseam) that he can not afford one through his campaigns and various sermons. If he stays on the Council he would have to declare that as a gift (resign and he could keep that private).
2021-0559, 2021-0558, kevin park, fppc pending
2022-00660 fppc pending case on Becker. STAFF INITIATED
Becker must go!!!!! Where’s that Big mouth now. Send your concerns to the council! Go to the
meeting tonight. Becker must resign!!!!!!! P.S. Pay close attention to others still under investigation!!!!!!!! They are Not representing you! Speak up!!!!!!!!
The state bar was contacted about chandhok
22-0-13390
State Bar complaint chandhok
Write bar. Ask it to reopen
Becker’s husband is so stupid for wearing that shirt for his husband’s arraignment. He’s trying to make a political statement and call out a “homophobic” quote. Have neither of them ever heard of the metaphor of a low hanging fruit? I would assume not because they both look like the longest book they’ve ever (and last) read was Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Such idiots. I am excited to see all of this play out and hope this leads to the the rest of the 49er Five’s indictments and opens the door for the DA to uncover the years and years of 49er/York/deBartolo corruption… without Trump to save them this time.
Marjorie,
The problem is not whether or not Cardona or Becker know about the phrase which they surely do but that Cardona wearing that to the arraignment implies that they are accusing Rosen of being homophobic in pursuing charges against Becker. Perhaps that Rosen would normally look the other way but because Becker is gay then he will charge.
That is ridiculous and even the original accusation that a commenter here referring to Becker as “low hanging fruit” and a “dingleberry” were homophobic slurs. They might have been but they were not obviously so. They were childish and should not have been used regardless of whether or not they should be viewed as bigotry.
And I believe that Robert Haugh has removed those comments from the site retroactively or am I wrong in this? If so then that should not have been done. Once they became a public issue they should have been left up for good or for bad. Or at least left up with an editorial remark that they are being left up to preserve the public record even though they were at least in bad taste.
The comments in question were edited and/or removed well before Becker brought attention to them. The screenshots he presented were months old. He and others at the media outlet that constantly aligns with Becker and others, attacked me for the comments, accusing me of bigoted and racist comments.
The comments were not made by me and it’s well-known who made such comments.
It’s the M.O. — attack and deflect.
I have stated publicly that I edit and/or remove any comments that are inappropriate. Of the thousands of comments made on my site, very few have slipped past me. But I have edited or removed some comments — but it was not Becker that caused that.
Comments were edited/removed months before he made an issue of said comments. I’m this site’s sole editor/moderator/publisher. I have worked hard to better control comments while still allowing the community a voice and place for civil discussion.
Those that know me, know who I am.
Ironically, years after my criminal proceedings were dismissed, a local media outlet continues to leave stale content with nasty comments about me … but it doesn’t surprise me or bother me. I can take it. I have thick skin.
Robert,
.
I know that you never made any homophobic remarks on this site and others were very wrong to cast a wide blanket of accusation that covered you as well. I think you have seen me write about precisely this publicly at least several times.
.
Apologies for anything I have been mistaken about. In my memory I was able to find some of the comments that were referenced by Becker in his complaints and then later was not able to.
.
I also again do not think those remarks were any more than questionable in terms of possibly being homophobic. They did not come across that way and Cardona reviving the complaints with his tshirt comes across as very unfortunately cynical accusation of homophobia that does not apply. Which only undermines the fight against all the terrible homophobia that we see in the world.