Part II - Notwithstanding police findings Cheung, Vu stand by assertions of intimidation by associates of Elk Grove Mayor Ly
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2020/07/cheung-Vu-stand-by-assertions-against-Ly.html
This is the second in our three-part series on public and city council comments during the Wednesday, July 22 Elk Grove City Council meeting.
One part of the controversy between Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly and his former campaign manager Linda Vu has been reports filed with the Elk Grove Police Department. Vu, and Dr. Jacqueline "Jax" Cheung filed reports asserting they had been harassed and threatened by people associated with Ly from the Hmong community.
Speaking during the public comment portion of last night's Elk Grove City Council meeting Cheung said that aside from previously cited online harassment, her family has been threatened with tactics such as the egging of her vehicle. As a result of this Cheung hired a bodyguard to protect her family and contacted the police.
Along with demanding the city council censure Ly, Cheung and Vu requested the city hold an independent investigation into their assertions.
"We also demand the city open the case with an independent, outside the Elk Grove Police Department to investigate," Cheung said.
After their comments, Ly denied that he had any role in the harassment. He also noted the investigation by the Elk Grove Police Department.
"To suggest that I am sending people to threaten or intimidate anyone is just false," Ly said.
Ly also pushed back claiming that Vu had threatened his family and has caused stress over concern for the safety of his wife and children.
"Her continued escalation of threats of me and my wife on social media has caused me to be fearful for myself and my family," he said.
According to the Elk Grove Police Department, the investigation was concluded last Friday. A document request by Elk Grove News seeking the release of the report was denied based on state laws exempting that classification exempt from disclosure.
Ly then asked Elk Grove Police Chief Timothy Albright about the investigation conducted by the department. Albright said there were no findings of criminal activity.
"Following a comprehensive review by my staff, a review of statements, evidence, our detectives were unable to establish that a crime had occurred," Albright said. "At this time our investigation is considered closed pending any further evidence."
Because of the nature of public comments during the city council meeting, Cheung and Vu were unable to respond to Ly's commentary and Albright's report. Following last night's meeting, Cheung said while they both respect the Elk Grove Police Department, the fact they found no illegal activities, does not mean they and other women were not harassed.
Cheung said, "During one threatening phone call to me the caller [who was not identified] said, 'I need you to take down that shit about Steve Ly.' I said, 'I'm not going to do that.' He said, 'If you don't shits gonna go down with you and your daughters.'"
According to Cheung, when the police officer took the report, he noted that it could be interpreted in numerous ways and that it did not necessarily imply a physical threat.
"However you want to categorize it, it was a threat to me that made me feel harassed, intimidated, and frightened for myself and my family," Cheung added.
Responding to Ly's and others claims during public comment that Vu was violent, Cheung said it was an orchestrated effort to discredit both of them although most of the focus was on Vu. Among those who alleged Linda Vu is violent was her brother Thay Vu who said during last night's meeting he was stabbed by his sister in 2010 but did not press charges.
"Linda's brother Thay Vu has a history of domestic violence," Cheung claimed. "He neglected to mention that he was choking Linda and trying to kill or seriously injure her and she defended herself."
Cheung said Linda Vu and her mother have cut off relations with her brother and claimed they had restraining orders against him that can be validated.
"The truth is that Linda does not have any sort of criminal or arrest record whatsoever," Cheung added.
Vu noted that the police department did not let her know the investigation had been concluded. She said she learned about it during last night's comments by Albright.
"Was I surprised about the conclusion? Absolutely not," Vu said. "My intention in filing a report was to create an official documentation of incidents of retaliation committed by Mayor Ly and his associates."
Vu said along with censuring Ly, the City Council should but pursue an independent investigation perhaps by the Sacramento County Grand Jury.
"I stand in solidarity with multiple Elk Grove women who have shared similar stories," she added.
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Along with demanding the city council censure Ly, Cheung and Vu requested the city hold an independent investigation into their assertions.
"We also demand the city open the case with an independent, outside the Elk Grove Police Department to investigate," Cheung said.
After their comments, Ly denied that he had any role in the harassment. He also noted the investigation by the Elk Grove Police Department.
"To suggest that I am sending people to threaten or intimidate anyone is just false," Ly said.
Ly also pushed back claiming that Vu had threatened his family and has caused stress over concern for the safety of his wife and children.
"Her continued escalation of threats of me and my wife on social media has caused me to be fearful for myself and my family," he said.
According to the Elk Grove Police Department, the investigation was concluded last Friday. A document request by Elk Grove News seeking the release of the report was denied based on state laws exempting that classification exempt from disclosure.
Ly then asked Elk Grove Police Chief Timothy Albright about the investigation conducted by the department. Albright said there were no findings of criminal activity.
"Following a comprehensive review by my staff, a review of statements, evidence, our detectives were unable to establish that a crime had occurred," Albright said. "At this time our investigation is considered closed pending any further evidence."
Because of the nature of public comments during the city council meeting, Cheung and Vu were unable to respond to Ly's commentary and Albright's report. Following last night's meeting, Cheung said while they both respect the Elk Grove Police Department, the fact they found no illegal activities, does not mean they and other women were not harassed.
Cheung said, "During one threatening phone call to me the caller [who was not identified] said, 'I need you to take down that shit about Steve Ly.' I said, 'I'm not going to do that.' He said, 'If you don't shits gonna go down with you and your daughters.'"
According to Cheung, when the police officer took the report, he noted that it could be interpreted in numerous ways and that it did not necessarily imply a physical threat.
"However you want to categorize it, it was a threat to me that made me feel harassed, intimidated, and frightened for myself and my family," Cheung added.
Responding to Ly's and others claims during public comment that Vu was violent, Cheung said it was an orchestrated effort to discredit both of them although most of the focus was on Vu. Among those who alleged Linda Vu is violent was her brother Thay Vu who said during last night's meeting he was stabbed by his sister in 2010 but did not press charges.
"Linda's brother Thay Vu has a history of domestic violence," Cheung claimed. "He neglected to mention that he was choking Linda and trying to kill or seriously injure her and she defended herself."
Cheung said Linda Vu and her mother have cut off relations with her brother and claimed they had restraining orders against him that can be validated.
"The truth is that Linda does not have any sort of criminal or arrest record whatsoever," Cheung added.
Vu noted that the police department did not let her know the investigation had been concluded. She said she learned about it during last night's comments by Albright.
"Was I surprised about the conclusion? Absolutely not," Vu said. "My intention in filing a report was to create an official documentation of incidents of retaliation committed by Mayor Ly and his associates."
Vu said along with censuring Ly, the City Council should but pursue an independent investigation perhaps by the Sacramento County Grand Jury.
"I stand in solidarity with multiple Elk Grove women who have shared similar stories," she added.
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1 comment
Rrrrring...hello, this is Nikolas...
Alexander: Hey Nick, Alexander here...how's the weather in Athens?
Nikolas: Pretty good, we come back home in a couple weeks. How's the weather back home in Granite Bay?
Alexander: Nice as usual. Hey, the reason I'm calling you, and I feel bad calling while you're on vacation in our motherland, but there's some strange stuff happening in one of our cities...
Nikolas: Which one, Rancho Cordova? Lincoln? Roseville? Sac county? Alexander: Naw, Elk Grove.
Nikolas: What are those fools doing now?
Alexander: Seems like they have some infighting going on and they might censure Steve Ly.
Nikolas: He's that little guy right, the one who hopes to be Assemblyman?
Alexander: Yep. This spat is looking bad in the press.
Nikolas: Well, it's election time, so I'm not surprised. We have our bases covered with most of them right?
Alexander: Yeah, most of them we know.
Nikolas: Don't worry. As long as they keep voting yes on all our projects, who cares about all this other stuff. Let's just keep building up our accounts at Granite Bay Bank and throw them a few lunches once in awhile.
Alexander: Okay, sounds good., Hey bring me back some backlava ok!
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