Long-time Milpitas politico Rich Tran is bowing out of his run for mayor, citing schedule conflicts as he works on launching a tech startup. He joined the race late last year after waiting to run again, since mayors can only serve six consecutive years and officials who serve their maximum term limits must wait two...
Silicon Valley politicians give back donations following FBI raids
Recent FBI raids into Bay Area properties owned and run by members of the politically-connected Duong family bring to light the yearslong allegations of illegal political donations into Silicon Valley. Among those alleged to have received illegal donations are Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, whose residence was searched by federal agents last week in connection with...
Santa Clara County loses top election official before November races
Santa Clara County’s top elections official is bowing out four months before the November election and shortly after her office landed in the hot seat over a historic recount. After nearly 30 years leading the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters through myriad controversies, Shannon Bushey is retiring on Friday due to medical reasons, according...
Silicon Valley voters won’t see anti-tax measure on November ballot
The California Supreme Court has blocked an anti-tax ballot measure that faced fierce opposition from local officials, unions and activists in Santa Clara County. The panel’s unanimous decision on Thursday orders Secretary of State Shirley Weber not to place the measure on the November ballot, which if approved would have brought all statewide tax increases...
Ex-San Jose mayor drops support for county candidate
A landlord interest group may be drawing battle lines across Santa Clara County’s hottest elections. Congressional candidate and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has quietly dropped his endorsement of Margaret Abe-Koga, who’s running for the District 5 seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Liccardo’s campaign hasn’t said why, but some Democratic...
Sunnyvale official’s social media campaigning draws questions
Elections watchdogs and Santa Clara County residents are keeping a keen eye out for ethics issues as campaign season ramps up, with one member of the Sunnyvale City Council already drawing their attention to his Facebook page. Councilmember Russ Melton has made multiple posts about his mayoral candidacy on his government-affiliated Facebook page, which identifies...
Tale of two mayors: Michael Bloomberg boosts San Jose candidate
When New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg mounted a short-lived run for president in 2020, then-San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo became his campaign co-chair and first major California endorsement. The relationship between the two former mayors has spanned nearly a decade — from Liccardo’s early city hall days to Bloomberg now funding his path to Congress....
Ex-San Jose mayor hit with second federal elections complaint
A new federal elections complaint accuses congressional candidate and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo of hiding his affiliation with a super PAC that paid for a controversial recount that narrowed his competition in the November runoff. The complaint filed by Bay Area attorney Brian O’Grady says the super PAC behind the recount — known...
Bloomberg helped fund Silicon Valley congressional recount
New financial disclosures are peeling back the curtain on who helped fund the recent Congressional District 16 recount — starting with former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg. A super PAC called Neighbors for Results, which Bloomberg infused with $500,000 in February, paid $102,000 to another super PAC called Count the Vote between April...
San Jose District 2 candidate bridges labor-business divide
San Jose’s long-standing divide between business and labor interests might come down to the District 2 race and could bring more collaboration to the City Council. District 2 candidate Pamela Campos announced a slate of endorsements on Friday from both sides of the council’s business and labor divide. She is running against retired sheriff officer...