Questions are mounting as to whether or not embattled San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres will resign — and his colleagues are declining to formally excuse his absence from public meetings. For a second time since police filings showed Torres sent lewd texts about minors, councilmembers at a Wednesday Rules and Open Government Committee meeting declined...
A text campaign attacking two labor-backed candidates for their prior association with embattled San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres is popping up on phones across Santa Clara County — a political play some are deeming dirty with the election just a week away. The advertisements show pictures of San Jose City Council District 2 candidate Pamela...
Downtown San Jose residents are launching a recall campaign against Councilmember Omar Torres, claiming they no longer feel represented by him as he continues to evade the public eye. Torres, who represents the downtown neighborhoods of District 3, has maintained his innocence despite dodging his council responsibilities and missing multiple meetings after police filings showed...
It’s been two weeks since San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres’ shocking text messages were exposed in legal documents. The disturbing messages show the 43-year-old bragging about performing oral sex on a 17-year-old male on a college campus, describing the genitalia of an autistic 11-year-old boy and asking a Chicago man if he’s got “homies under...
San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan says he intends to begin proceedings to remove embattled Councilmember Omar Torres under the city charter amid an ongoing investigation into Torres over child sex abuse allegations. Doan said the Torres scandal is shedding light on needed changes to the city charter — including the creation of a mandatory administrative...
Some San Jose City Hall employees are criticizing politicians for permitting Councilmember Omar Torres to stay in office despite calling for his resignation. This comes as the embattled councilman is asking for a 30-day leave of absence amid a child sex misconduct investigation. City Hall employees who spoke to San José Spotlight on condition of...
The San Jose City Council is formally excusing embattled Councilmember Omar Torres’ absence from an earlier meeting as he battles child sex abuse allegations — allowing Torres to dodge the public eye while holding onto his seat. Councilmember Bien Doan was the lone objection to the council’s Tuesday 8-1-2 vote, with Torres and Councilmember Dev...
San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres has been a public no-show despite refusing to step down over a child sex crime investigation. Now critics are calling on the City Council to remove him. Mayor Matt Mahan has argued with at least one person online over whether the council has that kind of power. He and other...
San Jose councilmembers are calling for the resignation of Omar Torres almost a week after a police affidavit revealed he’s under investigation for alleged sex crimes involving minors. “We are in the midst of an active and ongoing investigation, and as our police department uncovers the truth, that truth will be shared with the community....
In a frenzied attempt to uncover who’s “leaking” details about a councilman accused of child sex crimes to the media, San Jose’s top administrators allegedly tried to question more than two dozen police officers — without informing them of their rights or following an investigatory process. A legal demand letter sent by the San Jose...
