Did a San Leandro mayoral candidate violate the City Charter?
Khannacrat: Did an Indo-American official let the cat out of Ro Khanna's 2024 presidential bag?
CITY NEWS
SAN LEANDRO
—CRASS INTERFERENCE—San Leandro city officials are considering an independent investigation into whether Councilmember Bryan Azevedo violated the City Charter’s council interference rules.
—Some councilmembers and community members have privately questioned whether Azevedo improperly directed a city police officer to visit a National Night Out event in 2021 at the home of his rival, former San Leandro Councilmember Ed Hernandez, who Azevedo defeated two years prior.
—The incident is known in San Leandro political lore as “Sore Loser Gate,” after Hernandez protested Azevedo’s unannounced arrival in front of his home. On an episode earlier this year of the East Bay Insiders Podcast, Hernandez detailed the incident and said Azevedo called him a “sore loser” during the encounter.
—In addition, Hernandez said he filled out a form issued by the city that expressly asked police that his National Night Out party not be a part of any councilmember’s tour of the city’s events.
—Azevedo, however, allegedly directed the police officer driving him around the neighborhoods to visit Hernandez’s home.
—Whether or not Azevedo directed the officer is the question. According to Section 345 of the San Leandro City Charter, “Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Mayor, and Council Members shall deal with the administrative service under the City Manager solely through the City Manager and neither the Mayor nor any Council Member shall give orders to any subordinate of the City Manager, either publicly or privately.” In San Leandro, the city manager hires the police chief.
—Prior to this year’s National Night Out event, San Leandro City Manager Fran Robustelli alluded to the incident involving Azevedo and Hernandez in a memo to the city council.
—“In the past we have experienced some complications related to National Night Out with officers taking councilmembers around to assigned locations,” Robustelli wrote. “These have included councilmembers directing officers to take them to locations not on their assigned list.”
—The question of whether to recommend any further investigation into the matter is a dicey one for city officials. Azevedo is known around City Hall as someone prone to angry outbursts. An investigation into interference allegations might only exacerbate those personality traits.
—In addition, Azevedo is nearing the stretch run of what is likely to be a close race for mayor. Any move toward an investigation in the near-term would be construed as politically-motivated.
—The political interference clause is little known to the public, but it strongly shapes the role for how a mayor and councilmembers interacts with the city manager, department heads, and city employees.
—Violating this clause has the potential to devour a city council’s agenda and derail an elected official’s career arc. Interference allegations in neighboring Alameda did just this five years ago.
ELECTION 2022
Days until Election Day: 41. Days until ballots are sent: 12.
CONGRESS
—THE RO TO THE WHITE HOUSE—A video clip is circulating in the South Bay that is again raising expectations that Rep. Ro Khanna is eyeing a possible run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2024.
—Following Khanna’s remarks at an event last week, one of its hosts urged those in attendance to support Khanna’s run for president in the next election.
—Chatter among national progressives has centered on Khanna possibly making the move either in 2024 or 2028. The calculus being Khanna would begin to take over the mantle for Bernie Sanders.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
—LIVIN’ DAVITA LOCA—DaVita, the kidney dialysis provider, remains on a spending spree in East Bay legislative races. This time, a $50,000 expenditure for a mailer supporting Shawn Kumagai in the 20th Assembly District, according to a finance report filed on Tuesday.
—MONEYBALL—Below is Form 497 contributions ($1,000 or more) filed Friday through Monday afternoon. *-local city campaign contribution limit.
COUNTY
ALAMEDA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
—Terry Wiley (Alameda County District Attorney), Heather Koopmans of Pleasanton, $5,000; Livermore Kennels, Inc., $2,500; Cynthia Kerwin Birmingham of San Francisco, $2,000; John J. Brouhard of Orinda, $1,000; Paul Mora of Danville, $1,000
AC TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
—Joel Young (AC Transit Board of Directors-At-Large), Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee, $1,000.
CITY
OAKLAND
—Kevin Jenkins (Oakland City Council-Dist. 6), Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee, $1,800*.
—Yes on W, Oakland Fair Elections, Sponsored by Civic Advocacy Organizations Committee (Supporting Oakland Measure W election reform act), Proteus Action League, $2,250.
—Oakland Neighbors for Affordable Housing and Safe Street (Supporting Oakland Measure U infrastructure bond), McGuire and Hester, $50,000
ALAMEDA
—Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft (Alameda Mayor), Mini Swift of Alameda, $1,000; Mathais Masem of Oakland, $1,000.
—Gary Lym (Alameda School Board), Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee, $1,000.
BERKELEY
—Committee for an Affordable and Resilient Berkeley (Supporting Berkeley Measure L housing/infrastructure bond), Sheet Metal Workers' International Association Local Union No. 104 Issues Committee, $50,000; Gordon Wozniak, $3,000;
—Making Housing Available In Berkeley (Supporting Berkeley Measure M vacancy tax), Margot Smith of Berkeley, $1,000.
LIVERMORE
—Mony Nop (Livermore Mayor), Roger White of Livermore, $1,000.
SAN LEANDRO
—Bryan Azevedo (San Leandro Mayor), Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Political Committee, $1,900.
FREMONT
—Kathy Kimberlin (Fremont City Council-Dist. 3), Malcolm Kimberlin of Fremont, $10,000.
PLEASANTON
—Dean Wallace (Pleasanton City Council-Dist. 1), Buffy Wicks for Assembly 2022, $1,000.
STATE LEGISLATURE
10TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT
—Aisha Wahab (10th State Senate District), Iqbal Mirza of Saratoga, $2,500; Muna Bashir of Santa Clara, $1,000.
—Lily Mei (10th State Senate District), Vijay Salwan of Fremont, $4,900; Doug Rich of Danville, $1,000.
20TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Liz Ortega-Toro (20th Assembly District), Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West PAC, $9,700.
—Shawn Kumagai (20th Assembly District), GFC Courage Committee-East Bay Chapter, $4,900; Amador Valley Industries, LLC, $1,500.
16TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (16th Assembly District), DaVita Inc. Including Aggregated Contributions, $2,000.
18TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Mia Bonta (18th Assembly District), CAL FIRE Local 2881 Small Contributor PAC, $3,500.
14TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Buffy Wicks (14th Assembly District), RingCentral, Inc., $4,900; Lighthouse Public Affairs, $1,000.
24TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Alex Lee (24th Assembly District), California Teachers Association/Association For Better Citizenship Small Contributor Cmte, $9,700; California Statewide Law Enforcement Association PAC, $2,000.