Two San Jose councilmembers appear to have acknowledged their involvement in an inflammatory group text that allegedly used racial slurs — while their supporters say law enforcement is using the texts to turn residents of color against progressive leaders.
At a brief Tuesday news conference outside City Hall, a coalition of activists — led by the NAACP of San Jose/Silicon Valley — announced they met directly with Councilmembers Peter Ortiz and Domingo Candelas over the past week. The meetings were called after law enforcement sources came forward to this news outlet saying the two participated in a provocative group chat discovered on the confiscated phone of disgraced former Councilmember Omar Torres. The sources allege the group chat’s participants used the N-word and made inflammatory remarks about their communities – and that City Hall sealed the texts from public disclosure.
“These conversations were honest, necessary and affirming of their values and commitment to standing with our communities,” Sean Allen, president of NAACP of San Jose/Silicon Valley, said. “Together we acknowledged the harm caused by the alleged content of the alleged private text chain and discussed the deeper issues in our minds.”
Officials did not take any questions at the news conference. Ortiz and Candelas each gave remarks from the podium and stood alongside activists there supporting them for their work with marginalized communities. Neither discussed any intent to release the alleged texts to the public — but Candelas said he understood the messages’ hurtful nature.
“These past couple weeks I have been meeting with several community organizations affected by these alleged messages and I’m working toward a path forward, rooted in understanding and empathy, but more importantly a commitment to social justice and healing,” Candelas said.
Ortiz said he remains committed to advocating for Black working families in San Jose.
“I will continue to always ensure Black and brown residents have a real seat at the table in every decision made at City Hall,” Ortiz said.
The group text was allegedly named “Tammany Hall,” after a powerful political machine that dominated New York state politics in the 1800s, according to the law enforcement sources. The messages also allegedly referred to Mexicans as “scraps,” a slang term used to refer to Southern California gang members. The participants of the text thread allegedly made demeaning comments about certain neighborhoods and schools in low-income areas.
Activists at the event balanced their belief that “words do matter” against a growing suspicion that San Jose law enforcement is using the texts for political gain.
“Some of the loudest calls for punishment (of Ortiz and Candelas) have come from individuals and institutions with no demonstrated concern for equity,” Allen, a former sergeant with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, said. “On the contrary, some of them have acted and continue to benefit from policies that harm the Black community. It is not lost on us that these alleged text messages were leaked with the intention of creating conflict between our communities.”
Rose Amador, co-founder of the historic activist group La Raza Roundtable, defended Ortiz and Candelas as champions of marginalized communities.
“Their commitment to community engagement and sustainable progress deserves full recognition and wholehearted support,” Amador said.
Mayor Matt Mahan has voiced concern about the alleged texts — as well as allegations of a City Hall cover-up. He has called for the release of the messages, if they meet the criteria for disclosure under the California Public Records Act, to maintain trust with residents.
In addition to discovering the texts as part of the investigation into Torres, law enforcement sources said city officials sent investigators their unsolicited emails warning about Torres’ actions, which resulted in them being shielded from the public.
The news conference came on the morning of the highly-anticipated special election to replace Torres, who resigned and was arrested on charges of child molestation on Election Day last November. He has since pleaded no contest with a sentencing hearing scheduled for August.
Story updated June 26 at 11:40 a.m. Original story published June 24 at 1:39 p.m.
Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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