"The last number of months have been devastating for my family," Jew said after this morning's hearing. "I need to move on with my family and take care of my family."
Today's plea resolves Jew's state election fraud case.
The 48-year-old owner of a Chinatown flower shop was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November 2006 to represent the city's Sunset District and took office the following month.
Jew said today he hopes to continue working on education projects in the community. He said he feels it is important "we help each other during this (economic) downturn right now."
After Jew pleaded guilty to one count of perjury, prosecutors today dismissed other charges of election code violations, voter fraud and providing false documents.
In his run for District 4 supervisor, Jew stated that he lived at 2450 28th Ave. in San Francisco. However, prosecutors alleged that his house in Burlingame was his main residence.
Jew also pleaded guilty Oct. 10 to federal charges of extortion, mail fraud and soliciting a $40,000 bribe from representatives of San Francisco tapioca drink shops. He is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges on Feb. 13.
Jew's attorney Stuart Hanlon said today Jew will likely be sentenced to between two and five years on the federal charges, and between one and three years on the state charge. He may also be permanently disqualified from ever holding public office in California.
Jew will be sentenced on the state charge on Feb. 19, at which time a judge could decide to allow him to serve both sentences concurrently.
Hanlon suggested today that Jew's admission of the state charge was unnecessary, and that he "didn't fit into the San Francisco landscape" and was "easy to attack" because of his more conservative political stances.
"The government in this city wanted the plea for political reasons," said Hanlon.
Hanlon said Jews had received "bad advice" and was sorry for his actions.
Jew "paid a really high price for those mistakes," Hanlon said. "He doesn't deserve to go to prison."
