Public raises privacy tool and accuses DA of concealment; county warns investigators' details cannot be disclosed

Public comment opened the Jan. 23 meeting of the Santa Clara County Public Safety and Justice Committee with two sharply different concerns.

In chambers, a speaker identifying themselves as “red kitty” directed the committee’s attention to a new state resource under the California Public Records Act, privacy.ca.gov/stop, saying the site will submit data‑deletion requests to commercial data brokers once a new law takes effect in August. “You give your information — email address, address, your VIN, your phone IDs — and they will go to the data brokers and get a deletion request in,” the speaker said, urging residents to use the tool.

Later in the public comment period a Zoom speaker identified as “Parent” made public allegations against District Attorney Jeff Rosen, asserting the DA’s office had concealed investigations and failed to provide screenings and services for the speaker’s children. The commenter named an individual, Valerie Runyon Houghton, alleging threats and sexual abuse and urging listeners to “leave Santa Clara County” if they are worried for safety.

County staff responded during the meeting by reminding the public of legal limits on what can be discussed when allegations of child abuse are raised in public. The county said, “California law prohibits the disclosure of information related to an investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect,” and described mandatory cross‑reporting procedures that involve the Department of Family and Children’s Services, local law enforcement, the Child Advocacy Center and the District Attorney. The county added that it takes allegations of child abuse seriously and that those allegations trigger rapid, cross‑agency responses.

No formal county action was taken on the allegations made by the Zoom speaker during the Jan. 23 meeting. The committee proceeded with the rest of its agenda after the public comment period.