"I do agree you have to be careful of First Amendment rights when it comes to the bribery allegations, Gonzalez Rogers said, adding that it's not clear to me that certain jury instructions typically used in such cases sufficiently address that issue. But that's an argument for another day."
"The Sansons were indicted in April 2025 on bribery and conspiracy charges, after federal prosecutors say they tried to pay off an Antioch city councilmember and hurry along a planned 533-home subdivision. At the time, David Sanson was CEO emeritus of DeNova Homes, the homebuilding company he helped found, while Trent Sanson formerly worked there as a vice president."
"Frustrated at the progress of their Aviano subdivision, the two allegedly offered $10,000 to the councilmember in exchange for placing a key benchmark for the project on a City Council agenda and voting in favor of it, according to the indictment."
Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected a motion by developers David and Trent Sanson to dismiss their bribery and conspiracy charges. The Sansons argued their alleged $5,000 payment to an Antioch city councilmember—delivered in a coffee mug—constituted protected political speech under the First Amendment rather than criminal bribery. The payment allegedly aimed to expedite approval of their 533-home Aviano subdivision project. While the judge acknowledged First Amendment concerns and suggested jury instructions may need refinement, she denied the dismissal motion. The Sansons face federal charges for allegedly attempting to bribe the councilmember to advance their stalled housing development.
#federal-bribery-case #first-amendment-defense #real-estate-development #political-corruption #campaign-contributions
Read at The Mercury News
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