The crazy quilt of pandered politics in Santa Clara is laying on a hotbed of turmoil and continuing contention.
“Wait,” you say. The election is over and all the games, accusations, ugly mailers, press releases and the grand jury’s caustic report should be history. But it appears to have a life of its own.
All that is true and the Grand Jury report was critically timed to hit the presses just prior to the election, and a number of the accusations against Santa Clara council representatives were issued without interviewing those being accused. In fact, upon further investigation, a number of the “facts” included in the report appear to be second-hand gossip.
However, the Grand Jury report had gone viral hitting the front page of the Mercury News a few days before the election.
Known in political circles as the October surprise, this news release was coordinated and timed to do the job, putting doubt in the mind of voters.
Then a Santa Clara council member was investigated for breaching the duties of their office and making comments and gestures unfitting to a council member.
Following an investigation, reviewing videos of meetings and doing more detailed interviews, it was clear that much of the criticism was opinion. An opinion that was biased and exaggerated.
Are you surprised that following the elections and after further investigation, everyone accused of ethical and physical violations was exonerated?
No surprise here.
However, when Santa Clara has a mayor who calls the police chief personally to report this “disturbing episode” it makes you wonder.
The mayor reported this as calling the police to restore order during a closed session. However, we now know, she called her friend and supporter, the police chief on his private phone.
All this makes you realize the election is over, but it’s not. The controversy which exists on Santa Clara’s council will continue to brew.
In spite of the division, Santa Clara voters have elected some great council members who will provide the city with the discipline of action, control of the budget, and promote projects that promote the City.
Can’t wait for the Santa Clara Mean Girls to leave elected office, so we can have a competent no-drama City Council that gets things done for us.