A former Santa Clara County Supervisor was indicted Monday by a criminal grand jury on charges he impersonated a political rival during a campaign. [MercuryNews]
George Shirakawa, 51, is accused of sending out flyers that falsely portrayed San Jose City Council candidate Magdalena Carrasco as a communist. Carrasco’s primary rival was a political ally of Shirakawa.
The mailers were sent to an area with a high concentration of Vietnamese residents hostile to communism. District Attorney investigators examined DNA evidence on the illegal campaign flyers and matched it to Shirakawa.
Shirakawa is also accused of theft of public funds and deceit of campaign donors. The former politician attributes his crimes as the outcome of depression and a gambling addiction.
