By Robert Haugh
Former Santa Clara City Attorney Brian Doyle was knocked off a new City Hall relocation committee last week after Councilmember Suds Jain led the effort to remove him.
Doyle has been one of Jain’s sharpest critics.
In a December 2024 SCNO op-ed, Doyle blasted Jain’s conduct during the Anthony Becker perjury case. Becker was convicted of a felony.
Doyle wrote that Jain “clammed up” after Becker admitted to him that he leaked the civil grand jury report. Doyle also wrote that Jain “hid the truth until he was compelled to testify under oath.”
Doyle’s conclusion was even tougher.
“One can only conclude that Mr. Jain’s ethical standards are extremely low, if non-existent,” Doyle wrote.
Now Jain has returned the favor from the dais.
At the June 23 City Council meeting, the Council formed a seven-member community advisory committee to review options for relocating City Hall.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor selected Doyle as her at-large appointment.
Jain moved to remove him.
If the move looked familiar, it was.
Jain’s close ally Becker used similar tactics when he was on the Council.
In 2022, Becker pushed to remove Planning Commissioner Dr. Ron Patrick, who had criticized stadium impacts.
Becker was joined by Raj Chahal, Suds Jain and Karen Hardy in a 4-2 vote to remove Patrick.
In 2023, Becker also singled out Parks and Recreation Commissioner Burt Field, who had led a recall effort against him. Field was not reappointed after a 3-3-1 vote.
Now Jain is following the Becker playbook: use Council power to block critics from serving.
Gillmor defended Doyle’s appointment, saying he had useful experience from San Jose’s City Hall relocation and would be a “useful tool” for Santa Clara. She called the Council’s action “more than petty.”
Councilmember Kelly Cox also opposed removing Doyle. She said Councilmembers should be able to trust each other’s appointments and called the move “disappointing.”
Doyle’s removal passed 4-3. Gillmor, Cox and Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez voted no.
Jain was supported by Councilmembers Raj Chahal, Karen Hardy, and Kevin Park.
Because Doyle was removed, Gillmor will now have to return with another at-large nominee.
The committee will review City Hall relocation options after the Council rejected a previous plan involving the former Oracle campus near the former Agnews Hospital site.
But the first major action involving the committee was not about facilities, finances or public input.
It was about political payback.
[…] “Given our public support for the recall campaign of Suds Jain, it’s difficult not to wonder if politics played a role in his appointment being denied,” she wrote on SCNO. […]
The 5 lovely bunch of coconuts on the City Council show their hypocrisy again. Why not appoint Chris Stampolis and Ina Bendis to the group of needs assessment nitwits and ruin the city like they did the school district? The mayor needs to appoint James Rowen now. That would be a sweet kick in the pants to the committee!
Reading today’s article brought back our own experience. My husband applied to be on the NURC -Neighborhood University Relations Committee. He applied to serve because he wants to volunteer his time and contribute to Santa Clara. He is qualified and eager to serve.
For over 10 years, he has attended the NURC meeting as a member of the public. He took time to stay informed, and understand the committee’s work, long before applying to serve.
When his appointment came before the City Council, there was no public discussion before the vote was taken. Council members Suds, Raj and Karen voted against his appointment. Kevin and Albert voted for him. Lisa and Kelly were absent.
The individual who ending up being appointed, acknowledged during the question period that they had not attended any of the committee’s meetings and had only read the meeting minutes from the previous years.
Given our public support for the recall campaign of Suds Jain, it’s difficult not to wonder if politics played a role in his appointment being denied. I can’t say for certain that this was the reason, but the circumstances certainly raised that concern for us.
Residents should be able to participate in city government regardless of their political views or whom they support. Committee appointments should be based on qualifications, integrity and a willingness to serve–not perceived political loyalty. Our community is best served when all voices have a fair opportunity to be participate.
A further note —–a couple of weeks later Karen Hardy called us to ask for our help on the House Tour in December. Interestingly she was the one did ran the City Council meeting as Vice Mayor since Lisa was not there. She is the one that did not ask for public comment. No, we did not help with the tour, not because of Karen’s vote–but because it was the weekend our son was getting married out of the country.
One more thing, —this experience has stayed with me and happened several years ago, before there was any 49er money was involved in campaigns, and before there were districts. We hosted a candidate open house at our home. We invited multiple candidates so our neighbors could see them and hear directly from them. It was never intended as an endorsement of any particular candidate. More of a good excuse to get the neighbors together. But later we received a campaign mailer from Suds Jain listing our names as supporters of his campaign, even though he had never asked our permission to do so. That experience left me disappointed and changed the way I view my interactions with him.
Taken together with what happened during my husband’s committee appointment, it’s understandable why I can’t support Suds Jain. I have concerns about whether personal or political relationships are influencing decisions that should be based on qualifications. I
Once again Suds Jain shows what a sourpuss he is. Any opportunity to use his hatred of Lisa Gilmore as a weapon against her and anyone associated with her or so he thinks.
Accuse me of having no ethics will you? Well, I’ll show you ethics!!!
I hope Lisa appoints David Kertes.
And I thought that after the attempted backroom land swap engineered by the City Manager, the council was interested in getting some insightful public input on where the new city hall should be. I have no preconceived ideas about a location. I just thought the residents should have full access to information and maximum ability to voice their ideas. Silly me.
Suds Jain is a useless coward. THE von Penn of Santa Clara
Very disappointing that the Councilman is so thin skinned and petty. His pattern of childish behavior continues.
I wonder if Roger Kint supports his actions?
My clashes with Brian Doyle were well known and quite public. However, Mr. Doyle is entitled to decency and respect. Doyle is a resident, qualified for this appointment, and Mayor Gillmor was entitled to appoint him.
The political and personal intolerance of Suds Jain is the type that has plagued the world for centuries. It is the type of attitude that has led to the Holocaust and wars.
Doyle is a person given by the Creator of basic rights. Jain has the terrible need to be petty and vicious not unlike those attitudes of many of our planet’s evil individuals.