Mayor Pleads Not Guilty to Misconduct Charges

Mountain View Mayor Mario Ambra pleaded not guilty to charges that he pressured city employees to deny two development applications. Ambra, a city councilman for five years and mayor since January, was charged after his case was brought before a civil grand jury.

He is accused of pressuring employees to deny the applications for land next to property he owns so he could buy and develop it himself. He also allegedly urged other city officials to step up code enforcement against another adjacent property in an effort to get the property owner to sell.

If found guilty, Ambra would be forced to leave the council under a rarely used legal provision known as a “grand jury accusation,” but would not face jail.