Ron Conway, the tech titan, plutocrat, and political bully, said in March that he was “too busy” to get involved in the SF Mayor’s race. He had already endorsed London Breed, but his strong-arm antics have made him unpopular in some parts of town, and Breed has made an effort to say she is not his pawn.
But apparently Conway’s wife, Gayle – whose wealth comes largely as a result of her marriage – is not too busy. She has just funded a new independent expenditure committee that is attacking Sup. Jane Kim.
The committee, called “San Franciscans Against Domestic Violence,” has not yet filed with the Ethics Commission. But its first ad is out, featuring Andrea Shorter, and it’s a pretty vicious assault on Kim.
(UPDATE: The ad got so many negative comments on YouTube that it’s been pulled)
The ad says that it has “major funding” from Gayle Conway. The Chron reports that Gayle Conway put up $200,000 and that the ad will go on TV starting Wednesday.
I have never seen any evidence that Gayle and Ron disagree on politics or that she spends money on causes he doesn’t support. I would be very surprised if Ron wasn’t fully aware of and fully approved of this latest attack campaign.
In other words, Ron Conway is very much involved in the mayor’s race.
I would not be surprised if the next ad attacks Mark Leno, possibly for his endorsement of Kim.
The ad focuses – as previous attacks on Kim have focused – on her vote not to remove Ross Mirkarimi from his elected office as sheriff. As we reported that last time this political attack campaign was launch, that was a really difficult situation; Mirkarimi pleaded guilty to a crime related to domestic violence, but the issue before the supes was whether the mayor should have the right, based on something that happened when Mirkarimi was not the sheriff, to unilaterally oust from office someone elected by the voters.
Kim said she would have supported a recall of Mirkarimi, but she didn’t think the mayor should have the power to remove an elected official. That was a reasonable position.
The reality is that Conway opposes Kim and supports Breed because Kim has voted to more tightly regulate Airbnb and other companies that Conway has invested in, and Breed has voted against those regulations.
Julie Edwards, a spokesperson for Kim, said tonight that “Jane Kim will stand up to Donald Trump. She will stand up to Ron Conway. And she will take this city back for the people who are sick and tired of letting billionaires run our government.”
Andrea Shorter runs the superPAC for London Breed. Shorter has quietly profited in the background for over a decade by being an appointed “expert” consultant of Willie Brown, Newsom, etc.
She and Ron Conway are the same ones responsible for the superPAC that launched attack ads against Jane Kim in her campaign against Weiner. In fact, when Conway was called on it, he said he didn’t have time to respond, and speed dialed Shorter to respond for him.
If you wonder how this works ethically… well, it doesn’t.
IIRC Vickie Hennessey was Acting Sheriff during the proceedings.So Mirkarimi was indeed “reinstated”.
And the vote wasn’t about the Mayor’s right to remove MIrkarimi. That was never a question. The BOS vote was to allow Mirkarimi to return to his job as Sheriff after his guilty plea. Kim was one of 4 Supervisors who said yes.
And, as everyone knows, the voters later weighed in.
The motion before the Board on 10/9/12 was “Motion sustaining the charges of Official Misconduct against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi presented by Mayor Edwin Lee.” (http://sfbos.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/bosagendas/minutes/2012/m100912.pdf page 709) The motion was not “to not allow the mayor powers to fire elected officials.” Jane Kim voted against the “motion sustaining the charges of Official Misconduct against Sheriff Mirkarimi,” thereby reinstating Mirkarimi back to his position as Sheriff. On 10/10/12, she stated she would support a recall (http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/10/12/sf-supervisor-who-reinstated-mirkarimi-would-support-recall/). Looks to me like she plays both ways.
Kim didn’t vote to “reinstate” Mirkarimi. That is a lie.
She voted to not allow the mayor powers to fire elected officials. She said she supported a recall of Mirkarimi.
Mayor Lee was trying to remove Mirkarimi with the charge of “Official Misconduct” which given that designation, might have been his right as Mayor. The “case” was brought to the Ethics Commission which had long hearing involving both sides and included Mayor Lee’s and Eliana Mirkarimi’s testimony. While it was apparent that Eliana was the victim of domestic abuse and the Ethic’s Commission seemed to agree that it was “Official Misconduct” after a long debate, when the Spokesperson finally testified to the Board of Supervisors, his recommendation was that Mirkarimi was NOT guilty of Official Misconduct and the Board accepted this recommendation. The reason sounded technical to some but had a real basis in the law as I understood it. At that point the Mayor was unable to remove Mirkarimi. The Board did make the decision that his conduct could not be framed as official misconduct. I can’t remember whether Jane Kim voted for or against retaining Mirkarini and would not hold this particular decision against her if she did. She does have a law degree and most of the Board voted to retain Mirkarimi based on the law. If anyone wants the facts on this, they can check with SFGov.TV and get copies of both the supervisor’s meeting and the Ethics’s Commission. There are other good reasons not to vote for Jane Kim but this one is absurd.
I haven’t seen the ad, but if it’s about the Mirkarimi vote, it’s true that Jane Kim shamefully voted to reinstate Sheriff Mirkarimi. This is how I feel…how many people feel…and it seems this is how Gayle feels. The Ethics Commission voted 4-1 that Mirkarimi was guilty of official misconduct. So Gayle can’t express her feelings on this matter because she’s Ron’s wife?
I haven’t seen the ad, but if it’s about the Mirkarimi vote, it’s true that Jane Kim shamefully voted to reinstate Ross Mirkarimi as sheriff. That’s how I feel…how many people feel…and it looks like that’s how Gayle feels. The Ethics Commission voted 4-1 that Mirkarimi was guilty of official misconduct. Are you saying Gayle can’t speak because she’s Ron’s wife? She needs to be quiet?
Why?
Blatant sexism. Using his wife as a front. Using a sock-puppet ‘women’s’ IE as a conduit. To attack the one woman he is really afraid of. Beyond cynical – this is political depravity. Will Breed denounce it, or play along?
Yeah, And that isn’t unilaterally like Tim writes.
The charter says that the Mayor AND a supermajority of the BOS were required. Kim decided not to join the super majority but it didn’t unfold the way that Tim describes.
You miss the point. The mayor has the ability to instigate such a process. However, the mayor is pretty much effectively immune from any such action. The mayor would automatically be removed if convicted of a crime that would disqualify someone from serving, but there is otherwise, no way, other than a very expensive recall, to oust the mayor. If I am not mistaken, I believe it was Willie Brown who got all this pushed through.
For the mayor to remove an elected official, he has to have a supermajority of the Board of Supervisors. Lee didn’t. He never really got over it,
The ad’s been pulled from YouTube.
So the BOS was voting on the Mayor’s ability to unilaterally do something? Are we really sure that we understand what the word “unilaterally” means?
http://www.sfweekly.com/news/andrea-shorter-city-commissioner-fined-800-by-state-political-body/
anyway we can have access to the ad? seems like they showed it and then removed it, so poisoning the people’s mind without any evidence
Con Wrongway, Andrea Shorter and London Breed will alienate the voters with this reprehensible BS. I hope this blows up in all of their faces. These people treat thoughtful San Franciscans like Moronic Fox viewers and Trump voters. San Francisco deserves better than this. San Francisco deserves better than Ron Conway’s top choice: London Breed. Going to take a shower now. I feel as if I’ve been slimed
My Gawwwddd!
She’s a dead ringer for Andrea Shorter.
Alioto for Mayor Again!
Kim for #2 for Mayor AGain!
Gascon for DA Again!
Peskin for BOS prez Again!
Tobar for Kindergarten teacher AGain!
Go Giants Again!
h.