By Robert Haugh
49ers owner Jed York’s arrest in an Ohio prostitution sting has become an issue in Santa Clara’s District 2 City Council race.
City Council candidate Yvonne Inciarte says women participating in the endorsement process for Democratic Activists for Women Now (DAWN) expressed anger that York is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to help elect her opponent, Kimberley Williams.
“I can confirm that many women spoke up in support of my candidacy during the DAWN endorsement process,” Inciarte told Santa Clara News Online (SCNO).
“They were angry that a billionaire like Jed York, who was just arrested in a prostitution sting in Ohio, is spending money to meddle in my race.”
Inciarte said many of the women have worked closely with her during her career in public service.
“They spoke about the work we’ve done together, and they were upset to see an independent expenditure created to target me,” she said.
“Voters deserve to know who is spending to influence their city council.”
DAWN endorsed Inciarte in her race against Williams.
York was arrested August 23 in East Palestine, Ohio, following an undercover prostitution investigation.
He initially faced a charge of engaging in prostitution, which prosecutors later amended to disorderly conduct. York pleaded no contest to that charge and a misdemeanor charge of possessing criminal tools.
The NFL recently suspended York for six games and fined him $500,000 for violating its personal conduct policy. York said he accepted the NFL’s punishment.
Meanwhile, a Jed York-backed independent expenditure committee supporting Williams and opposing Inciarte has received more than $753,000 from the 49ers.
Inciarte said she is tired of York’s involvement in Santa Clara politics.
“Honestly, Jed York is a subject that’s getting old in Santa Clara. We don’t need his billions interfering in our local elections,” she said.
“Voters aren’t electing Jed York or the 49ers’ front office. They’re electing someone to represent them.”
Asked whether she would accept money or independent expenditure support from York, Inciarte said no.
“Anyone benefiting from York money, especially after his scandal, should be ashamed of themselves,” she said.
Inciarte also criticized Williams for her publicly expressed support of the 49ers.
“My opponent has openly talked about her support for the 49ers and its leadership, and voters should know that,” she said.
Inciarte said her campaign is focused on talking directly with voters and building support among local residents.
“I grew up in District 2. I’m a working-class, first-generation college graduate, and I’m running to make sure the families who built this city have a real voice at City Hall.”
“Santa Clara is not for sale, and neither am I.”
Kimberly Williams is exactly the kind of candidate that Jed York loves. She was an unsuccessful school board candidate, someone who joins every committee or board just to get her name out, but let’s others do the work, someone who has never been involved in city, governance, committees or commissions until she was starting to run for Office. And the most common traits among all of Jed York’s politicians; she’s willing to give up her integrity, her ethics and her loyalty to the citizens of Santa Clara just to have the seat purchased for her on the city council.
If she wins with Jed’s money, her name will go down on the wrong side of Santa Clara history. And she’ll fit right in with those who have compromised just to get elected. Sad day for Santa Clara that these kind of people still exist.
Kimberly Williams is a fraud.
I imagine Yvonne wouldn’t qualify for 49er support as I don’t think she has access to children the same way other folks the 49ers have supported in the past had. Like is she a current/former teacher? does she live in front of a Middle or elementary school? or can she go to school events to hand out contact material possibly acting a an intermediary? see comment section of this 2025 article.
https://santaclaranews.org/2025/08/11/santa-clara-speaks-out-about-kevin-park-concerns-about-conduct-and-accountability/
Lastly the biggest disqualifier in my view is that she has Ro Khanna endorsement. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie did make a lot of people mad…some people more mad than others I assume.
I’m not sure where you are going by trying to relate the article on Kevin Park to Yvonne. There is ZERO relationship there.
To summarily dismiss her because of her endorsement by Ro Khanna also makes zero sense. I know Yvonne and she is her own person. She is well informed and I am 100% confident that she will represent District 2 and all residents of Santa Clara equally. She is a voice that we need at City Hall for all of Santa Clara
I was talking about 49er support. Yvonne refusing 49er support is a good thing.
I was pointing out that there is a theme when it comes to the 49ers supporting candidates in that most of these candidates all seem to have some kind of proximity to children. As far as i know Yvonne doesn’t fit in that area, so it would be less of a reason for the 49ers to support her in my view.
The way I also see it too is that Ro Khanna’s support Yvonne is the biggest disqualifier for 49er supporting her as to the relations I pointed to above.
My apologies for misunderstanding your comment.
For the 49ers owners to be spending millions just to get two votes on the council, they must have something much more lucrative to them up their sleeve. To have two candidates to so passively accept their help and stay silent about their conversations with 49ers is deeply troubling.
Mr. Doyle,
It is now widely accepted now that each NFL franchise have 2 very different “Play Books”.
1. On the Field (Win / Loss)
2. On the Bank ( Profit / Loss)
Both are critical to the end of the year accounting to the Season…. Good or Bad, “Just Win Baby” no longer applies just to winning on the Field.
Remember there are now 32 teams, and only 1 can hang the Winning Super Bowl Banner.
Parades are fantastic, but winning at the Bank is apparently something every team can strive for and in at least some way celebrate at the end of the season.
Sadly we are not the only City going through all of this as well.
This point is now well known….if the NFL comes knocking…. don’t answer the door.
Interesting.
Final intersting point here…..
Santa Clara host the #1 Company in the World.
Seems very odd that the NFL couldn’t get them to spend even $0.25 on advertising with them.
Apparently they knew something we didn’t, or maybe they were watching the whole time….
AI was right this time for sure.
Just The Fact’s Ma’am