RULES COMMITTEE: 10/23/2024
Item: B.1
File ID: ROGC 24-725
TO: Honorable Mayor & FROM: Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Council City Clerk
SUBJECT: The Public Record DATE: October 23, 2024
October 10 – October 17, 2024
ITEMS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD
Letters from Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Letters from the Public Comment:
1. Letter from Tabitha Wheatley, dated October 11, 2024, regarding: Project Homekey Branham & Monterey IS A BLESSING.
2. Letter from Deb Mendez, dated October 15, 2024, regarding: use 115 acres to address SJ needs.
3-4. Letters from two members of the public, dated October 16, 2024, regarding: Omar Torres must resign immediately.
5. Letter from Leah Toeniskoetter, dated October 17, 2024, regarding: Supporting the call for resignation of Councilmember Torres.
____________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk
TJT/tt
Public Record: 1
Public Record: 2
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. tree canopy. To mitigate the impact of this loss, include green stormwater infrastructure and tree canopy in order to reduce flooding and heat island effect along with energy efficiency considerations.
A mix of transportation options that will directly benefit the residents of East San José.
Transportation facilitation that promotes the use of public transit and mitigates high volume campus entrance and egress on Flint Ave and Vista Verde Ave.
Please do not allow any buildings higher than 2 floors. So many developments block the beautiful views of our majestic hills. (Just like on Hellyer Ave. between Silicon Valley Blvd. and Bernal Rd.) The beautiful mountains is one of the wonderful reasons living here in the valley, especially if you live close to the hills. We don't want to see hard, cold, ugly buildings, but beautiful hills with colors that change with the seasons. More natural views without distractions.
Thank you.
Deb Mendez
95135
You may not use my contact information for any purpose other than to respond to my concern regarding the topic listed above, nor may you share my address with any other organization(s) or individual(s).
—
This mail was sent on behalf of a San Jose resident via District 5 United Community Working Together
10/16/24, 9:34 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT… 2/2 Public Record: 3
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. demonstrate your faith in being exonerated, but your ability to represent District 3 is already compromised. You need to resign immediately.
Nobody will be able to interact with you in the same way as before the investigation, unless they were already in cahoots and knew the full story. But I suspect you glossed over your exact role in this scandal to make yourself look like a hapless victim, and your peers and staff didn't know the full extent of your actions. You have lost the trust of at least some of the people you need to work with on a regular basis and that undermines your effectiveness as a Councilmember. (Not to mention how much time and energy you will be putting into your legal defense.) You have betrayed your constituents by even running for Council with this shadow over your reputation. You have betrayed the youth of our City due to the nature of these accusations. And most egregiously, you have betrayed the LGBTQ+ community by pretending to be a victim of baseless homophobia instead of a participant in a child sexual abuse scandal that provides fodder for the worst accusations thrown at LGBTQ+ people. Even being willing to "role play" as a participant in child sexual abuse, if we take your defense at face value, rather than blocking the other party and reporting them to the FBI, shows your moral compass is misaligned.
I say that not as a prude, as I am sex-positive and have close friends in the LGBTQ+, kink, furry, and poly communities. I say that as a person who knows that actions and role play "between consenting adults" are a different matter than "involving youth below the age of consent." And as a public official, or potential candidate for public office, your behavior needs to be above reproach.
If you thought this was all wholesome and harmless, you wouldn't have let anyone blackmail you over it. Your excuse that you fell into some kind of honey pot trap and didn't know how to stop texting gross sexual things without it being awkward is so ridiculous that it's either a lie or you're too dense to be an elected official. Either way, it makes you unfit for public office or civil service. (Liability to blackmail is also why it used to be a problem getting a security clearance if you were LGBTQ+, by the way.)
You need to resign immediately, even if the timing is awkward relative to the election or whatever logistical excuses may be in play. Whether or not you are found Not Guilty on some technicality, you can't possibly represent my district effectively.
Regards,
Kathryn Hedges
Sole Proprietor, Splendid Colors
CA Certifications: SB,SP-PW #2024613
10/17/24, 8:51 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT… 2/2 Public Record: 4
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
I acknowledge that under the U.S. Constitution, you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. You are due your day in court, and have the right to plead Not Guilty while the prosecution has the burden of proof. Maybe your defense attorney is urging you to stay in your Council seat to demonstrate your faith in being exonerated, but your ability to represent District 3 is already compromised. You need to resign immediately.
Nobody will be able to interact with you in the same way as before the investigation, unless they were already in cahoots and knew the full story. But I suspect you glossed over your exact role in this scandal to make yourself look like a hapless victim, and your peers and staff didn't know the full extent of your actions. You have lost the trust of at least some of the people you need to work with on a regular basis and that undermines your effectiveness as a Councilmember. (Not to mention how much time and energy you will be putting into your legal defense.) You have betrayed your constituents by even running for Council with this shadow over your reputation. You have betrayed the youth of our City due to the nature of these accusations. And most egregiously, you have betrayed the LGBTQ+ community by pretending to be a victim of baseless homophobia instead of a participant in a child sexual abuse scandal that provides fodder for the worst accusations thrown at LGBTQ+ people. Even being willing to "role play" as a participant in child sexual abuse, if we take your defense at face value, rather than blocking the other party and reporting them to the FBI, shows your moral compass is misaligned.
I say that not as a prude, as I am sex-positive and have close friends in the LGBTQ+, kink, furry, and poly communities. I say that as a person who knows that actions and role play "between consenting adults" are a different matter than "involving youth below the age of consent." And as a public official, or potential candidate for public office, your behavior needs to be above reproach.
If you thought this was all wholesome and harmless, you wouldn't have let anyone blackmail you over it. Your excuse that you fell into some kind of honey pot trap and didn't know how to stop texting gross sexual things without it being awkward is so ridiculous that it's either a lie or you're too dense to be an elected official. Either way, it makes you unfit for public office or civil service. (Liability to blackmail is also why it used to be a problem getting a security clearance if you were LGBTQ+, by the way.)
You need to resign immediately, even if the timing is awkward relative to the election or whatever logistical excuses may be in play. Whether or not you are found Not Guilty on some technicality, you can't possibly represent my district effectively.
Regards,
Kathryn Hedges
Sole Proprietor, Splendid Colors
CA Certifications: SB,SP-PW #2024613
10/17/24, 8:48 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT… 2/2
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Leah Toeniskoetter
President & CEO
San Jose Chamber of Commerce
Email
Assistant: Lina Guzman,
Office:
Mailing Address:
10/17/24, 1:41 PM Mail - City Clerk - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/id/AAQkAGJiNDY2NWI3LTY1ODktNDczNy1iYjdkLWZlNWFjYmFmNmQ3ZQAQACMmFi… 2/2