CA: Ex-aide tells how Gregory practiced intimidation - Ethics probe OF S.J. Councilman continues

A former aide to San Jose Councilman Terry Gregory testified Wednesday that on days his boss would get wound up intimidating big-box retailers for donations or browbeating city planners to sink projects he opposed, his staff used a code word warning that Gregory was on the warpath.

``The staff code word was `purple.' He had `purple' days,'' said Craig Mann, Gregory's former chief of staff, in front of a special ethics task force investigating allegations the District 7 councilman solicited and accepted gifts and donations, and committed dozens of violations of city and state fundraising laws.

In his most revealing testimony, the key witness disclosed how Gregory last year pressured officials with Costco -- which has a store in his district -- to supply a $500 gift card to his office, an almost untraceable contribution never recorded with the city.

Mann also testified that Gregory gave officials representing General Electric an ultimatum: Bankroll some of his district's $14 million in unfunded projects or risk the council rejecting GE's bid to rezone land for a shopping center. Mann also said Gregory demanded $10,000 from Wal-Mart -- twice the $5,000 the company ultimately paid to his district account -- so Gregory wouldn't become a ``big noisemaker'' about the retailer's move to San Jose.

``In his pursuit of trying to have community events and have some wherewithal to work with the community, there was a pretty anxious pursuit to get some of our community folk to help support, or bankroll, community events,'' Mann said. ``He had an expectation all the time that'' companies should pay.

Mann's damning testimony helped seal plans for the council to reconvene Friday for an unprecedented formal censure hearing.

Mann claimed ignorance of city gift ordinances and said that at the time he didn't know his actions were unethical.

What a moron. Any student of ethics 101 knows that if one would consider an opponents behavior as unethical, than it would be unethical to do the same. Mannn knew it was unethical, he just thought he wouldn't be caught.

From the most recent Metro:

Sacrificial Lamb

As censure proceedings begin in connection with TERRY GREGORY's indiscretions, pundits are watching two councilmembers for signs labor might be wavering in support of the San Jose District 7 councilman. Most council watchers expect at least seven of the 11-member council to vote for censure. But the council needs eight votes for the reprimand to pass. Where will the other vote come from? Not from Gregory, who somehow is able to vote on his own censure, or District 2's FORREST WILLIAMS, who has been outspoken against disciplining Gregory. That leaves laborites CINDY CHAVEZ and NORA CAMPOS, who might be willing to toss labor-friendly Gregory overboard if they get the green light from Chicago. Why would they do that? Because labor added NANCY PYLE in last month's election, meaning Gregory could be expendable, given his rash of legal problems and impaired ability to win future elections. Pyle might not be as reliable a vote as Gregory, though. So there might be some wavering. A sign Chavez and Campos might still be in Gregory's camp is if they insist, as they have in the past, that Gregory wasn't given ample opportunity to defend himself.

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