By Robert Haugh
Days before the 2020 election, Santa Clara City Council candidate Kevin Park asked the Santa Clara Weekly/Silicon Valley Voice (SCW/SVV) to kill a story about domestic disturbance calls at his home.
As Santa Clara News Online (SCNO) previously reported, the email was sent to editor Angie Tolliver, who has overseen coverage decisions at the publication.
But she wasn’t the only one on the email. Then-candidate and now Councilmember Suds Jain also received the email.
Like Park, he was on the ballot in 2020 and benefited from nearly $1 million in independent expenditures from the 49ers for his City Council campaign. They are now allies and part of the 49er Five on the Council.
In an email last month, SCNO asked Jain the following questions:
I have a source that says in 2020, you were made aware of Kevin Park’s domestic disturbance incidents. Is this true? Did you report it to anyone? If not, why not? Have you taken any action recently regarding Kevin Park and his domestic disturbance incidents?
Jain responded, but notice how he avoided answering the actual questions.
“I know of no instances where Kevin was violent towards his wife or child. I don’t believe Kevin has ever been charged with any crime nor [sic] taken into custody. I know far less than the police.”
But Jain was aware of the allegations from a letter Park sent him in 2020. It was the same one that Park sent to Tolliver of the SCW/SVV.
SCNO has confirmed the validity of the October 2020 email with multiple sources.
This is not the only time that Jain has covered up a potential criminal incident.
Here’s what former City Attorney Brian Doyle wrote in December 2024 about Jain covering up for now-convicted felon Anthony Becker.
At Becker’s trial on Thursday, Jain testified: “About two to three weeks before my (grand jury) testimony, I got a phone call (from Becker), and he said he had given the (grand jury) report to a reporter.”
So, upon learning that a fellow council member had violated the Penal Code and knowing that others on the Council had been accused of being the one who leaked it, Jain clammed up. Jain even told Becker that he didn’t want him to tell him any more about what he had done.
This is a developing story.
Thank God we have courageous individuals like Brian Doyle and Robert Haugh who are not afraid to call out how sleazy Suds Jain is. And Anthony Becker was! Thank you both.
What else is complicit Suds hiding to protect his 49er buddies?
Excerpt from Long Spoon Lane:
“corruption begets corruption.” He heard the bitterness he felt very clearly in his voice. “That’s what I hate about it most, the contagion of it. Men who could have been good become tainted, and the more of it there is the harder it is to survive without being touched by it. If you give people power, sooner or later they are tempted to abuse it. It takes a very strong man not to, a man wise enough to see its price, brave enough to go against the tide, and he can pay dearly for it.”
This is Suds Jain and his 49er 5 buddies.
Jain wrote oped piece attacking cpra.
Yes, I am envious of Mr Doyle. He got the email that I asked for FOUR MONTHS AGO. again, Mr Doyle are long adversaries, but I can compliment good work. Grand Jury referral to be submitted today. Can I get a brownie point.
Mr Dillion!!
Yes, one official Brownie Point.
Tom, agree, enough is enough.
Thanks for posting, look forward to better days in our City. That said, I know it will take some work, but who isn’t afraid of some work now and then.
To “Better Days”!
Burt Field
Another lack of Transparency and Ethics from Suds. When does it stop? Failure after failure. I really hope someone is working on his recall before he does more damage. Enough is enough!