San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and budget aide Joe Guerra arrested

The San Jose Mecury News ^ | 6/22/2006 | Deborah Lohse and Sean Webby

[Rio]

San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and his top budget aide Joe Guerra were arrested and released by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's department this morning, according to Deputy Sheriff Serg Palanov.

Although the grounds for arrest were not immediately known, it came amid a civil grand jury investigation related to the two men's behind-the-scenes actions from 2000 to 2005 to help Norcal Waste Systems get an $11.25 million contract amendment after it underbid the labor component of its winning bid to collect trash for 155,000 San Jose residents.

[2banana]

Since the article doesn't mention it - I assume they are part of the Democrat culture of corruption...

[domenad]

Dems? The article doesn't say (big surprise).

[RabidBartender]

No party affiliation mentioned, therefore Gonzales must be a Democrat.

Journalism today is pathetic.

[Rio]

Well it IS California. Democratic party affiliation is assumed.

[Mr. Jeeves]

He's a Democrat but is considered a "conservative" Democrat rather than a moonbat, so expect that angle to be played up.

[Red Badger]

Gettin kinda close to Peloser's home turf?.........

[Bratch]

Since no party affiliation is mentioned in the story, can we presume they're Democrats?

[NormsRevenge]

Oh my.

Thanks for posting this, Keywords will provide a lot of background on which these arrests may be based.

[martin_fierro]

Send FReepmail if you want on/off SVP list
Silicon Valley Slang
The List of Ping Lists

The "Family Man" is BUSTED!

[CounterCounterCulture]

The plot thickens. :-)

[NormsRevenge]

Whewwwwieee!!

Dang, it must be pretty hot in the new Downtown Gubamnint Pagoda City Hall Mayor's office about now.. lol

I'm seeing 95 degrees here in North San Jose and rising. 8-)

[nickcarraway]

What?!?!? Teflon Ron? No way.

[Paperdoll]

Let's see: We have the Italian Mafia, the Jewish Mafia, the Viet Namese Mafia, the ACLU, and now the Mexican Mafia.
Maybe they'll have a Gang War, leaving no man standing.
What - a - dump! (Thank you, Bette).

[NormsRevenge]

Even Teflon has a melting point. ;-)

[jiggyboy]

Yep, he's a Dem. This garbage deal is dirty dirty dirty. He's been caught red-handed on this one and that's been clear since the very first story.

[CounterCounterCulture]

The one downside is that Vice-Mayor Cindy "Ron Gonzalez in drag" Chavez would love to get a little settled in the Mayor's chair. We desperately need Chuck Reed to win the mayoral race this November over the union-backed Chavez.

[null and void]

YeeeeeeeHA!

[CounterCounterCulture]

You don't know how right you are. Mafia is right. I know somebody who was on the Gonzalez grand jury trials. That's all I'm at liberty to say.

[calcowgirl]

http://www.ktvu.com/news/9412171/detail.html

San Jose Mayor Indicted; Surrenders To Authorities

POSTED: 12:10 pm PDT June 22, 2006
UPDATED: 12:33 pm PDT June 22, 2006

SAN JOSE -- San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales, embroiled for months in a controversy over the awarding of a garbage contract, surrendered to authorities Thursday after he was reportedly indicted by a grand jury.

According to Santa Clara Sheriff's Department Deputy Sheriff Serg Palanov, Gonzales voluntarily surrendered Thursday. It was not known if Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez has taken over the duty of running the city.

Also reportedly indicted along with Gonzales was his top aide Joe Guerra.

In December, just a week after he was censured in a historic vote by the San Jose City Council, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced it was investigating the city's controversial garbage and recycling contract with Norcal Waste Systems.

"The findings of the civil grand jury, which were confirmed by the San Jose Independent Investigator, raise serious questions about the processes used by the city of San Jose to enter into this agreement and the 2004 amendment to this agreement, as well as serious questions about whether any laws were violated in connection with these transactions," the District Attorney's office said in a statement at the time.

Deputy District Attorney Julius Finkelstein was working with the civil grand jury to further investigate the matter.

Gonzales was censured for making a backroom deal with Norcal Waste Systems in 2000 over a city garbage and recycling contract that led to a 9 percent increase in garbage rates in 2003.

He is the first San Jose mayor on record to be censured by his council colleagues and the second elected official in San Jose to be censured in the past year. San Jose City Councilman Terry Gregory was censured on Dec. 17, 2004 for ethics violations and later resigned and pleaded guilty to criminal charges.

The mayor told KTVU that he had no plans to step down after apologizing for his role in securing a controversial trash hauling contract. He said the issue resulted not from any wrongdoing, but from "mis-communication."

"There is no reason to resign in this regard," Gonzales told KTVU. "We are talking about the process -- a lack of communication."

He did continue to apology for the events that have unfolded.

"I'm apologizing, saying I'm sorry because we did not -- I did not -- communicate fully with the council at appropriate times all the information that was necessary for them to make the right decision," he said.

[A CA Guy]

Upon his arrest, did Gonzales declare his support for Gov. Schwarzenegger in also stating that the Senate and Congress MUST pass the Senate Immigration Amnesty bill? :-)

[NormsRevenge]

I'm of the opinion, Cindy will not have a long stay in the
Big Dog's office, call it a hunch. ;-)

Go Chuck!

[NormsRevenge]

Indicted..

Ouch!

That one word alone does not equate to guilt necessarily.

But it's a good start down the path towards taking out the trash at City Hall. ;-)

[taxesareforever]

Do a search. It sure is hard to find his connection to being a Democrat until you go to the DLC website and see his speeches posted on there. Dead giveaway.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Didn't Mrs. Clinton's husband endorse Gonzalez? Also isn't this the same mayor of San Jose revealed to be having an affair with a staffer while he ran on family values?

Hmmmm...

[null and void]

That one word alone does not equate to guilt

Unless you are a Patriot.

[NormsRevenge]

lol.. sadly, true these days.

[calcowgirl]

Indicted.. Ouch!

Yes. Criminal Indictment

It has a nice ring, doesn't it? :-)

[NormsRevenge]

Also isn't this the same mayor of San Jose revealed to be having an affair with a staffer while he ran on family values?

--

Yup, He got divorced by his wife of many years, after having an affair with a young staffer who he eventually married last year sometime.

[NormsRevenge]

It's been a long time coming.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Also isn't this the same mayor of San Jose revealed to be having an affair with a staffer while he ran on family values?

Yes. He is now married to the staffer.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Thanks for the info.

Wow! Culture of Corruption indeed, Ms. Pelosi!

[CounterCounterCulture]

Too bad they've already picked up my garbage today, but perhaps we can start a "Trash Ron Gonzalez" campaign by affixing his image with those words to our garbage cans. :-)

Whaddayasay, fellow San Josers? ;-)

[CounterCounterCulture]

"Trash Ron Gonzalez"

typo...
"Trash Ron Gonzales"

[NormsRevenge]

I still have Dump Davis stickers on mine,, But there's room for one more.. ;-)

[calcowgirl]

we can start a "Trash Ron Gonzalez" campaign by affixing his image with those words to our garbage cans. :-)

It almost makes me want to live in San Jose! ;-)

[CounterCounterCulture]

I could certainly use the company. We desperately need more true conservatives here. :-)

[stinkerpot65]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/12195908.htm

On reading what he did. I'm not sure it rises to the level of a crime.

[calcowgirl]

I'm in Los Angeles county -- it needs 'a bit' of help as well. ;-)

[2Fro]

I can't help but wonder if Gonzales's campaign office [for his reelection four years ago] has any leftover bumper stickers. Wouldn't it be neat to secure a few thousand of them and give (sell) them to San Jose residents to put on their garbage and recycle toters?

All the more reason, friends, to collect the libs' bumper stickers during the upcoming election and save them for possible use later on garbage cans when the dopes screw up. And rest assured, almost all elected libs will screw up during their upcoming terms--just be patient.

[privatedick]

You are not alone. Near the Good Sam Hosp.

[Hoplite]

Wow - kinda surprised it went/is going this far.

It makes me as happy as... well, you know.

[Reactionary]

"He's a Democrat but is considered a "conservative" Democrat rather than a moonbat, so expect that angle to be played up."

You've predicted the next Moonbat Media Meme, methinks.

[ßuddaßudd]

The best news I've heard all day!

[shorty_harris]

HA! Did you see the funny local news story a couple of weeks ago? They were covering a murder, and the newscaster announced something to the effect "...and the person now in custody for the murder is THIS MAN...", and they flashed a big picture of Ron Gonzalez! They quickly removed it, mumbled something about a technical glitch, and moved on to the next story...pretty funny!

shorty from Santa Clara

[runningbear]

here is the scoop, Cindy Chavez as everybody knows wants to be appointed intermin, (even though she states otherwise), but with the elections and Chuck Reed, may not happen. Wouldn't it be a hoot if Cortese was appointed in the mean time? Anyhow, this mayor and all those elected to council have spent....spent....and spent... on ill projects and left the employees understaffed and taking on more job classifications because many departments wouldn't hire those vacancies because of the budget problems. But ..... they sure would hire UPPER management spots, and unbenefitted personnel positions!!! Those civil government UNIONS, what a joke they are! They throw this carrot of a wage increase out and less than 1/2 (19% or so) of the members vote for it! The city is screwing the part time people, screwing medical benefits, and increasing costs all sides.. For the past 8 years, this City has done nothing but spent money like as KFBK Tom Sullivan quotes Sacramento legislatures, states "drunken Saliors"!! ie... Grand Prix, the "state of the art "new city hall", technology communications, etc.... can remember a few years ago this budget was about 67 million, and now over 2 billiion! Tax me now or tax me later!!!!

Okay rant off!!!!

yes I have been in trouble with a city member in stating my points of views too!

Me NY attitude just can't help coming out and rant!!! ;o)

Oh by the way, Ron Gonzalee is a true democrat.... I have a 1980's political flyer of him running on family values for County supervisor after he was defeated in a run of Mayor for Milpitas. And with his past scandals, well maybe it is time for him to go. I have passed by him several times during City hall functions, seems like a very nice happy guy, but when politics come a playen, crooked deals happen, and maybe this one just spanked him good!

[NormsRevenge]

I'll take Chuck Reed in a pinch, personally. He has the least culpability of all those on the council re: spending as you noted.

The City Hall is nothing more than a wanton waste of taxpayer money. Too bad they can't put a set of stocks on the public area in front of it and put Ron in it as part of his "therapy" he is about to endure..

Plus Chuck's daughter flies a mean plane,
A-10 Warthogs. Remember her Iraq adventure? ;-)

[dc27]

Didn't Cortese's dad go to prison?

[CounterCounterCulture]

Gonzales, who will be arraigned Monday, said Thursday night he wouldn't resign.

``No,'' the mayor said at a benefit dinner for a local education foundation, appearing at ease and holding hands with his wife. ``The people of San Jose elected me to be the mayor of this town, and I am going to be the mayor of this town.''

``I can do this job in a lot of different ways. And that's all I want to say at this time.''

{snicker}

[NormsRevenge]

Uh,, Ron, I don't think they let inmates do web casts or have wireless connections and laptops or cell phones from prisons or low to medium security facilities...

His bail was reportedly $50,000, btw.

Per the Merc web site , 5 council members are already onboard asking for his to step down.

even the Merc is running an editorial saying he must resign.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/14880899.htm