Jeff Rosen, a deputy District Attorney running against his boss, Santa Clara County DA Dolores Carr, said yesterday that she played favorites to help a major campaign supporter.

The case began when Ali Yahya Valdovinos, a Stanford University student, was charged with felony grand theft. Valdovinos is represented by James McManis, a major contributor to Carr’s campaign. Reports claim that McManis called Carr, who intervened personally, and Valdovinos later pleaded no-contest to petty theft instead.