Otto Lee
Otto Lee has been active in city government for the past decade. As a member and chair of the Sunnyvale Planning Commission, Otto helped usher in an era of smart growth and downtown revitalization. Elected to the Sunnyvale City Council in 2003, Otto was one of the city’s first Asian American city council members. He has also served as Vice Mayor and Mayor. Otto has also played a key role in transforming the city council into a more cohesive body with effective working relationships with key city staff. Otto helped usher in a new era of civility and fiscal responsibility that helped to turn the city’s $14 million budget deficit into a small surplus and thus maintain Sunnyvale’s excellent municipal bond rating of AA+.
Otto is the founder and managing partner of the Intellectual Property Law Group LLP, which has its headquarters in downtown San Jose’s historic Old Bank of America building. Otto’s focus is protecting the intellectual capital that fuels America’s innovation. He specializes in international intellectual property, trade secrets, and fighting anti-competitive business practices.
Despite maintaining a full schedule with the city council, U.S. Navy Reserves and his law firm, Otto is involved in numerous community and non-profit organizations. He served as the board chair of ACT for Mental Health, a member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Nanotechnology, a member of the Sunnyvale School District’s Mini-Grant Committee, a member of the Santa Clara County Cities Association‘s Legislative Action Committee, President of the National League of Cities Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials, a member of the Moffett Field Restoration Advisory Board, and a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Energy Committee.
Otto Lee has a B.S. in chemical and nuclear engineering from UC Berkeley and a law degree from UC Hastings.[1]
Endorsed socialist
In 2020 Otto Lee endorsed Democratic Socialists of America member Alex Lee in his successful run for State Assemblymember for District 25.
Clinton supporter
In January 2008, Hillary Clinton launched her “AAPIs for Hillary” committee by naming Congresswoman Doris Matsui national co-chair of the AAPI outreach efforts. They rolled out an ambitious outreach plan focusing on six states/regions headed up by established political names. In California, co-chairs include state Controller John Chiang; Board of Equalization member Judy Chu; Assembly members Michael Eng, Mary Hayashi and Fiona Ma; and California Democratic Party Vice Chairwoman Alicia Wang.
Northern California co-chairs include Otto Lee, mayor of Sunnyvale; Henry Manayan, former mayor of Milpitas; and Mona Pasquil, former deputy political director for the “Kerry-Edwards 2004” campaign. Southern California co-chairs include Rajen Anand, chair of the National Federation of Indian American Associations; Charmaine Manansala, former senior policy analyst for the White House Initiative on AAPIs; and Elena Ong and Julie Soo, former officers of the California Democratic Party.
The former Clinton administration appointed one of the largest concentrations of high-level White House AAPIs in history. Many of these former community-based appointees are active in this campaign. Irene Bueno, a former appointee and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Asian American Action Fund, is a key consultant with the campaign.[2]
ARA endorsement
Alliance for Retired Americans endorsed Otto Lee in 2012.[3]
Asian American Action Fund
Circa 2013 Otto Lee served on the Executive Board of the Asian American Action Fund;[4]