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Milestones – The Making of a “Criminal” – Opinion

About two years ago I wrote in this column that Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen never met a criminal he didn’t like. This has become the understatement of journalism. Now we know what he saves his fire power for: persecuting people who don’t have the money to fight back.

As though there are not enough real criminals to deal with, Rosen has made it his primary objective to make one out of Council Member Anthony Becker. Becker’s only crime was running against Mayor Lisa Gillmor in the November election. He almost won, being only 700 votes short of victory — 700 votes that arguably resulted from the convenient timing of a grand jury report that could be mistaken for Gillmor’s campaign literature.

Since that loss, his life has become a living hell! He has been accused of several violations, none of which have been proved, yet his personal life has become the favorite target of D.A. Rosen and his band of special agents.

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Shortly after the election, and the public announcement by Rosen that Becker was a possible violator of the law, Becker’s world was turned upside down. In an unannounced December visit by Rosen’s agents, Becker’s home and car were ransacked, his phone and computer were seized and have not yet been returned. You might think that Becker was the Al Capone of Santa Clara. Not the case, he has been just a regular guy trying to do a good job for Santa Clara.

Then, as if Rosen’s agents had never been to his house before, they executed a second raid the day of Becker’s court appearance. Becker was handcuffed as agents once again turned his home upside down, seizing his and his husband’s devices and leaving his home in total disarray and Becker without a way to contact his lawyer.

These disgusting actions by the D.A. and his office of Gestapo-like agents are an example of agency power out of control. Where is the crime, Mr. Rosen? Where is the threat to Santa Clara and our residents? Are you doing a hit job on a good citizen as a favor to a political ally? It certainly appears to be the case. Becker has still not had his personal items returned including his phone and computer.

This is a case of absolute abuse, and I call for a thorough investigation of D.A. Jeff Rosen, his associates and office staff by State Attorney General Rob Bonta. This is a case that smacks of political retaliation, excessive force, violation of personal rights and abusive harassment.

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23 Comments
  1. Buchser Alum 10 months ago
    Reply

    Great piece, I 100% with Miles. Although, I would add Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Police Chief Pat Nikolai to this list.

    • Kirk Vartan 10 months ago
      Reply

      Hi fake Buchser Alum. It’s really interesting that you (maybe someone in the Voting Bloc camp or even someone close to this publication) would try to use someone else’s handle. Really quite pathetic. And the quality of writing is equally pathetic. Seeing someone try to mimic someone’s writing style is quite funny. Saying this is a “try” is too generous as the tone and writing style is clearly Cro-Magnon.

      Miles, why don’t you do some really editorials. This column you write is sad and flaccid. The only stone reference here should be the reference to writing quality being like a stone dropped in a pond.

      “Becker’s only crime was running against Mayor Lisa Gillmor in the November election.” Really? His only crime? How about lying to the every member of the public, accusing Mayor Gillmor she leaked the document? Or pressing his innocence and being a victim when he was not contacted by the Grand Jury? His continuing unethical behavior on the dais? The relentless public attacks? The many lies professed from the dais? Oh wait, those are illegal, just highly unethical and crushing of the public trust.

      The real illegal things came from LEAKING THE DOCUMENT TO THE 49ERS AND YOUR ORGANIZATION!!!! How pathetic that you don’t even acknowledge this in your writing. But that was only a misdemeanor. The really juicy crime was then blatantly lying to the Grand Jury about leaking it. That, Mr. Publisher, is a felony. So your statement, “Becker’s only crime was running against Mayor Lisa Gillmor in the November election” is kind of delusional. I don’t know how else to describe it. There are clear and compelling facts that directly dispute your statement, yet you feel the need to lie about it. Since you are a word expert, what would you call it?

      And if you are really interested in getting Santa Clara back on track, why don’t you tell your council buddies to advocate for an Independent Ethics Commission. If there are so many issues with the Mayor, don’t you think they will uncover them? Or are you nervous it may uncover a deep connection with sitting council members and your publication? Would love to hear your thoughts on an Independent Ethics Commission.

      Regards, Kirk Vartan

  2. Buchser Alum 10 months ago
    Reply

    https://www.recallrosen.org/

    “Rosen has been involved in improper governmental activity including violations of state and federal law, corruption, malfeasance, fraud, coercion, conversion, malicious prosecution, misuse of government property, and willful omission to perform duty, the group alleges. Government Code § 8547.2(c).”

    It seems that he has a record of doing service for individuals, and NOT the community. Additionally, he will try to make an example of those can’t defend themselves to boost his campaign in the coming future.

    REFORM IS NEEDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

    • CSC 10 months ago
      Reply

      Agreed.

  3. Loose Law Is A Loser! Posted 02:05 p.m., March 29, 2023 10 months ago
    Reply

    Dear Editor,
    Perjurers and shoplifters must be held to the same standards. No Double Standards.

    Regards,
    Law and Order

  4. W.S. 10 months ago
    Reply

    It is very interesting that DA Rosen did not investigate the Santa Clara POA when they sent out a donation request letter to businesses stating that if the business made a donation to the Santa Clara POA, that the police would respond quickly in the event of an emergency at that business. Isn’t that the definition of extortion? That if you give me money, the business will be “protected”? Was the Santa Clara POA not investigated because the POA is a supporter of Lisa Gilmor and Pat Nikolai? At a minimum, there should have been some follow-up to determine what the results of any donations were and perhaps a public reprimand issued to the SCPOA. Maybe a better question is WHY DIDN”T Rosen investigate? Now, DA Rosen has aggressively charged in and abused a homeowner in order to find what? If he is accusing Anthony Becker with a violation of the law, then DA Rosen’s office should already have the evidence. Are they trying to demonstrate their muscle power in ransacking a home not just once, but twice? How does DA Rosen justify ransacking someone’s home twice? If he is accusing Mr. Becker of a violation of the law, shouldn’t he already have the evidence? Isn’t that normal legal procedure – have the evidence before accusing?
    W.S. (from the web)

    • Buchser Alum 10 months ago
      Reply

      W.S.,
      .
      It is very interesting that you seem to think that our district attorney cannot investigate one potential crime if he has not to your knowledge investigated another potential crime. As if our district attorney only investigates one potential crime at a time.
      .
      It is also very interesting that you think there is something wrong with a district attorney gathering more evidence to prove a criminal charge or that they might gather more evidence in case such evidence shows additional criminal charges or additional individuals involved in a criminal conspiracy. I am glad that you are not our district attorney so scared to serve search warrants that a judge deemed justified given evidence presented to him.
      .
      The normal prosecutorial procedure when in possession of sufficient evidence to obtain a search warrant is to serve that search warrant to make sure that all possible evidence has been gathered. And that all possible crimes related to the known one are investigated as well. And if there is indication that new evidence is to be gathered since a search warrant has last been served and a judge agrees that a new search is warranted then that warrant is served and new evidence sought.

  5. Buchser Alum 10 months ago
    Reply

    I suppose I should be flattered that someone cares enough about me that they go to the trouble of impersonating me albeit poorly.
    .
    This is yet another example of Miles Barber having gone off the rails at least as a publisher of news if not mentally and emotionally.
    .
    It is an entire piece of bad faith rhetoric. Miles argues that Rosen has a “primary objective to make [a criminal] out of” Anthony Becker and that Becker’s “only crime was running against Mayor Lisa Gillmor.” If that is the case then Becker has nothing to worry about. But that does not seem to be the case and it seems that Rosen has proof that Becker abused his public office to send a privileged grand jury report to a private corporate interest that was in part the subject of the grand jury investigation. And which at the same time was spending millions of dollars to support Becker’s political ambitions.
    .
    And while Miles hysterically accuses Rosen of “persecuting” Becker and making “his life has become a living hell” the fact is that a search warrant was served. Miles claims that Becker’s home and car were “ransacked” but we have seen the pictures that Becker gave to Ramona Giwargis to help reframe public perception of him. What we see in the pictures is a car that will take five minutes to tidy up and a home office that might take thirty to sixty minutes to tidy up and who knows how much of the mess was actually created by the investigators.
    .
    And for this investigators for our district attorney are labeled by Miles as “Gestapo-like agents.” This makes clear what I have said before: Miles Barber is an embarrassment to the Silicon Valley Voice and Santa Clara Weekly. Which are an embarrassment to honest unbiased journalism on a frequent basis.
    .
    It is an embarrassment to see Miles Barber publish pieces in which he calls county investigators Nazi secret police. And in which he implies that a city councilman who may have used his position to help a corporate special interest get early access to privileged information and because he is investigated for this in a routine way is like one of the six million Jewish people who were murdered during the Holocaust.
    .
    Miles is comparing a routine investigation and pending trial over alleged perjury to the Holocaust.
    .
    Shame on you Miles and shame on everyone at the Silicon Valley Voice who silently allows Miles to use his bully pulpit to publish such outrageous filth.

  6. Ed Richards 10 months ago
    Reply

    Hosam,
    You have inserted yourself into many of the political arguments in Santa Clara over many months. You are an elected offical who is required to work with other elected officals, often on critical subjects like election laws. You should immeadiatly cease publishing your opinions in any forum. After all you are the City Clerk

    • Erika Towne 10 months ago
      Reply

      The previous comment on here from someone claiming to be City Clerk Hosam Haggag has been removed for violating editorial policies.

      • Buchser Alum 10 months ago
        Reply

        Erika,
        .
        What editorial policies did that previous comment violate? Does the Silicon Valley Voice see comments as the violators as policies or the writers of comments as the violators?
        .
        Has Silicon Valley Voice considered using a modern commenting system that not only does not butcher commenters’ writing but also makes it possible for a commenter to consistently use a “handle” and for others to not so opaquely impersonate them?

        • Erika Towne 10 months ago
          Reply

          Hello Buchser Alum,

          The previous comment implied that the commenter was Santa Clara City Clerk Hosam Haggag. When Mr. Haggag has chosen to post on this site in the past, he has always done it with transparency. We have reached out to Mr. Haggag to confirm whether or not he made this comment. If he tells us that the previous comment was, in fact, him, we will restore the comment. However, it would not be right to allow someone to post on this site claiming to be an elected City official when they are not.

          • Hosam Haggag - City Clerk 10 months ago

            Hi there! Someone just alerted to me that there were comments made by someone claiming to be me on this forum. I’ve always commented with my real name and email address and the SV Voice team can confirm the email address (since only they can see it) that I’ve used. Any previous comment on this article/editorial (which I can’t even see now as it’s been disabled) was not made by me.

            Whoever is impersonating me really needs to look inward and assess what they are trying to gain by doing that. Writing anonymously is one thing, but impersonating someone else (especially an elected official who tries his level best to remain neutral) really is the lowest of the low in terms of online behavior.

            Anybody can verify this comment as my own by emailing me at hhaggag@santaclaraca.gov or calling my city cell phone number 408-791-7040.

    • Hosam Haggag - City Clerk 10 months ago
      Reply

      Hi Ed, I commented below that whatever original comment you were responding to was NOT written by myself, but by another person attempting to impersonate me. The editorial staff can confirm this (and thank you Erika for disabling it until you verified with me – although I didn’t get an email from you someone sent me a message telling me to check here – can you please update your record of my email address in case you need to reach me again?).

      Ed, I’m scratching my head as to what you mean by “You have inserted yourself into many of the political arguments in Santa Clara over many months.” I have pretty much stayed completely away from all the current politicking that has been going on. I have only engaged in matters relating to elections and redistricting. As was on my public calendar, I was deposed back in October by the DA’s office. Aside from that I have not commented publicly or engaged in any other issues on the City.

      I’m really curious as to what you’re referring to with your statement. Please do let me know. I’ve been trying my level best to remain neutral in the midst of all what is going on in our City, and as you can imagine, it has not been easy, but I’ve been holding myself to it. In fact, I’ve seen comments from folks that I’ve been “too disconnected” to the extent that rumors were spread that I no longer live in the city. I’m happy to chat with you at any time, over email at hhaggag@santaclaraca.gov or my city cell phone 408-791-7040, or even in person. You know where I live – stop by and say hi.

      Hosam

  7. CSC 10 months ago
    Reply

    Somebody, or likely multiple people, leaked the Unsportsmanlike Conduct Grand Jury Report and all those responsible should be held accountable.
    .
    When a leak was suspected, the SCCDA’s office should have subpoenaed all potential recipients to determine who committed the suspected crime. Since the Superior Court emailed the draft to the City Attorney’s office, City of Santa Clara email and web servers and computers should have been the DA’s subpoena starting point. California’s Shield Law protects publisher’s, editors, and reporters employed by periodical publications (print, digital, TV, radio) and their sources regarding UNPUBLISHED information but the Shield Law wouldn’t apply to the SCPOA’s members, city employee personal and professional email, or web/social media hosting platforms the report was distributed through.
    • https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/california-shield-law/
    • https://www.thefirstamendment.org/media/Protecting-Unpub-Info-and-Sources.pdf
    • https://www.rcfp.org/introduction-to-the-reporters-privilege-compendium/
    .
    According to the San Jose Spotlight, interim City Attorney Steve Ngo emailed the unofficial Unsportsmanlike Conduct report to Mayor Gillmor, who allegedly forwarded the report to her personal Gmail account. Gillmor’s personal email, mobile devices (Smartphone(s), tablets, etc) and home computers should have been part of the DA’s investigation if the unpublished report did, in fact, leave city email servers.
    .
    From San Jose Spotlight: “When asked whether the police union got a leaked copy of the report, its top leader would not say. “I can’t answer that question,” Jeremy Schmidt, police union president. “I’d be happy to explain that to you when the time is right, but unfortunately this is not that time.” He also declined to explain how the union launched its website featuring parts of the report on Oct. 7.” https://sanjosespotlight.com/the-political-assassination-of-santa-clara-city-councilman-anthony-becker/
    .
    The City of Santa Clara’s reputation has been tarnished for years with sustained reports of their unwillingness to comply with California PRA laws, the highest percentage of police shooting of people with mental illness, and the highest number (per capita) of peace officers convicted of felony and misdemeanor crimes in the Bay Area. Most of the blame rests on the shoulders of bad City of Santa Clara leadership, but much can also be attributed to Jeff Rosen who repeatedly fails to look into all infractions of the law committed by Santa Clara employees.
    .
    If Council Member Becker did break the law, he should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. And so should everyone else in the City of Santa Clara who broke the same law(s).

    • Buchser Alum 10 months ago
      Reply

      CSC,
      .
      Why do you think it is likely that someone other than Anthony Becker leaked the grand jury report? We had an interchange on this topic a week ago and you never replied to what I last wrote to you.
      .
      When you write that “how the union launched its website featuring parts of the report on Oct. 7” what precisely are you saying? What parts of the report did the union have on that website on October 7, 2022? I commented on the Spotlight article you linked about this and received no reply from Ramona Giwargis or anyone at the Spotlight. To my knowledge the police union did not have a website “launched” on October 7. They registered a domain name and had no content up. The soonest record of content on that site comes almost a week later on October 13 according to an internet archive site.
      .
      The SCPOA did not need anyone to leak the report to them in advance to register a domain on October 7 after 2 PM as they did. This is because Anthony Becker allegedly leaked the report to not only the Forty Niners but also this very publication the Silicon Valley Voice and probably the San Jose Spotlight. Silicon Valley Voice published a big article about it at 3 AM on October 7 and Spotlight published one around 9 AM and made the entire report downloadable. The SCPOA did not register the domain until over eleven hours after the Silicon Valley Voice article and over five hours after the Spotlight article that leaked the report to everyone with an internet connection.
      .
      So there is simply no indication that Lisa Gillmor or anyone other than Anthony Becker leaked the report. By contrast there are many reasons to believe that Anthony Becker leaked the report. Foremost of these reasons is whatever it is that Rosen probably learned through grand jury questioning of witnesses with the list including multiple employees of the Forty Niners who unlike Rahul Chandhok did not make sudden splits from the organization and are still with the team.
      .
      There are many reasons to assume Becker was the leaker even to a regular citizen paying attention. Becker has a deep history of having meetings with the Forty Niners and specifically Rahul Chandhok that along with his council allies he took pains to not be recorded for the public record. He has a voting history of voting the way the Forty Niners wanted him to vote every single time he voted on a matter related to the stadium or the Forty Niners. The Forty Niners spent millions of dollars supporting his political ambition to become mayor of Santa Clara. His motive for leaking the report to the Forty Niners is obvious. He would help his corporate benefactor get their talking point spin published days before the official report would be released so that the first public discussion of it would include Forty Niners public relations narrative. This would also be self preservation for Becker and his council allies since they were targets for grand jury criticism.
      .
      It is a fact that Silicon Valley Voice was leaked the report because they were the first to write about it. Half a day before the big area newspapers. We all know that the Silicon Valley Voice is inveterately an opponent of Gillmor and also has inveterately been an ally to Anthony Becker and the Forty Niners. We also all know that Anthony Becker and Carolyn Schuk of the Silicon Valley Voice have a relationship beyond elected official and local reporter. We all know that Carolyn Schuk ghostwrote a letter that Anthony Becker tried to get the council to issue as an official city communication. We also all know that the arts organization that Carolyn Schuk cofounded had the Forty Niners to thank as “outstandingly generous sponsors.”
      .
      It is also a fact that San Jose Spotlight was leaked the report. And like the Silicon Valley Voice they are inveterate opponents of Lisa Gillmor and inveterate supporters of Anthony Becker and Forty Niners. It is no wonder that the Spotlight ran their article with quotations from Rahul Chandhok attacking the grand jury and its report.
      .
      It is indisputable that the Forty Niners, Silicon Valley Voice, and San Jose Spotlight all were leaked the report. Anthony Becker is the most logical leaker to have leaked the report to all three or to have been the ultimate source for all three.
      .
      But there is no reason to think that the SCPOA was leaked the report. The fact that they registered the domain “grandjuryreport.com” almost twelve hours after the Silicon Valley Voice published an article on the grand jury report does not in any way suggest they got the report leaked to them by anyone other than Ramona Giwargis of the San Jose Spotlight who put it up for public download over five hours before they registered the domain.
      .
      If there is actual reason to believe Lisa Gillmor leaked the report to the SCPOA then she should be investigated. But I do not see any compelling reason why a judge would authorize a warrant to look through her personal email or phone records. The bar for that sort of breach of privacy is much higher than idle and politically motivated speculation.
      .
      The bar is around the level of Anthony Becker’s obvious motives and opportunity and clear network of similarly interested relations and the fact that the parties he allegedly leaked to were doing things on October 7 that they would only have been able to do with a leak from him or someone else in city hall.
      .
      In addition to all this the more consequential crime being prosecuted is not the misdemeanor of leaking the report but the felony of committing perjury by lying about it under oath.
      .
      If there is reason to investigate Gillmor then present it. Neither you nor anyone else has shown good reason. And if she did leak it to the SCPOA and this was improper then what this will accomplish is the lame duck mayor will be admitting to a misdemeanor that the DA would not prosecute Anthony Becker for if that fool had not lied about it under oath.
      .
      The biggest lesson of all of this is that Anthony Becker was and is simply unfit to be our mayor or even a city councilperson. Even if one sees this all in a jaded way and cares not about the immorality of lying under oath or using his office to help a corporate special interest there is still the matter of Becker being such a fool that he committed a felony to hide a misdemeanor.
      .
      Let this be not only a summation of his lack of fitness for office but also a reflection of the judgment and intelligence of everyone who championed him for mayor. Such as the Silicon Valley Voice and its staff such as Carolyn Schuk and Angie Tolliver and Miles Barber and also the San Jose Spotlight and Ramona Giwargis.
      .
      If we had it their way our mayor would be a lying idiot. Try to whatabout deflect attention toward Gillmor all you want. This is all true.

      • CSC 10 months ago
        Reply

        Buchser: early on, you seemed to display good interaction and conversation about various topics at hand. But in the last couple months or so it appears to me your responses are merely opposition to the opinion of others, and not as much discussion of the topic. Your response above is case in point, you countered my 379-word comment – which includes hyperlinks and reference to on-topic subject matter – with 1,193 words of pure conjecture (3:1 ratio). Yet somehow you believe you taught someone something.
        .
        • “on October 13 according to an internet archive site” – web.Archive.org captures web site images (snapshots) at random times. It does not scrape version control data from web servers to determine when files were uploaded.
        • “The SCPOA did not need anyone to leak the report to them” – they do if they plan to buy a URL three days ahead of the report’s release to create a web site for marketing purposes ahead of a political campaign. By the way, how did the SCPOA know a draft Grand Jury Report was even being released that week?
        • “So there is simply no indication that Lisa Gillmor…leaked the report.” – there was no indication that Becker leaked the report until someone accused him of it and another party investigated.
        • “It is a fact that Silicon Valley Voice was leaked the report because they were the first to write about it.” – The Silicon Valley Voice wasn’t responsible for leaking the report, they may have received a leaked report but, unless the Court emailed it to them directly, they couldn’t have leaked it. California’s Shield Law protects journalists who report on confidential information.
        • “It is also a fact that San Jose Spotlight was leaked the report.” – Same as SVV, the San Jose Spotlight received a copy, but they did not leak it. California’s Shield Law protects journalists who report on confidential information.
        • “It is indisputable that the Forty Niners, Silicon Valley Voice, and San Jose Spotlight all were leaked the report.” – Don’t forget the S.F. Chronicle and SCPOA!
        • “I do not see any compelling reason why a judge would authorize a warrant to look through her personal email or phone records.” – The SCCDA has poured a lot of resources into this investigation, the fact the unpublished report was leaked from City of Santa Clara email servers is compelling reason enough to subpoena email records of all Councilmembers who were in receipt of the unpublished report.
        • “If there is reason to investigate Gillmor then present it. Neither you nor anyone else has shown good reason.” – You haven’t shown reason not to investigate Gillmor.
        • “a reflection of the judgment and intelligence of everyone [14,062 Santa Clara residents & The Mercury News] who championed him [Becker] for mayor.” – My, isn’t someone a bit judgmental.
        .
        I look forward to future reporting of what the Courts find. If you counter this comment with a 1,473-word rebuttal, I won’t see it. Enjoy Mother’s Day tomorrow!

        • Buchser Alum 10 months ago
          Reply

          CSC,
          .
          “web.Archive.org captures web site images (snapshots) at random times. It does not scrape version control data from web servers to determine when files were uploaded.”
          .
          I noted the date of the earliest record of content on that site on an archive site. You and Ramona Giwargis are free to show that the content was published even earlier. As I said she made the claim that the SCPOA “launched” a website on October 7. They did not but merely registered the domain name.
          .
          “they do if they plan to buy a URL three days ahead of the report’s release to create a web site for marketing purposes ahead of a political campaign. By the way, how did the SCPOA know a draft Grand Jury Report was even being released that week?
          .
          Because Erika Towne and the Silicon Valley Voice published an article on it eleven hours before the SCPOA registered “www.grandjuryreport.com” and Ramon Giwargis of the San Jose Spotlight published her article and the complete report five hours before the SCPOA registered the domain.
          .
          The SCPOA is obviously a political organization as is usually the case with police unions and unions in general. Santa Clara is not a big city. At 3 AM Silicon Valley Voice publishes its article on the leaked grand jury report, and at 9 AM San Jose Spotlight publishes its article on the grand jury report and the actual grand jury draft report. And over five hours later the SCPOA registers “www.grandjuryreport.com.”
          .
          That is hardly the work of a genius or prescient political guru.
          .
          “there was no indication that Becker leaked the report until someone accused him of it and another party investigated.”
          .
          Of course there was. Silicon Valley Voice and San Jose Spotlight have been stalwart promoters of Becker and opponents to Gillmor. Carolyn Schuk has a documented history of working with Becker behind the scenes and the Silicon Valley Voice printing pieces helpful to Becker. Giwargis has a documented history of conflict with Gillmor and having Becker as a source and printing pieces that are helpful to Becker.
          .
          Becker was an obvious lead suspect for leaking the report. And that is without whatever Rosen may have learned from direct testimony under oath by Forty Niners executives and employees. Or anyone else interviewed.
          .
          “California’s Shield Law protects journalists who report on confidential information.”
          .
          I am not accusing the Silicon Valley Voice or San Jose Spotlight of any crime. When I use the word “leak” I mean it in the colloquial sense. That Giwargis and the Spotlight made the report available to the general public before it was supposed to be available.
          .
          And I pointed this out because these two publications’ articles about the leaked grand jury report are all that the SCPOA needed to come up with the brilliant and creative idea of registering “grandjuryreport.com.”
          .
          “Don’t forget the S.F. Chronicle and SCPOA!”
          .
          I have not. The Chronicle was the last of the local publications to print an article despite having two veteran investigative journalists on the general story of the Forty Niners and their allied council majority. And the SCPOA didn’t register “grandjuryreport.com” until over five hours after the grand jury report was made available for every Tom Dick and Harry to download at sanjosespotlight.com.
          .
          “You haven’t shown reason not to investigate Gillmor.”
          .
          I need not prove a negative. Nor does someone need to proactively prove their innocence. You have not shown a reason to investigate Gillmor. Forwarding it from one email account to another does not create a reason to investigate her unless that is improper handling of the draft report. But the last time I checked a civil grand jury draft report is not national secrets that enemy nations are working overtime to steal.
          .
          “My, isn’t someone a bit judgmental.”
          .
          Because I think that Anthony Becker is not fit to be our mayor? If so then I am guilty of being judgmental. Becker is not fit to be our mayor and this has been made manifestly clear by the probability that he is so stupid that he committed a felony crime to cover up a misdemeanor.
          .
          This was clear to anyone who has watched just a few city council meetings to listen to him speak his thoughts and ideas. You and others may be stalwart in having wanted Gillmor gone from the office of mayor and the city council and our city government in general. I do not negatively judge anyone’s judgement or intelligence because of that.
          .
          But support for Anthony Becker in the mayor’s race was supporting an idiot to lead our city. And that is an exercise of poor judgement and suspect intelligence.
          .
          I hope I did not disappoint or overburden you with my word count.

  8. John Haggerty 10 months ago
    Reply

    Can’t we all just get along?

    At this early stage in the case of DA Rosen (aka the state) versus Council Member Becker (aka the accused), I have far, far more questions than I have answers. For instance:

    (1) Why did the Civil Grand Jury wait until just a few weeks before our November 2022 election to release its one-sided, inaccurate, inconclusive set of findings (consisting mostly of character aspersions with NO findings of any criminality or illegality)?

    (2) Why did the Civil Grand Jury allow our City Council members only a few days to provide their input to its “draft report” before the Civil Grand Jury (which had spent several months on the subject) released it to the public in its “final” form?

    (3) Why did the Civil Grand Jury not also investigate the longstanding, deep influence which the developers and public employee unions have had on our cities for many decades now?

    (4) Since this matter involved the very important PUBLIC subject of our City’s PUBLIC elections, why did the CIVIL Grand Jury conduct all of its proceedings IN SECRET? After all, this was not a criminal investigation. Did not the citizens of our fair city have a right to know on a timely basis what our public officials were saying about their colleagues?

    (5) Is the Council-member-input-to-a-grand-jury-draft-report procedure really intended by the Legislature to be totally confidential? More specifically, to make their input meaningful and accurate, would not our elected Council members need to consult with others (i.e., their colleagues on the Council, the 49ers officials with whom they were being accused of colluding, etc.) so that they could meaningfully and promptly present that input? After all, the Civil Grand Jury was making all kinds of shadowy accusations against our Council on the eve of an important election. This seems to be an unjust one-way street that damaged our City.

    (6) Were the Council members ever actually informed that this draft report was to be kept strictly, totally confidential? At the very same time that the Council was informed that the Grand Jury, itself, was about to release it to the public? Who told them that? The City Clerk? The Grand Jury? What exactly was said?

    (7) Why do so many people appear to assume that the 49ers are the bad actors in this case? Our current Mayor, as well as a 5-2 majority of our 2010 City Council, invited the 49ers to our City with great enthusiasm. Why are the 49ers now regarded as being more self-interested and self-aggrandizing than the developers and public employee unions are? (Incidentally, I voted against Measure J in 2010 and am leery of all three of these special interest groups.)

    (8) Finally, what exactly is the evidence which Rosen offers in support of his process crime accusation of perjury that he recently presented to an approving criminal grand jury?? This seems to be a big secret, too. Perhaps, Council Member Becker will soon do us the favor of shedding some light on those accusations in his response/rebuttal to them (since Rosen has so far not been eager to do so).

  9. Wes Mukoyama 10 months ago
    Reply

    As a resident and looking for balance accusing Carolyn Schuk and Miles of the Silicon Valley Voice as well as Ramona Giwargis of the Spotlight, why not look at Grace Haas of the Mercury News who like Jeff Rosen is seeking publicity for their own personal ambitions..The SF Chronicle who are resentful of the move of stadium is also friends and supporters of Lisa Gilmor seeking negative information of the 49ers. Who leaked the Grand Jury Report? Look at all of the City Council Members including the Mayor and Kathy Watanabe who allegedly told her husband. Trying to be viewed “objective” is a “crock” and prejudiced and bigoted as one can get from these minions of Lisa who seems to be as guilty as hell for leaking the Report. Enough said.

  10. Ben 10 months ago
    Reply

    Jeff Rosen can’t even protect children from being sexually abused. I gave him all the facts regarding the abuse and how a well connected attorney was profiting from it.

    I was absolutely positive after hitting “send” that Mr. Rosen would do something to protect my kids. Boy, was I surprised to find out that the DA’s Office then FILED CHARGES AGAINST ME. I didn’t even commit a crime. The whole intent was bring the matter to competency hearings. The well connected attorney had promised me that she would make sure that things would go her way. She made certain demands of me during the criminal proceedings. When I refused to comply, the private attorney had me repeatedly assaulted. Mr. Rosen could care less and let the proceedings continue.

    I have already spent 5 days in jail and now have a warrant for my arrest because i refuse to give up my standing to protect my children.

    Please sign my public petition to help protect my kids: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/272/404/301/district-attorney-jeffrey-rosen-please-stop-sex-trafficking-my-kids/

  11. Ben 10 months ago
    Reply

    Look what Jeff Rosen allows to happen to the parents of Santa Clara County:

    https://forum.legaljunkies.com/forum/family-law-divorce-custody/child-custody-and-support/653143-valerie-houghton-sex-trafficked-all-of-my-kids-then-had-me-poisoned-when-i-complained

    I’ve been assaulted so many times that now all my organs are damaged, testicles atrophied and the shape of my face has changed. All I want to do is protect my kids.

    The same thing happened to another parent. https://freearianna.org/story

    He discovered that an in-law was molesting his toddler. Then he was POISONED and prosecuted. Now the poor guy is a diabetic.

    People should wake up to what is really going on in Santa Clara County. Mr. Rosen is not only turning a blind. HE IS HELPING DANGEROUS CRIMINALS.

  12. Ben 9 months ago
    Reply

    I’ve posted my complete experience with Jeff Rosen here.

    I hope that he can change how the DA’s Office is run. There is a lot of work that needs to be done.

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