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Former supervisor to stand trial in November
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SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Former Supervisor Ed Jew is slated to stand trial in November on federal public corruption charges, after settlement talks failed to negotiate a deal.
Jew, who continues to maintain his innocence, is accused of extorting money from local business owners. On Friday, a trial date was set for Nov. 10. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
Last year, the FBI conducted a sting operation on the District 4 supervisor after receiving a tip that Jew was asking for cash from owners of a Tapioca drink shop franchise in exchange for city permits.
The FBI says they have taped conversations, mostly in Mandarin, of Jew inside his Chinatown flower shop demanding as much as $80,000 from the owners and ultimately accepting $40,000 in cash as partial payment.
The FBI subsequently raided five of his properties in May 2007 and agents seized $10,000 in cash from Jew’s Burlingame home. At the time, Jew told reporters that the money was payment for a consultant to which he referred the business owners to and that he accepted half of it with plans on using it to pay for district needs.
In September, a federal grand jury indicted Jew on two counts of bribery, two counts of mail fraud and one count of extortion.
Attorney Sara Rief, standing in for Jew’s attorney Stuart Hanlon during Friday’s court appearance, said there had been “significant discussions” about reaching a deal that would have prevented a trial, but declined to discuss details.
“We believe he is innocent. They don’t,” Rief said. “So this case is going to trial.”
Rief said that Jew’s defense translated the FBI tapes and that the translation offered by prosecutors is not accurate, which she said will come to light at the trial.
Jew resigned from elected office on the Board of Supervisors in January as part of a settlement agreement with the city attorney in a separate legal proceeding brought against him. Jew had been accused of violating the city charter by not living in the district he represented, but instead living in Burlingame.
Jew did not speak to members of the media about the case Friday.
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:07 PM MST on Wed., Sep. 3, 2008 re: "Ed Jew’s federal trial set for July"
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10:48 AM MST on Sun., Apr. 20, 2008
re: "Ed Jew started property transfers as charges loomed"
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9:06 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008
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12:21 PM MST on Sat., Jan. 26, 2008
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10:11 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 26, 2008
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1:20 PM MST on Fri., Dec. 21, 2007
re: "Ed Jew FBI raid unsealed"
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12:20 PM MST on Fri., Dec. 21, 2007
re: "Ed Jew FBI raid unsealed"
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9:23 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 21, 2007
re: "Ed Jew’s attorney certain he can win"
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4:50 PM MST on Sat., Dec. 15, 2007
re: "Ed Jew drops another attorney"
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7:54 AM MST on Sat., Dec. 1, 2007
re: "Ed Jew’s attorney certain he can win"
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6:12 PM MST on Tue., Nov. 27, 2007
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9:00 AM MST on Tue., Nov. 27, 2007
re: "Ed Jew’s attorney certain he can win against the state"
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8:05 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 26, 2007
re: "Ed Jew’s attorney asks for more time"
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7:14 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 26, 2007
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4:50 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 26, 2007
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1:57 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 26, 2007
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10:35 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 7, 2007
re: "Ed Jew pleads not guilty"
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10:19 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 7, 2007
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6:21 PM MST on Tue., Nov. 6, 2007
re: "Protesters, supporters rally at Jew's hearing"
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2:23 PM MST on Tue., Aug. 21, 2007
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10:32 PM MST on Mon., Aug. 20, 2007
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6:47 PM MST on Mon., Aug. 20, 2007
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6:46 PM MST on Mon., Aug. 20, 2007
re: "Jew pleads not guilty to nine felony charges"
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Examiner Reader said:
Jew is just not lucky and got busted.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Sweet Melissa said:
Ed Jew withdrew his motion for federal funds that day this story came out. Coincidence?
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
While he was still in office, Mr. Jew's website for the most part became a plea for his legal defense fund (Doug Comstock treasurer). How much was collected? Why does the masthead of the site still list him as supervisor of district 4. Mr. Sabatini the article is imcomplete - you have more work to do.
3 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Let me get this straight. Yee (hates Jew because he won't play by SF machine back-room rules) asks lawyer with name of ancient slop food (please sir, may I have some more?) to go back channel to FBI in hopes of taking out the man who was never supposed to win office in our rigged city. Then Oatmeal and mash lawyer ends up representing Ed Jew without telling him that it was he that went to FBI in 1st place at behest of Jew's political enemy? Obama better watch out is all I can say. In the politics (demo or repub) of our times, you play be their rules (not the people's rules) or they go after you.
78 agree | 94 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You do the crime you do the time Ed. Stop sniveling and take your punishment like a man!!
82 agree | 87 disagree
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Carl said:
hang in there ed
105 agree | 99 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The color of justice is green, ed will walk.
95 agree | 88 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Josh Sabatini should win a Pulitzer. Ha! In your face, Chronicle!
109 agree | 81 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
carmen chu is way smarter and better than ed jew!
95 agree | 96 disagree
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SFnativeson said:
If Ed can't afford the multiple attorneys, maybe he ought to consider selling his house in Burlingame and asking his dad if he can REALLY move into that house in the Sunset.
106 agree | 108 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Lawyer Hanlon says poor Ed's case is "complex"...hmmm, let's review; Ed and family live in Burlingame. Ed filled out paperwork claiming to live in The City to win a $100,000+ a year job. Ed lied. Ed got caught. Gee, I ain't no lawyer, but that don't seem so "complex" to me.
109 agree | 91 disagree
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Seven said:
Ed Jew will win the residency case. The city charter is too ambiguous about the requirement and should be rewritten. It's a waste of taxpayer dollars pursuing the "worst kept secret in SF politics".
126 agree | 124 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
good old amercian justice being dropped in this case, if I'm ed I'd pray I never get any of these "judgers without facts" on my jury, Ed will walk I'd bet it he has the best lawyer Staurt Hanlon can run circles around anyone in teh DA office including th DA hersef Hanlon is the very best SF has to offer yo ucan see the difference between him and Fazio already, only a fool will rush to trial, ED WILL WALK
150 agree | 127 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
all Ed Jew has to do is to get one of those San Francisco ID Cards. If Illegal immigrants can get one, then how about a man who was born, raised and owns a business in San Francisco.
124 agree | 111 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Ed wanted one of his other trials to be speedy. He's hasn't decided about this one yet.
124 agree | 99 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
What happen to the change of venue? His attorney is nuts. “But I’m convinced Mr. Jew will be able to get a fair trial” in San Francisco. Uh where are you going to find anyone in the city that has not heard of this case? What people live in cave or under a rock?
111 agree | 114 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Did Ed Jew want a speedy trial? I don't call this a speedy trial.
115 agree | 110 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Poor Ed Jew What to do? Fazio left him Will Steve Gruel, too? No argument yet For defense 'I didn't do it' Won't mend the fence He took the money Can't give it back Must pay the price Of a political hack The love of money That powerful greed The downfall of many That too few heed Poor Ed Jew What will he do? The State, The Feds, The City,Too, All want him in court To answer the charges I'd keep my eye On the China-bound barges Is he really so blind As not to see The writing on the wall What his future will be? Three squares a day Prison dungarees Poor Ed Jew Off to prison, if you please.
141 agree | 144 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Attorney Gruel says Ed Jew didn't do it but he can't "give out details of defense arguments". Well, of course not...he and Ed haven't finished making them up yet.
139 agree | 144 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
That’s what happens when you disagree with the supervisors of San Francisco and defend free speech - serves him right...
160 agree | 135 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
don't play the race card, what a cop out. Ed Jew still doesn't live in his Sunset house you moron!
160 agree | 172 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Well, if Ed Jew committed a crime, I guess 12,000,000 "ILLEGALS" must go back to where they came from too !
173 agree | 172 disagree
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haf devil said:
you just don't like yellow people with the white power to lie and hopefully get away with it.
166 agree | 169 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Ed Jew! Get out of here! Resign! Quit! Leave!
172 agree | 173 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
nail the sucker...
182 agree | 171 disagree
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