Nora Campos - Councilmember, District Five
Posted on 10/02/2005 4:55:24 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A city councilwoman's chief of staff has surrendered to authorities after police issued a warrant for her arrest for the disappearance of a briefcase at City Hall.
Christine Silva Burnett, 54, turned herself in to San Jose police on Friday. Prosecutors charged her with a misdemeanor, misappropriation of found property.
The case stems from an incident Sept. 19 when a community activist visited a floor in the City Hall where council members and staffers have offices. The activist said his black briefcase containing a wallet and personal digital assistant was stolen.
Burnett worked for Councilwoman Nora Campos, who said she was surprised with the arrest.
"She has done great work for San Jose and has been an outstanding staff person for my office," Campos said.
San Jose police recovered the briefcase from Burnett on Sept. 22.
City staffer turns herself in
COUNCILWOMAN'S AIDE SURRENDERS IN BRIEFCASE INCIDENT
By Sandra Gonzales
Mercury News
The chief of staff for San Jose City Councilwoman Nora Campos turned herself in to authorities after a warrant was issued for her arrest in connection with the disappearance of a briefcase at City Hall last month.
Christine Silva Burnett, 54, surrendered at the San Jose Police Department on Friday, one day after the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office charged her with misappropriation of found property, a misdemeanor.
City staffer turns herself in
COUNCILWOMAN'S AIDE SURRENDERS IN BRIEFCASE INCIDENT
By Sandra Gonzales
Mercury News
The chief of staff for San Jose City Councilwoman Nora Campos turned herself in to authorities after a warrant was issued for her arrest in connection with the disappearance of a briefcase at City Hall last month.
Christine Silva Burnett, 54, surrendered at the San Jose Police Department on Friday, one day after the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office charged her with misappropriation of found property, a misdemeanor.
Burnett was cited and given a date to appear in court.
``I'm surprised because I've known her for a long time. She has done great work for San Jose and has been an outstanding staff person for my office,'' said Campos on Saturday. Campos added she had been aware Burnett was under investigation. Campos said she learned of the charges through police Friday, and later spoke with Burnett.
--snip --
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12798195.htm
local story
Hmmm, who was the activist?
The case stems from an incident Sept. 19 when Bryan Cong Do, a community activist and political consultant, visited the 18th floor of City Hall to deliver moon cakes to council members on behalf of the Vietnamese-American Women's Volunteer Association.
"Christine Silva Burnett, 54, surrendered at the San Jose Police Department on Friday, one day after the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office charged her with misappropriation of found property, a misdemeanor. "
Christine Silva Burnett
Chief of Staff
District 5 Staff
Council Agenda, Budget, Land Use, RDA
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district5/d5team.htm
Councilwoman's aide faces misdemeanor charge
snip
Burnett was cited and given a date to appear in court.
``I'm surprised because I've known her for a long time. She has done great work for San Jose and has been an outstanding staff person for my office,'' said Campos on Saturday. Campos added she had been aware Burnett was under investigation. Campos said she learned of the charges through police on Friday, and later spoke with Burnett.
Burnett, who Campos said lives in La Selva Beach, could not be reached for comment Saturday. Her attorney, Allen Ruby, did not return calls from the Mercury News on Saturday.
The case stems from an incident Sept. 19 when Bryan Cong Do, a community activist and political consultant, visited the 18th floor of City Hall to deliver moon cakes to council members on behalf of the Vietnamese-American Women's Volunteer Association.
The 18th floor is where council members and their staff have offices. The lobby is open to the public and is a waiting room for people who have appointments with council members or the mayor.
Do told the Mercury News this week that he set his black briefcase on a chair in the lobby and forgot it. Inside was his wallet, which he said held approximately $260, a memory stick that he said contained politically sensitive information, and a personal digital assistant.
Do said he returned several minutes later but the case was gone.
San Jose Police recovered the briefcase from Burnett on Sept. 22, Sgt. Nick Muyo said. Do said police returned his wallet, credit cards and keys, but the briefcase and other contents were held for evidence. Only $121 remained in his wallet, Do said.
Police continued to investigate the case, which they presented to the District Attorney's office on Wednesday. Burnett was charged in the case Thursday, and a $1,000 arrest warrant was issued.
``My God, I'm surprised to hear that,'' Do said upon learning of the charges Saturday from the Mercury News. He had met Burnett a few times, but said he had no significant dealings with her. ``I'm very disappointed and shocked.''
Even before Burnett was charged, Do said City Hall sources told him that she might be involved.
Those same sources, Do said, also were concerned about the data contained on his memory stick. But Do assured him that the memory stick was encrypted with a password that is difficult to crack. He said the memory stick included information the upcoming mayoral race, other potential City Hall races, and a list of donors to various candidates.
Sgt. Nick Muyo wouldn't discuss how evidence in the case or how police zeroed in on Burnett.
City officials, however, say there are security cameras on the lobby of every floor.
``I'm surprised and I'm not going to speculate on the outcome until we know what all the facts are,'' said David Vossbrink, spokesman for Mayor Ron Gonzales. ``I'm happy to say she is well respected by the community and her colleagues.''
Campos said she has not yet decided what, if any, action she will take in the matter. As of Saturday, Campos said, Burnett was still on her staff. ``It would be premature for me to do anything at this point. It hasn't gone through the whole judicial process,'' Campos said.
According to the city of San Jose Web site, Burnett's areas of responsibility for Campos's District 5 office include economic development, transportation, land use, budget and the redevelopment agency. She has worked for Campos since 2000. Burnett previously was an aide for Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez in her District 3 office. Burnett also worked briefly for former Councilman Manny Diaz, Campos said. In a 2003 Mercury News article, her salary was cited at $63,2002.
Campos, who considers Burnett a friend, said the case would not distract from her council work.
``It will not affect my work at City Hall,'' she said. ``I will continue to stay the course on what I'm going to accomplish.''
cell phone gps?
Let me guess. George Bush made her do it?
Is it just me, or is San Jose politics getting more fun as we go along? Our mayor is under investigation over garbage contracts, one of the council members resigned to avoid jail time, and now this. Will the fun never end?
not in the foreseeable future. ;-)
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Council to review Norcal's contract
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12798197.htm
WASTE FIRM NOT MEETING STANDARDS
By Deborah Lohse
Mercury News
Immersed in a controversy that has raised questions about the credibility of San Jose's mayor and city manager, Norcal Waste Systems is now threatened with losing its lucrative contract to pick up garbage in much of the city.
-- snip --
GreenTeam and GreenWaste have largely fulfilled their requirements, according to the city's environmental services department, making it probable they will be offered two-year contract renewals.
But Norcal, which handles the trash and recycling for most of the city's single-family residences, has been put on notice that it has failed most of its recycling requirements. That means council members will have to decide soon whether to extend Norcal's $19 million-a-year contract.
If the council opts not to renew Norcal's contract, it must begin the laborious process of taking bids and choosing a new contractor by June 30. A new provider would need a year to hire workers and gear up for the job. Under the terms of its trash-hauling contracts, if the council offers contract extensions to any or all three of the providers, those offers must be made by Jan. 10.
``The larger issue is do they have the ability to perform their requirements?'' said City Attorney Richard Doyle. ``It should be an interesting discussion.''
The issue of Norcal's performance is separate from an investigation now under way into how Norcal received a contract amendment from San Jose in 2004 entitling the company to an additional $11.25 million in labor costs that hadn't been in its original bid. A civil grand jury alleged that Mayor Ron Gonzales and his top budget aide in 2000 secretly promised Norcal that the city would shoulder those extra costs, despite having no legal obligation to do so. That investigation, which may be finished by mid-December, isn't expected to have an impact on Norcal's contract with the city.
-- snip --
I assumed there was some political motivation for this, not just property theft. Now, I see that Burnett worked for Cindy Chavez I understand the who thing. I think Chavez basically has the election wrapped up, but I guess they are still pulling out all the stops. I wonder if Do has any info that would be particularly helpful to Chavez in the primary.
It will get worse, because there is no incentive for them to stop. It's a one party, no competition town, even if they get caught nothing happens. Basically, San Jose is a labor town. All ten city council seats are labor now, and Cindy Chavez is the former political director of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council.
Here's hoping Chuck Reed has a good run.
Not too crazy about Cortese.
Burnett is big in the local Portugese community also.
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