San Jose Mayor’s Chief of Staff Accused of Conflict of Interest
Jim Reed was called out during a public meeting last month for being the mayor’s chief of staff while also running the nonprofit group, Solutions Silicon Valley, that funded a poll that sought to sway the city’s decision about filling two council vacancies by holding a special election, or an appointment process.
John Pelissero, senior scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, said while it’s common for staff to blur the lines, Reed’s political activity oversteps it. He said Reed has a conflict of interest, and if Mahan runs for reelection in 2024, he should not be involved in Solutions Silicon Valley or Common Good.
John Pelissero, senior scholar, government ethics, quoted by San Jose Spotlight.
Feb 17, 2023