Truth or tabloid Truth or tabloid (October 22, 2003)

The claim City Council candidate Ronny Bar-Gadda recently questioned the legality of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party's endorsements for council candidates Dena Mossar, Nancy Lytle and LaDoris Cordell. Bar-Gadda cited the California Constitution, which states that all "city offices shall be non-partisan" and that "no political party or party central committee may endorse, support, or oppose a candidate for non-partisan office."

Truth While the state constitution does include this endorsement restriction, the document's annotated version lists several cases in which this provision violates First Amendment rights, according to Wynne Furth, interim city attorney. The City Council offices remain non-partisan, but it is the First Amendment right of any group, including political parties, to endorse candidates.

What? Political outsider Bar-Gadda is an underdog in the council race, but hoping to shake up the campaign. He believes special interests wield too much power in the city and in the upcoming election.