The local far-left's intimidation of conservative voices - and our civic leaders' feckless response
Opinion by Dave Johnson, Chairman, Republican Party of Santa Clara County
Respected local leaders:
Before these events go down the memory hole, let's take a moment to remember:
In August 2020, the San Jose's Mayor's house was vandalized by a left wing mob.
https://www.ktvu.com/news/protesters-vandalize-liccardos-home-mayor-thanks-neighbors-who-scrubbed-away-graffiti
In June 2022, an explosive device was planted on the front lawn of a moderate SJ city councilmember.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/man-arrested-explosive-device-san-jose-councilwoman-home/3427270/
In April 2023, two SJ councilmembers (one of whom is in jail for alleged sexual assault of a minor) accused local business groups of racism and "violence against working families"
https://www.opportunitynowsv.org/blog/10-cm-peter-ortiz-falsely-accuses-colleagues-of-violent-class-animosities-mayor-mahan-rebukes-him for opposing an ill-conceived giveaway to local housing non profits.
In June 2023, far-left protesters from a local non profit group stormed a business group's offices, sending at least one employee to the hospital.
https://sanjosespotlight.com/collins-political-discourse-is-out-of-control/.
And just this month, Republicans attending a May Day celebration in East San Jose were violently assaulted, and their cars damaged. Despite our protests, these assaults have been brushed off by local media, the Mayor's office, and the SJPD.
Notice a pattern?
Welcome to the world of Silicon Valleyeans who challenge the hard left orthodoxies of our local progressive movement, circa 2025.
Let me start off by saying we're big First Amendment supporters and we respect and defend the right of people--including the press--to be pretty much as wrong and as wacky as they want. They can oppose us, revile us, even ignore us at their discretion.
But when people start threatening us physically--that's too far. Way too far.
And it's the moment our political and civic leaders need to step in and say, "Stop."
But sadly, they don't.
Rather, they mostly remain strangely quiet.
And when they do respond to this politically-motivated violence, they end up hedging their comments by blaming conservatives for having the temerity to actually show up in public and express their opinions. https://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/mayor-liccardo-san-jose-police-issue-new-statements-regarding-violence-at-donald-trump-rally/
Compare this to the performative histrionics these same politicians display when smearing local businesspeople for simply exercising their First Amendment rights.
https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-councilmembers-decry-racist-politics/
So let's be clear-eyed: Whether intentional or not, our local leaders' fecklessness in the face of political intimidation has the effect of essentially normalizing and enabling the ongoing menacing of local conservatives.
What we're seeing could be understood as a type of “soft tyranny,” and it needs to stop.
I'd like to warn that it will end badly--but the truth is: it's already ending badly. For local conservatives and businesspeople. For our political system. And for the reputation of our leaders.
Our civic leaders' silence certainly contributes to the degradation of our local political discourse. But the damage goes deeper: It represents a monumental failure by our leaders to fulfill their responsibilities to protect citizens equally, to respect the First Amendment, to respect diversity of opinion, and--most of all--to make SJ and Santa Clara County safe for everyone.
We hope our civic leaders wake up and develop the courage to speak out against intimidation, violence, and othering--in all its forms.
David G. Johnson
Chairman
Republican Party of Santa Clara County