By Robert Haugh

Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker waved his right to speedy trial when he was indicted on April 14, 2023. Becker got his wish. 

But now his trial will start on August 12, 2024 – 486 days after his indictment.

Last Friday, Becker’s legal team tried to get another delay to October. But Judge Elizabeth Peterson denied their request for another delay.

According to sources following the trial, Peterson wasn’t persuaded by Becker’s legal team. She doesn’t think their desire for more discovery is relevant to his defense. Becker is accused of leaking a Grand Jury report to the 49ers and lying about it in 2022.

The team backed Becker with $1 million for his successful 2020 City Council campaign. They backed him with $2.5 million for his unsuccessful 2022 mayoral race against Mayor Lisa Gillmor.

Both independent expenditures were huge and unprecedented political spending for Santa Clara by the 49ers. 

Becker may have received the most dollars per voter in California history for a municipal candidate, according to one study.

That’s not the only unusual thing about Becker and his relationship with the 49ers.

Becker is also being represented by a public defender and a private attorney. Since Becker can’t afford a private attorney, Grant Fondo and Hayes Hyde of the Wilson Proctor law firm are representing him pro bono.

Local legal sources say this is highly unusual and have asked if the 49ers are discretely funding Becker’s legal help.  A lot of Santa Clara News Online readers have asked or concluded the same thing.

(Editor’s Note:  one of the most read and shared – and believed – stories was an April Fool’s story about the 49ers owner Jed York representing Becker.)

Those sources believe that Fondo is responsible for Becker’s push for more information. It’s part of a strategy to obtain “political opposition research.” That would damage Becker’s political opponents, but not help Becker’s legal defense. 

Fondo and Hyde’s pro bono help may violate FPPC regulations which prohibit elected officials from receiving free legal services.

Since Becker was indicted, he has voted on numerous major issues to help the 49ers, including legal settlements that benefitted the team with millions of dollars.  

Becker could have recused himself, but chose not to do so.

Becker recently filed for re-election. He will need to gather 30 signatures and file his nomination papers by August 9 – three days before his trial starts. 

Local political observers speculate that Becker is trying to gain leverage to negotiate a deal with District Attorney Jeff Rosen and Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky to stay out of jail. 

But they believe it’s a just ploy and don’t believe Becker won’t gather signatures and file.

If convicted of felony perjury, Becker could serve up to four years behind bars.