The Chronicle‘s Matthew Tresaugue checks in with an update on the race for HCC trustee positions.
Unsurprisingly, onetime Council candidate and hot local Democratic political prospect Jay Aiyer will not be seeking re-election. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor campaign-finance-related charges earlier this year, although he tells Tresaugue (unconvincingly) that the guilty plea didn’t affect his decision.
That would have been enough of a story, but Tresaugue apparently couldn’t resist this conclusion:
While the campaign will go on without him, it’s possible that Aiyer will resurrect his political career, observers said. He did not provide specific details about his plans after his term ends.
[snip]
“This misdemeanor isn’t helpful, but it’s not a political career-ender,” said Richard Murray, a professor of political science at the University of Houston.
“To re-enter, you need to pick your spot carefully.”
What observers? Only one is quoted. It might have been helpful for readers to hear from a few more.
It might have been especially helpful since Richard Murray is a Democratic activist (and noted political scientist) commenting on a fellow Democrat, and his son Keir Murray was heavily involved in Aiyer’s Council campaign. This is not to suggest that Keir Murray isn’t an independent guy making his own way or that he was involved in any of the campaign-finance irregularities (I think he is an independent guy and have no reason to believe anyone but Aiyer was involved in irregularities), but simply that Tresaugue might have quoted some different “observers” in addition to Professor Murray. (It’s even possible that Tresaugue did, and his work was chopped by an editor).
