Peninsula 360 Press
The independent non-profit news organization, Spotlight The San Jose-based Coalition announced that it has joined with the First Amendment Coalition to prepare a lawsuit against Mayor Sam Liccardo for failing to comply with transparency and access to information laws for public officials as outlined in the California Public Records Act.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California.
Both organizations accuse Mayor Sam Liccardo of repeatedly flouting the law and failing to disclose information contained in his private email used for his office.
Liccardo allegedly asked Scott Largent to use his Gmail account, a fact that was denied according to official statements; however, Spotlight verified that there were outgoing electronic communications with such characteristics.
In addition, Spotlight charges that "the lawsuit cites numerous instances in which the city improperly withheld a variety of records."
The attorney who will be prosecuting the case on behalf of Spotlight, Karl Olson, stated that Liccardo "conducts almost all of his city business on his private phone, apparently because that way it's easier to make backdoor deals with his friends, lobbyists and corporate cronies. This makes him a repeat offender."
