Josh Koehn
Attorneys Union Meeting Reveals ‘Deep Division’ on Admin Leave, Union Leadership
Jun 14, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics, Culture Comments (1)
Max Zarzana, president of the Government Attorneys Association, may have miscalculated how to address the use of admin leave in the District Attorney’s office, as the county now wants to take back money from some GAA members.
The Government Attorneys Association (GAA) held a special meeting Friday, and sources tells San Jose Inside that if the county attorneys agreed upon anything, it’s that a “deep division” exists amongst the membership. The big question is how can this be resolved when the union’s leadership continues to focus on scoring fleeting political points.
Shirakawa Sentencing Hearing Continued Due to New Felony Charge
Jun 07, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (4)
George Shirakawa Jr., right, and his attorney John Williams speak to Judge Philip Pennypacker at Friday’s sentencing hearing.
George Shirakawa Jr. remains free after his hearing Friday, at which he was scheduled to be sentenced for misusing campaign and county funds. Judge Philip Pennypacker chose to delay sentencing the former county supervisor until at least July 19 due to a new felony charge that the District Attorney’s office filed against Shirakawa on Wednesday.
President Obama Insists Phone Call Surveillance Done Legally
Jun 07, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics, Culture Comments (4)
President Obama defended the widespread surveillance of phone calls made within the country during a press conference Friday at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. (Photo by Jamie Soja)
During a press conference held Friday at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, President Obama insisted that “Big Brother” has played by the rules while keeping tabs on nearly every phone call made within the nation’s borders during the last seven years.
DNA Links Shirakawa to Fraudulent Mailer that Helped Campos in 2010 Council Race
Jun 05, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (24)
District Attorney Jeff Rosen points to a picture of a fraudulent mailer that investigators say George Shirakawa Jr. was responsible for sending.
A cloud has been cast over the 2010 election of San Jose Councilman Xavier Campos with this morning’s announcement that George Shirakawa Jr. participated in a covert effort to change the election’s outcome, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney. Shirakawa, the disgraced former county supervisor who will be sentenced for unrelated crimes Friday, allegedly licked stamps affixed to fraudulent campaign mailers that were designed to discredit council candidate Magdalena Carrasco, who lost two close elections to Campos, a friend and staffer of Shirakawa’s at the time of the crime.
Wag the Dog: How to Change the Conversation from Dirty Politics to Sex
May 24, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics, Business, Culture, Media Comments (29)
County prosecutor Chuck Gillingham made some bold accusations about Metro in a press conference Wednesday. (Photo by Sugar Wang, courtesy of Singtao Daily)
County prosecutor Chuck Gillingham Jr., son of the former county sheriff, called a press conference Wednesday to accuse Metro of being an accomplice to prostitution and underage sex trafficking. Gillingham said he was acting in an unofficial capacity as a concerned citizen. But it seems something much greater is at play.
Cindy Chavez Campaign Admits Coordination with SBLC, DCC
May 15, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (11)
Cindy Chavez is using her connections at the South Bay Labor Council and Democratic Central Committee to sidestep traditional methods of campaigning.
Cindy Chavez’s campaign manager, Ed McGovern, acknowledged Tuesday evening that his client has a found a way to circumvent state laws that prevent independent committees from coordinating with candidate campaigns.
Cindy Chavez Campaign Pieces Break FPPC Laws on Coordination?
May 13, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (11)
Cindy Chavez’s campaign pieces for the District 2 supervisor race seem very similar to mailers going out from two independent committees, which might go against campaign laws.
What’s the difference between Cindy Chavez’s campaign and some of the independent expenditure committees that want to get her elected to a county supervisor seat? Little more than a few choice words, according to mailers that have been targeting voters in District 2. With absentee balloting already in full swing, the campaign of candidate Teresa Alvarado chose last week to file a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Vietnamese Group Takes Issue with Mercury News Report, Madison Nguyen Quote
May 10, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics, Culture, Media Comments (2)
San Jose Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen was surprised to learn a local Vietnamese group had a problem with a comment she made to the local daily newspaper.
An assortment of local politicians and community members gathered in the City Hall rotunda late last month to pay their respects at the 38th “Black April,” a ceremony to honor and remember the Vietnamese diaspora and fall of Saigon. By most respects, it was a solemn occasion that showed respect and solidarity. And then the Mercury News had to go and ruin everything.
Sacramento Lobbyists Distort Casino Oversight Narrative in Three-Pronged Attack
May 08, 2013, by Josh Koehn Politics, Business, Media Comments (0)
This is a cropped portion of a mailer recently sent to San Jose residents by a political action committee that has ties to a Sacramento lobbyist firm.
A Sacramento lobbying firm appears to be playing a game of snooker when it comes to misleading San Jose residents about crime and casinos. The “Consumer Alliance for a Strong Economy” has been scaring residents into believing the city wants to deregulate card club oversight through robocalls, provocative mailers and even a Mercury News op-ed.
Historic Faber’s Cyclery Building Burns as Writer Predicted
Apr 26, 2013, by Josh Koehn Business, Culture Comments (2)
A fire gutted the historic Faber’s Cyclery building in downtown San Jose on Thursday night.
Once known as the “mecca for vintage bike enthusiasts,” the historic Faber’s Cyclery building is no more. The 129-year-old building on South First Street was the site of a three-alarm fire Thursday night, leaving the structure with heavy damage and a slight lean to one side. One writer predicted this would happen almost five years ago to the day.
Disclaimer: All views expressed on this site are solely the opinion of the individual writer.
Comment Policy: Please read our comment policy before posting.
© 2013 Virtual Valley Inc.
