By Robert Haugh
Indicted Santa Clara City Councilmember Anthony Becker will start his felony perjury trial in just 95 days.
Judge Daniel Nishigaya decided on a March 4, 2024 start date during a hearing in Santa Clara County Superior Court yesterday.
Becker will be on trial for leaking a Grand Jury report and lying about it.
The most serious charge against Becker is felony perjury. If found guilty, he could serve up to four years in prison.
Becker is eligible to run for reelection to his Council seat in November 2024. He’s told an associate he won’t run.
Becker’s major financial backers, the 49ers, have stopped helping him with advertising.
But the team is still helping 49er-friendly Councilmembers Suds Jain and Kevin Park who are up for reelection next year.
Jain is also expected to be a key witness against Becker.
Jain told the Grand Jury that Becker admitted to him that he leaked the report to local reporter Carolyn Schuk.
Jain knew about Becker’s actions weeks before testifying to the Grand Jury but he did not report it to anyone.
Former 49ers executive Rahul Chandhok testified to the Grand Jury that Becker leaked him the Grand Jury report. Chandhok used it to prepare an attack against the Grand Jury in 2022.
Chandhok is also expected to be a key witness against Becker.
According to multiple sources, Becker was alone in court yesterday. During past hearings, he was accompanied by family members and his spouse.
The March trial is expected to be one of the most significant events in Santa Clara’s political and government history.
Becker’s first appearance in court was 227 days ago on April 17, 2023.
[…] starts his trial in about 60 days in March. If convicted of the felony perjury charge, he could face up to four […]
He’ll start negotiating a plea deal after the vote to remove the elected Chief is on the ballot.
Wonder if Becker and Jain will ever share a Cell together? Should make for some interesting late night conversations for sure.
Keep in mind, our City is not that far away from actually returning to the residents of Santa Clara.
Being a Company Town requires a minimum of 4 votes.
Jain, Park and Becker are due to term out one year from now.
Don’t for one second think the 49ers are going to just give up. On the contrary, we can expect them to ramp up the spending / attacking. Then most likely allocate more time and energy in the vetting process of their potential representatives.
I’m sure this has been an embarrassment to the 49ers as well. Not that they care, but in reality, they would rather be in the background.
All they want is the money, literally that’s all they want….all the money.
Burt Field
78′ Buchser High School Graduate
Orange is the New Black