I Voted for Bryan Azevedo: It's Time He Resigned
The Feds have charged him with three criminal violations. One count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. One count of false statements. And one count of criminal forfeiture. The charges were filed as "information" instead of an indictment, which may mean Azevedo waived his right to a grand jury and made a plea deal.
The investigation predates the current regime and the lawyers that signed off on this are career prosecutors, not political appointees. They accuse Azevedo of lying to federal agents, taking bribes, and selling out the city. The scheme is allegedly related to a much larger conspiracy involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and a business groups run by the Duong family.
***
I've been a fan of Bryan's since 2020 when he was out doing community clean ups and running a program to help feed people during the pandemic. I voted for him for city council (both times). I supported his run for mayor. During the past five years, he's voted in favor of many important measures, from police oversight and public health to housing protections and climate resilience. More importantly, people saw him as a local leader that they could trust. From his blue-collar background to his plain way of talking, he felt honest and authentic. He was active on social media, always sharing information and events, as well as updates on his work at city hall. He hosted toy giveaways, trunk-or-treats, and fundraisers for locals businesses. He was someone you could reach out to and know that you'd get help with whatever the problem was. He embodied the idea of servant leadership.
But the cracks in his image were always there. Even his strongest supporters will admit he's not very smart or well spoken. Many in the city liked him because he could be manipulated into voting for anything. His food relief program got shut down for not having proper permits. He never introduced legislation and even his suggestions at the city's annual planning sessions were frivolous. He kept getting baited into fights with opponents, from barbs in the SL Times to a brawl at the library. His antics eventually helped cause a lawsuit by the former city manager Fran Robustelli, including allegations of harassment and intimidation.
With local politics being the cesspool that it is, Azevedo's rise certainly made him a lot of enemies. Some of them tried to smear his wife as an "illegal" and threatened to get her deported. Others would film and harass him while he was spending time with his daughter, or hosting famous friends, like Danny Glover. A few became obsessive in their opposition — campaigning to permanently ban him from Nextdoor, defacing and stealing his signs, even making crank calls to his office and home.
And these attacks took their toll. He pulled back from social media and community events. He was less active during meetings. He began having problems working with the city manager and even with city staff. He talked less often to his supporters, and when he did, he would privately seethe about his grudges and slights. He looked tired and acted angry.
***
So did Azevedo really do what the US Attorney's office is charging him with? Do they have the evidence to back it up? And what about the lawsuit from Robustelli? Is Azevedo a criminal, a victim, or just a guy too dumb to realize what he was doing? I won't pretend to know the answer. He hasn't been arrested. He's innocent until/unless proven guilty. And while most federal cases end in conviction or settlement, this legal process could still take a while, with more twists and turns to come.
Still, consider me shocked, surprised, and distraught, among other feelings. Except for a few city hall insiders, nobody had any idea that this was going on. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There are a lot of people who will use this opportunity to settle scores, wag their political grievances, and take advantage of you.
Notably, Mayor Gonzalez seems to be trying (unsuccessfully) to prevent an expensive recall election and an even more expensive lawsuit on top of the two expensive lawsuits we've already got from the former city manager and the former police chief. It's hard to understand the strategy here, given that he's opposed Azevedo for years. But the mayor has also been accused of corruption, fraud, harassment, and intimidation by residents. (And not just him either.) Maybe it's self-interest or maybe it's principle. Maybe it's something else entirely.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of San Leandro voters are going to have to ask themselves, what happens now though? For me, the answer is as clear as it is heartbreaking: Bryan Azevedo must resign.
The people of San Leandro need a councilmember who isn't embroiled in scandals, lawsuits, and criminal prosecutions. We need someone who isn't credibly accused of fraud and corruption. We need someone who can be up to the job of representing us effectively, without constant questions about their integrity, let alone having their hands tied because of their potential culpability. That's what we voted for and I don't see how Azevedo can do that under the current circumstances he's dealing with and, worse, the dangerous times we're living through. Even if he beats the charges, but especially if he settles with the Feds.
Maybe it's not fair to him, but this isn't about what's fair to him. It's about what's right for the people of this city. It's about building a better San Leandro for everyone.
Take note and take care.
***
CASL, AEJIS.
Comments
Post a Comment