By Robert Haugh
At last night’s Santa Clara City Council meeting, indicted Councilman Anthony Becker was asked to resign by community leaders including some of his friends.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen is charging Becker with allegedly leaking a confidential grand jury report to the 49ers and the Silicon Valley Voice, a pro-49er publication, and lying about it.
Becker is accused of a misdemeanor and felony perjury. He could spend up to four years in jail if found guilty.
“I’m very sad to see my friend indicted on a very serious charge,” said Yuki Ikezi who served with Becker on the Planning Commission and supported him when he ran for City Council.
“You need to save yourself. I’m speaking as a friend. I hope you can plead down to a lesser charge.”
“I’m requesting the resignation of Anthony Becker from the City Council,” said community leader Debbie Tryforos.
“He has been indicted by a criminal grand jury. This has resulted in nationwide news coverage and it’s an embarrassment to our city and the people who live in his district. He’s no longer worthy of a City Council seat and needs to resign immediately.”
Business owner Ron Patrick described how he has been trying to minimize the impacts around the stadium neighborhoods where his company is located. But Becker has undermined them.
“Mr. Becker has been working for the 49ers, getting them internal information, and lying about it to a grand jury,” said Patrick.
“Mr. Becker was a large component of our problem. Why would the 49ers organization do anything to improve things if they have their man working in secret for them within the city?”
Patrick called Becker a 49er lap dog with anger issues. He also called for him to resign.
Becker did not respond to any of the comments. That was unusual for him.
His colleagues known as the “49er Five” also remained silent and did not defend Becker.
Becker must turn himself into the County Sheriff’s office to be booked, fingerprinted, and take a mug shot before May 3. That’s when he returns to court to enter his plea.
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 without reporting them and received $1 million each for their elections in November 2022.
In 2022, the team spent approximately $2.5 million for Becker in his failed attempt to unseat Mayor Lisa Gillmor.
The 49er Five met 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.
[…] is part of a long list of people who have done so since District Attorney Jeff Rosen and Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky […]
[…] night, indicted Santa Clara City Councilmember Anthony Becker was challenged again by Santa Clarans to […]
I love it. Within a few short months, from Mayor wannabee, to indicted criminal. 👍
Becker has over stayed his place on the City Council. He’s a power monger with a bad temper, I don’t understand while it has taken a felony to ask for his resignation, I just hope the other 4 City Council members will follow Becker out the door, none of them belong to represent our city! It would be in the best interest of the Santa Clara residents to replace all of them with people who are not corrupt.
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/apr/17/silicon-valley-councilman-anthony-becker-defers-pl/
https://www.sbsun.com/2013/10/17/san-bernardino-councilman-chas-kelley-charged-with-perjury-resigns-drops-mayor-bid/
The absurd arrogance and refusal to follow the law of Mr. Jain was well known to us, but Becker took it to a new level.
Carpetbagging into the District three weeks before the election, treating voters as vassals, advocating against the interests of the citizens for his political aggrandizement are all in Becker’s wheelhouse.
Raj is in India? He fled country already?
Amazing what happens when a person is indicted. Becker was even nice to Karl Vartan who he verbally attacked recently during council meeting. But it’s too late, Becker. You sold your soul to the Devil (Jed/Patty/Rahul). Was it worth it? Enjoy your freedom for now.
49er 5 get ready.
You all are goin’ DOWN!
You were complicit.
You all LIED!.
I dated Anthony for a while, and I can assure you he should definitely not have been elected in the first place. His aspirations to secure a position of power and influence were never anything close to altruistic. He was always self centered and borderline maniacal in the way he spoke of entering politics.
He routinely spoke favorably of the Hitler manifesto Mein Kampf alongside his desires to one day reach the white house. It was all very alarming to hear from someone who wanted to become a civil servant.
This news story is anything but shocking. People like Mr Becker should never be allowed near political power.
Just think, if the 49ers had bought a few more votes it would be our MAYOR being indicted. It’s nice to have light shown on these cockroaches, but it doesn’t make them pretty.
To give the devil (literally) his due, I respect that the crook had the guts to show up.