Parent Volunteer Man Kit Lam in recall school board campaign sues Jason Kruta for stealing petitions

(SAN FRANCISCO) The recent high profile recall movement has ended with three members of the School Board removed from the office. But Man Kit Lam, one of the leaders in the recall movement, continued the movement by filing a civil lawsuit against Jason Kruta who stole the petitions and signatures at his petition tables.

In April 2021, Lam started volunteering to set up a petition table at the Richmond Farmers' Market on Clement Street each Sunday to collect signatures for the recall of the school board campaign. Lam was a super volunteer parent who gathered most signatures during the entire recall process.

On May 30, 2021, when Lam was busy working with other voters to sign on the petitions, Jason Kruta stole a number of the petition forms and signatures from Lam's table and fled. Lam caught up to Kruta and fought back for some of the petitions.

Kruta was identified via the video tapes taken by a bystander. He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor theft. On April 13, the next day after Kruta was ordered by the court to a diversion program instead of being sentenced to jail time, Lam and his attorney John Roach held a press conference at the same location, where the petition thefts occurred, to announce a civil lawsuit which has been filed at the San Francisco Superior Court against Kruta.

“Jason Kruta turned my life upside down,” Lam said at the press conference. “I am just an ordinary father, a concerned citizen and a Chinese immigrant who volunteered my time for the recall school board campaign to speak for my own children and for all public school children. I was exercising my constitutional rights. It was shocking for me to witness the anti-democratic and shameless acts committed by Mr. Kruta.”

"This case is not about money. It is about truth and justice. Interference with the democratic process is something that cannot be tolerated in the great City and County of San Francisco.” Roach said, "Kit Lam represents the American dream. He is an immigrant from Hong Kong. He has two kids in the public school system. He is a concerned parent. The education of his children is one of his highest priorities to give them the opportunity to fulfill their potential."

"When Mr. Lam was dissatisfied with the San Francisco School Board, he did something about it. He exercised his constitutional right as an American citizen and as a citizen of the state of California to petition for a Recall," Roach stated.

Lam was attending the hearing each time when the court called on the case. According to Lam, Kruta was never present in person in any of the court hearing on the matter and only appeared in court via Zoom or his attorney on his behalf. "There is still no justice in my case," said Lam.

Lam planned to demand a jury trial in the civil lawsuit. “This lawsuit aims to uncover the truth,” Lam said. “The people of San Francisco, the Chinese community, and my family deserve to learn the truth.”

"As a result of Defendant Kruta’s illegal actions, my client has suffered severe emotional distress requiring therapy and time lost from work," said Roach. "Article II of the California Constitution grants the people of California the power to recall and remove elected officials. Whether you agree or disagree with the merits of the School Board Recall, we should all agree stealing petitions is a subversion of the democratic process itself, and must be condemned in the strongest possible way."

When asked by the press to comment on the outcome of the criminal proceedings of the case, Roach responded, "Mr. Kruta has been prosecuted criminally, he received diversion just yesterday. This is a mere slap on the wrist for attempting to illegally interfere with a Recall campaign. We are not satisfied with the response from the criminal courts."

“We are here today to announce the civil lawsuit against Mr. Kruta for violating Mr. Lam’s constitutional rights, for conversion of the Recall petitions, and for intentional infliction of emotional distress,” Roach said, “The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold Defendant Kruta accountable. My sincere hope is that this lawsuit will help Mr. Lam in the healing process, and send a message."

Wind Newspaper has not been able to get in touch with Kruta for comments by press time.