Off we go:
“San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has arrived at the first moment of truth for his still-fledging administration – what to do about Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi.
OK WILLIE, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO USE YOUR WORDS. THIS IS HIS FIRST MOMENT OF TRUTH BECAUSE… BECAUSE WHY? HE COULD LET THE WHOLE THING SLIDE AND THEN THAT WOULD BE THAT, RIGHT? THERE WOULD NO “MOMENT” OF ANYTHING.
The plea bargain that was struck in Mirkarimi’s case, in which he pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of his wife rather than a clear charge of domestic violence, has dropped the mayor into “the barrel,” as we say in politics.
“BARREL? I’VE NEVER HEARD THAT TERM USED IN THIS CONTEXT. BUT IF YOU SAY SO…
The mayor has to decide whether to try to force Mirkarimi’s removal from office – a tough call under any circumstances, but one made doubly tough by the politics surrounding the decision.
TOUGH CALL? PLEASE EXPLICATE.
For one, the false-imprisonment conviction [sic] lets Mirkarimi keep his gun, so the mayor can’t try to remove him on the grounds he can’t perform his duties.
UH, HOW WEAK AN ARGUMENT IS THIS? SHERIFF OF SAN FRANCISCO IS A ELECTED, POLITICAL JOB. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GUNMANSHIP OR WHATHAVEYOU. (RIGHT? OTHERWISE, THE CANDIDATES WOULD DEBATE BY SIMPLY MEETING AT THE SHOOTING RANGE INSTEAD OF THE GENTEEL COMMOMWEALTH CLUB. ALSO, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ROSS MIRKARIMI WASN’T “CONVICTED” OF ANYTHING. DO YOU WANT A CHANCE TO FIX THAT LINE, WILLIE BROWN, JD?
Second, the person Lee is largely relying on for legal advice is City Attorney Dennis Herrera – who just ran against him for mayor and might do so again in 2015.
OK, BUT HOW DOES THIS HELP US?
If the mayor does seek to oust Mirkarimi, it will be up to Herrera to press the case – so Herrera has to be thinking about winding up in the barrel as well.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THAT DENNIS WILL BE TEMPTED TO GIVE BAD ADVICE TO SAVE HIS OWN SKIN? REALLY?
Third, should Lee pursue this, he’ll be putting all the supervisors on the hot seat, because they’re the jury that decides whether the sheriff stays or goes.
MOST OF THE SUPERVISORS WOULD NOT BE IN THE “HOT SEAT.” THEY WOULD JUST VOTE AS THey’re TOLD BY THE WILLIE BROWN POLITICAL FACTION, AS PER USUAL.
It would be especially uncomfortable for Mirkarimi’s fellow progressives who are up for re-election in the fall.
I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE “PROGRESSIVES” WHO ARE NOT UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN THE FALL… THINK ABOUT IT WILLIE.
They are not going to be happy about being put in the barrel, either.
BARREL, WTF? OH, I REMEMBER NOW WHAT THAT MEANS. I THINK. (DID YOU JUST MAKE UP A WORD, WILLIE? I THINK SO.)
On the other hand, if the mayor doesn’t pursue Mirkarimi’s removal, he and he alone will have to answer to critics as to why the sheriff was allowed to stay on after being convicted.
WELL, BECAUSE IT WAS EXPEDIENT HE COULD SAY. ED LEE NEEDS TO BALANCE THE PROS AND CONS OF HOW SUCH AN ACTION BENEFITS AND HARMS HIS (AND ACTUALLY, WILLIE, _YOUR_) FACTION.
At the very least, if Lee opts not to pursue the case, he should make the city attorney’s opinion public. At least that way, he could point the finger elsewhere.
WOW, NOW THERE’S SOME SOLID ADVICE.
No matter what the call, if I were Mirkarimi, I would be really worried about July. That’s when recall petitions can begin circulating to recall the sheriff. And given the mood of the women in the anti-domestic violence network, I’d say a recall is inevitable.
WHAT’S THAT, A RECALL IS INEVITABLE? WELL, THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK.
ACTUALLY, I’M NOT EVEN SURE THAT A SERIOUS RECALL _ATTEMPT_ IS INEVITABLE.
UH, IS THIS THE KIND OF MATERIAL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY THEY SHELLED OUT $2 FOR A PHYSICAL CHRONICLE?
OK FINE…
Willie Brown flying over JHP, as free as a bird:
