SAN FRANCISCO — The former chief lobbyist for the San Francisco 49ers has testified {that a} Silicon Valley metropolis councilman illegally leaked a confidential report criticizing the crew’s political affect, it was reported Friday.
Rahul Chandhok informed a felony grand jury March 21 that Santa Clara City Councilmember Anthony Becker digitally despatched him the report – which was made by a civil grand jury – final October, the San Francisco Chronicle reported after reviewing a transcript of his testimony.
Prosecutors accuse Becker of offering the key report back to Chandhok and an area information outlet forward of its official launch after which mendacity to the grand jury about it.
He has pleaded not responsible to 1 felony rely of perjury below oath and a misdemeanor rely of willful failure to carry out responsibility. He might resist 4 years in state jail if convicted.
The 49ers play in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of San Francisco. Santa Clara owns the stadium and leases it to the crew, and the 2 sides have feuded for years by ethics complaints and authorized disputes.
Santa Clara County prosecutors mentioned the soccer crew has bankrolled Becker’s political profession by spending not less than $3.2 million by impartial expenditure committees for his 2020 profitable City Council race and a failed mayoral bid final yr.
Tthe civil grand jury report, titled “Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Santa Clara City Council,” alleged that councilmembers frequently voted “in a manner that is favorable to the 49ers.”
In his testimony, Chandhok mentioned Becker despatched him a duplicate of the report 4 days earlier than it was to be made public and a month earlier than the mayoral election, the Chronicle mentioned.
Chandhok mentioned he then started working to blunt the impression of the report.
Following information protection of the report, Chandhok attacked it as “a shocking political hatchet job” in a press release that additionally alleged the civil grand jurors that issued it had been corrupt and publicized the place they lived and worshipped, the Chronicle mentioned.
“The 49ers are committed to being a positive and contributing member of our community,” the crew mentioned Friday in a press release. “As the transcripts are related to an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to make any further comment at this time.”
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