I'll give him a pass for coming here illegally, since it was 40 years ago. I read through the responses, then I went back and read the entire article. It doesn't sound like he's making excuses for his son, he's just shellshocked, as any decent parent would be.
Ten years ago the first Chronicle articles I read on him had him claiming that he "came here" in 1972. That's 33 years ago. So all of a sudden it's 40 years? The story mutates to diminsh his responsibility. And gets worse.
Why should a guy who came here illegally have any position of trust? What's his line - "elect me, I know how to turn a city into a disaster area"? Or how about - "elect me! I'm from Mexico, I don't believe in no gringo laws, and I want to make laws for you so it will be just like Mexico here!"
You get the notion. The guy's kid is just picking up on the world view of dear old Padre: contempt for laws, macho chutzpah ("I can do anything I want, including doing what I want to those women!"), a belief that his father's position puts him out of reach (it would in Mexico), a thug outlook on everything.
De La Fuente has pulled the race card on anyone who ever criticised him, has agitated to undermine any semblance of American culture and laws left in Oakland (wasn't much to start with, admittedly), and been whispered about for years as being up to his ears in dirty dollars.
He can just live in the mud he made.
Any reason to classify him as a decent parent? Do we know if he has gotten his son out of trouble before? Is the "shock" having his son caught or maybe just the seriousness of the charge? Maybe some enterprising reporter will let us know.
The Big Lie:
"He immigrated to California at the age of 21 and subsequently became an American citizen" -- he did no such thing. He admits now that he broke into the country -- and either must have been amnestied or is still an illegal. And note that if his story is true, it's like I said: 33 to 35 years ago, not 40. He was 21, knew damn good and well what he was doing. An American would have ended up with a record for life. This creep ends up with a) U.S. citizenship and b) oversight of the budget of the city of Oakland, California!! International crime pays, if you're from Mexico City.
How he undermined the American character of the city:
"Among his proudest accomplishments is authorship of the City's Hire Oakland policies that expand employment and small business opportunities for Oakland residents and the City’s Equal Access policy – the first of its kind in the country – that provides Oakland’s diverse population with multi-lingual information about city services" -- this was a mandate by the city to hire Spanish speakers (no English required of them; guess who he wants to have taxpayer jobs?).
I rest my case. De La Fuente is a class A criminal: a man of enormous hubris who believes that he is not only above the law, but that if he is cunning and venal enough, he can scheme his way into making the laws.
He has no business either being in the country or much less running a major American city.
And one last: note that he was 21 in 1970. Americans were being drafted then. Right there in Oakland at the induction center. Big riots, lots of controversy. Did this guy register? Even illegal aliens are required to register. But he knew he wasn't on the radar, so he didn't (do we even know that his name is "De La Fuente"? How? Based on what birth certificate?). And watched the poor dumb American schleps get dragged off to a war that he knew he could evade. One more Federal Felony this creep committed.
And you want to give this guy a pass?!