Why recall a sitting council member?

 

The reasons to recall Councilwoman Madison Nguyen are numerous and simple.  The Little Saigon naming fiasco is only the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.  The following are a short list of why Councilwoman Madison Nguyen WILL be recalled by District 7 voters:





1) Brown Act Violation - In the City of San Jose there are 11 council members including the mayor. To pass any legislation a majority of at least 6 out of 11 votes are needed.  The Brown Act allows private discussions of up to 5 council members behind close door including the council member who is proposing the item to be voted on but the rest of the votes have to be courted in an open public forum.  Councilman Forest Williams unknowingly provided the evidence through a television interview where he repeatedly admitted he spoke to and deferred his vote to Councilwoman Nguyen prior to a 11/15/07 memo to approve the name Saigon Business District.  The memo was co-signed by the other 5 councilmembers: Madison Nguyen, Judy Chirco, Sam Liccardo, Dave Cortese and Chuck Reed.  This gave Councilwoman Nguyen a total of 6 votes for her proposal behind close doors a clear violation of the Brown Act.  (Video: ABC News | Video: Forest Williams - the 1st of 6 votes | The Other Five Votes)

2) Earmarked public TAX DOLLARS to help Lap Tang, a private developer - research of public records  revealed emails  that Councilwoman instructed RDA to provide $100,000 to help promote Vietnam Town shopping plaza (Email from RDA April 4, 2007 )

3) Wasted precious TAX DOLLARS by ordering a public funded survey to see which popular name to support AFTER already instructing the RDA the official name of the area as Vietnam Town Business District - exposed through records of emails between Councilwoman and the RDA

4) How strong is Councilwoman Madison Nguyen's ties to special interests?  Henry Huong Le of Lee Brothers, Inc. (a multimillionaire land developer, co-owner of Lee's Laundromat, Lee's Sandwiches and Lee's Industrial Catering) risked his family and business reputation by presenting to the City Council a fraudulent petition claiming 92 store owners in the area did not support Little Saigon.  The petition in question was used as a reason to rescind the naming of a Vietnamese business district.  Why did this multimillionaire use a fraudulent petition to support Council Woman Madison Nguyen's effort to derail the naming of Little Saigon? 

5) A steady record of having catered to, and financially backed by, special interests above the mandate of the community she was elected to represent:

     a) Lobbyists - Dustin DeRollo and Tom Saggau*

     b) Home Builder - ROEM Development*

     c) Commercial Real Estate Developer, Strip Malls Owner, Co-Owner of Lee's Sandwiches, Lee's Industrial Catering  and Lee's Laundromats - Henry Huong Le of Lee Brothers, Inc.,**

      d) Commercial Real Estate Developer - Lap Tang of Vietnam Town Shopping Center**

      e) Businessman - Vincent Mai of Mai Dental**

Sources: * San Jose Mercury News, "Councilwoman Nguyen raises twice as much money as recall backers - BIG DONORS: BUSINESS OWNERS, DEVELOPERS" August 1, 2008.  ** San Jose City Records.

 



 

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