Free of Criminal Charges, Klein Tries For Mayor

What a difference a day - and a hundreth of a percent - makes.

Vice Mayor Andy Klein said he will be putting his name back in the running for mayor after the District Attorney announced he had decided not to press criminal charges against him after his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence.

The results showed Klein's blood alcohol level was beneath the legal limit.

"I am extremely happy with these results," Klein told San Carlos Patch. "I said from the beginning I would be vindicated by the legal process."

Klein said had these results come in before last night's meeting he would not have recused himself from consideration of mayor.

"Because of these results I will be putting my name back in the running," Klein said. He will still have to be officially renominated by a council member in order to be appointed mayor of the city. 

Klein's decision to reinsert himself into the running for mayor comes one day after he took himself out and the council voted unanimously to hold an application process for a fifth councilperson before voting to appoint the next mayor.

Klein said an enotify email will be sent out with details regarding when the council will officially choose its fifth councilperson. The application deadline for the fifth slot will be June 3 at 5 p.m. and Klein said he anticipates, though a date has not been formally set, the council will vote at a June 6 special meeting. 

Klein was arrested the day of Mayor Omar Ahmad's funeral on suspicion of driving while under the influence. The arrest led Klein to take himself out of the running for the position of mayor.

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe announced Tuesday afternoon the results showed Klein's blood alcohol level to be at a 0.07 percent, below the legal limit of 0.08 percent, and announced his office would not be filing criminal charges against Klein. 

What do you think of Andy Klein's decision to toss his name back in the running for Mayor of San Carlos? Let us know in the comments!