Was the plea bargain Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz offered due to
political pressure on District Attorney Sarsfield and another case
giving an elected official a break?
Dear Editor
Was the plea bargain Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz offered due to political pressure on District Attorney Sarsfield and another case giving an elected official a break?
De La Cruz said, “This has been a witch hunt since the beginning.” And the Free Lance editorial on the subject said, “It’s hard to see any proof in this verdict that shows otherwise.”
If Jamie is not guilty to all the charges and is pure as the driven snow as he presents himself, why didn’t he take it all the way through the court system to prove his innocence? Someone must tell De La Cruz that pleading no contest is not saying you did not commit the crimes.
He still committed the crimes and the worst crime of all he is sitting on the Board of Supervisors. But what the heck, the board will rubber stamp any motion by another member so we are no better off.
Supervisor Botelho said he hopes county residents have learned something about politics over the past 10 months. And I say yes we have learned. We have learned obeying the law is only meant for the average person not officials of the government and now we citizens of San Benito County feel dirty and let down by this plea bargain.
As this saga of De La Cruz comes to a close, no one is asking, will he drop his $5 million law suit against the county? However, the bigger question is with a weakened District Attorney’s Office, who will see justice done in San Benito County?
Paul Grannis, Hollister
