With residents deeply involved over Councilmember Omar Torres’s means to adequately serve them, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has assured District 3 constituents that his workplace will assist bridge a number of the management and companies gaps within the absence of their embattled consultant, who faces rising calls to resign on account of his ties to prison investigation involving minors.
Mahan and a number of other members of the Metropolis Council initially preached persistence, giving muted responses because the police investigation unfolded, however they shortly turned extra vocal when a search warrant affidavit revealed a few of Torres’ sexually graphic textual content messages referencing youngsters.
Addressing attendees of the District 3 Neighborhood Management Council assembly Wednesday evening, Mahan mentioned his neighborhood workforce would make the district a precedence — providing sources and addressing considerations.
“We’re here to serve you and to answer your questions, and to represent you as we go through this difficult time,” Mahan mentioned. “Our staff will be paying particular attention to District 3, and trying to be more present at neighborhood meetings and just be here for you all to help with constituent services.”
The authorized saga surrounding Torres has taken a 180-degree flip, with Torres remodeling from an alleged sufferer of extortion to the goal of an investigation for alleged oral copulation of a minor and irregular curiosity in a minor.
Torres informed San Jose police in late August {that a} 21-year-old Chicago man whom he was in a web-based sexual relationship with had threatened to launch nude photographs and movies of Torres if his monetary calls for weren’t met.
However in the middle of the investigation, authorities uncovered textual content messages the place Torres described an 11-year-old autistic boy’s genitalia and requested the person, “U got any homies under 18” whereas the 2 appeared to plan a sexual encounter.
Though Torres proclaimed his innocence and mentioned the salacious textual content messages amounted to “outrageous fantasy and role play,” Mahan and the Metropolis Council indicated they not imagine Torres may successfully govern as he had misplaced the neighborhood’s assist.
“I want to make clear that in my mind, at least, and I think that in all of my colleagues, the bar for criminal charges and convictions are very different from the bar we have for elected representatives,” Mahan mentioned Wednesday night. “You may or may not agree with that, but that’s where we’re coming from. We’ve heard from many of you and many of your neighbors that people are pretty upset. It’s very raw and many people are looking for change.”
Ought to Torres reverse course sooner or later, town would then fill the place by way of both a particular election or appointment course of.
Mahan briefly weighed the professionals and cons of each choices with residents however didn’t advocate for one possibility over one other.
Together with dropping assist from his colleagues on the dais, a number of distinguished enterprise and labor organizations, together with some in downtown San Jose, have additionally known as for Torres’s ouster.
Help amongst Torres’ constituents additionally reveals indicators of cracking, with residents from varied neighborhoods imploring the Metropolis Council to do extra.
“Regardless of how the criminal investigation plays out, Omar Torres should be censured by his colleagues and should resign his office immediately,” Roosevelt Park resident Jeff Levine mentioned. “San Jose City Council District 3 deserves to be served by someone who has high ethical standards.”
The Vendome Neighborhood Affiliation’s board, which voted to demand Torres’ ouster, additionally has appealed to the Metropolis Council over what might be achieved if Torres bucks their request.
Whereas Mahan mentioned he was open to taking a symbolic motion, similar to a public censure, town’s constitution limits what the Metropolis Council can do to take away Torres if he decides to stay in workplace.
Absent a felony conviction or a recall, Mahan mentioned council seats are routinely vacated for prolonged medical emergencies or lacking 5 consecutive council conferences.
“I will tell you, though, our options for actually taking a concrete action that could change anything (are) very limited,” Mahan mentioned.
He has additionally declined to attend any of the committees he sits on and different public occasions associated to his district, elevating considerations from residents about their lack of illustration.
Mahan informed the district’s residents that he, because the elected official representing all of San Jose, would pay specific consideration to their voices to make sure that they had an advocate on the council.
“You don’t have someone in there voting or making decisions on your behalf right now, which is why I think, given how lengthy this is likely to be, it would be best for him to resign so that we could either appoint or have a special election,” Mahan mentioned.
Initially Printed: October 17, 2024 at 3:10 p.m.
