The office built to stop the next Nuru just got smaller

Six years after the city set out to prevent another Mohammed Nuru -type scandal, the office tasked with policing officials’ financial disclosures is getting squeezed by budget cuts. That’s the notable finding buried in the final report from the controller’s office, issued Wednesday, on the fallout from the former Public Works director’s bribery scandal — a saga that has produced 13 reports and 91 recommended reforms since 2020. Meanwhile, Nuru has served his time in prison and is back in the city . One of the reforms is threatened by Mayor Daniel Lurie ’s most recent budget cuts. Over the last two budget cycles, the city eliminated two of the Ethics Commission’s three senior compliance positions, according to the report. Those cuts were first reported by Mission Local. The eliminated roles were part of the team responsible for ensuring that city employees file Form 700s — mandatory annual reports in which officials disclose stock holdings, outside income, and gifts. The filings let the public see who might have a conflict of interest before it ignites the next city-consuming bribery scandal. “This will necessarily limit the level of Form 700 compliance work the department is able to accomplish moving forward,” the controller’s office wrote. The timing is rich: Lurie is asking voters to pass three charter reform measures to “end corrupt contracting” — even as his budgets have been quietly hollowing out the agency tasked with watching the money. — Maggie Angst D10 RACE DECIDED? Billionaire backing, along with an endorsement from Lurie, have gone far this election year. Both worked well for Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill’s bids for supervisor in June. Will it also sail Theo Ellington to victory? The question comes after a group supporting Ellington landed a $500,000 donation from crypto billionaire Chris Larsen , followed by a blessing from the mayor. About seven weeks before Election Day, his opponents are still knocking on doors, saying the District 10 race is far from over. “I think it’s talking to as many voters as possible and telling them the message that I’m not running to be part of anyone’s voting bloc,” candidate J.R. Eppler told Power Play. “I’m running to be an independent advocate for the people.” “With 50 days to go, neighbors are saying nobody has come and knocked on my door and had a conversation with me, and that means a lot,” candidate DJ Brookter told Power Play. “I hope that’s the recipe. That’s what we’re working on.” The whopping donation from Larsen isn’t the full financial picture of Ellington’s bid for supervisor. He also leads the competition in small donations. Ellington told Power Play he knows he’s the front-runner, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking anything for granted. “This is not an accident,” Ellington said. “I’ve literally dedicated my life to giving back to the city that made me and the neighborhood that raised me.” — Omar Rashad THE SPEAKER SPEAKS: In politics, as in life, seniority rules. So it was Friday night, when Rep. Nancy Pelosi was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the nonprofit Chinatown Community Development Center at the Westin St. Francis. No one uttered a peep — publicly, at least — when she started stumping hard for her preferred congressional candidate . “I want the women to know, it’s OK to brag,” Pelosi said at the lectern, “That’s why Barbara Boxer and I, and Adam Schiff , are all supporting Connie Chan. ” Privately, there were murmurs from the well-dressed attendees, whispering, “Uh, can she do that?!” CCDC is a nonprofit, after all, and as such can’t take stances on political candidates, but the speaker emerita is given a wide berth to say what she pleases — especially for a Chinatown crowd, considering her long community support. Meanwhile, Chan’s opponent, state Sen. Scott Wiener , stood next to the stage, expressionless. When asked about Pelosi’s remarks, CCDC Executive Director Malcolm Yeung was diplomatic. “For CCDC, it was a crazy huge honor to have the speaker there. Her leadership nationally, but her support of Chinatown over generations, is really critical.” And of course, the nonprofit doesn’t take positions on candidates, nor does Pelosi’s position reflect CCDC’s, Yeung added. — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez BATHHOUSE REVIVAL: During his time on the board, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman has made reviving gay bathhouses something of a pet project. There have been plenty of obstacles, including a 1973 mandate, now repealed, that the SFPD maintain a daily log of patrons’ names. At Tuesday’s board meeting, Mandelman and Supervisor Matt Dorsey introduced the latest piece of legislation intended to smooth the process. This time, it concerns street-facing windows — specifically, a requirement that they be transparent. If it passes, adult-sex venues will be allowed to install opaque windows, as countless other businesses already have. San Francisco hasn’t had a proper bathhouse in more than 40 years. In 1984, at the height of the AIDS crisis, Mayor Dianne Feinstein directed the Public Health Department to shut them down. This most recent change isn’t the final hurdle. The sale of alcohol at bathhouses — effectively a prerequisite to profitability — would require a change to state law. — Astrid Kane AND THEY’RE OFF: Fire the starting pistol: The first slew of TV ads in the race to replace Pelosi in Congress are out this week. Wiener and Chan’s ads hit the mainstay how X candidate has fought for you talking points . His key arguments : pushing for paid family leave, lowering healthcare costs, “taking on Trump” for immigrants, and of course, the Wiener raison d’être, building housing. Chan touted her experience as a working mom, creation of a reserve fund to buttress against President Donald Trump ’s healthcare cuts, passing of tenant protections, and endorsements from nurses and firefighters unions — and says that “unlike my opponent,” she won’t work for billionaires. Both ads are six-figure buys. Millennials (and up) might relate to Wiener’s second TV ad more than his first. It touts his wins, yes, but is set in a bar —- and when he walks in, everyone shouts, “It’s Scott Wiener!” Just like a certain Cheers patron. For all my fellow olds who just shouted “Norm!” to themselves, yes, good memory; now go take some ibuprofen for your bad knees. I know I just did. — J. F. R. SUNSHINE MEMBERS: After months of anticipation over the future of the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, seven appointments were made at Monday’s Rules Committee. The appointees are San Francisco Public Press executive director Lila LaHood ; former city attorney employee Maxine Anderson , attorney Matthew Donahue , consultant Matthew Yankee , UC Merced politics professor Christopher Ojeda , state Assembly aide MacKenzie Ewing , and nonprofit worker Joseph Sangirardi . That makes nine of 11 seats filled. LaHood, Anderson, Yankee, and Sangirardi are reappointments. The appointments came after a monthlong delay. The task force couldn’t meet a quorum after members were booted following a change in the commission rules. Fears have bubbled up from ex-commissioners that the new ones will be stooges of City Hall electeds. We’ll have to wait and see; the board is expected to get up and running again Oct. 7, according to Yankee, the former chair. — Gabriel Greschler NEW POWER PLAYER: City Hall, watch out, there’s a new slugger in town — and he’s an adorable one. Political power couple Natalie Gee, a onetime supervisor candidate and legislative aide to Supervisor Shamann Walton , and Ryan McGilley, who is District 10 candidate Dion-Jay Brookter ’s campaign manager , welcomed baby Maximillian Gee-McGilley to the world Saturday. Amid the usual knife fight in a phone booth, they found love, meeting on Supervisor Hillary Ronen ’s campaign a decade ago. When asked if Maximillian will follow in his parents’ footsteps, Gee said, “We won’t be surprised if he runs for mayor one day, but for now, he’s enjoying milk and naps.” — J. F. R.

He ran SF’s sheriff oversight board. A city probe found he abused his office

Supervisor Stephen Sherrill plans to submit official misconduct charges against the president of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board after a city watchdog found that he abused his office on at least six occasions. The move, which is slated for Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, is a prerequisite for removing William Palmer from office. According to a report released Friday by the city’s Office of Inspector General, Palmer repeatedly invoked his position to get special treatment during two law enforcement encounters, and then used his title to contact a hospitalized woman who was a witness in an investigation into his own conduct. The report found Palmer responsible for six instances of misconduct linked to a December traffic stop by sheriff deputies and a July encounter with San Francisco police who were searching for a missing woman. Those six findings cite 14 distinct violations of city ethics code sections. Palmer’s term as president ends on Oct. 1. If he is not removed from his position earlier, his term ends March 1. Investigators reviewed body camera and hospital security footage as well as Palmer’s city email account. They also interviewed employees at the hospital. When Palmer was pulled over in December for expired registration, he identified himself as “President William Monroe Palmer” of the oversight board at least six times, according to the OIG report. He also mentioned knowing Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, and left a voicemail for a higher-up Department of Police Accountability official asking for help dealing with the deputies’ supervisors, per the OIG. The report describes a similar pattern in July, when SFPD questioned Palmer while investigating a missing woman, described as Jane Doe, who they believed was with him. Officials said Palmer told cops he was the oversight board president at least six times in 37 minutes, said he’d “taken an oath” at City Hall, and asked several times for “professional courtesy” in unclasping his handcuffs. Hours after that July detention, Palmer sent an email from his city account to District Attorney Brooke Jenkins’ chief of staff describing himself as the woman’s “life coach” and signing off with his official board title, the report found. The OIG report said Palmer then tried to reach Doe at Zuckerberg General Hospital’s secure ward. He allegedly called a nurse one night, and then showed up in person the next day with his oversight board business card claiming he needed to see Doe as her “life coach.” Hospital employees didn’t let him in the ward, the report said. The OIG concluded that Palmer had no authority to lead an investigation that would merit that kind of outreach. Palmer did not respond to The Standard’s requests for comment, by phone, text, or email. The OIG inquiry was launched at the behest of Supervisor Stephen Sherrill after the San Francisco Chronicle coverage of Palmer’s conduct. The watchdog agency said that because it didn’t want to interfere with potential criminal investigations, it stopped short of probing allegations that Palmer abused women or improperly dodged fines. Years of allegations Palmer was appointed to the sheriff oversight body in 2021. A former inmate who spent decades in prison for crimes committed as a teenager, he positioned himself as a voice for incarcerated people on a board tasked with overseeing jail conditions and holding sheriff staff accountable. But his tenure soon became shadowed by allegations of violence against women, dating back years before Friday’s report. One woman accused Palmer of rape, but the resulting criminal charges wound up getting dismissed. Three other women accused him of violence, including allegations that he pulled one by the hair and punched another in the jaw, according to Chronicle reporting. A fifth woman, an ex-girlfriend, secured a domestic violence stay-away order against him after an encounter involving her new boyfriend. In August, the woman involved in the July hospital episode told the Chronicle that Palmer picked her up off a city street, drove her to his home, gave her drugs, and coerced her into sex while she was in in the throes of a mental breakdown. Palmer has denied being violent against any of the women and has declined to confirm or deny the drug-and-sex allegations from the woman he met in July. He has insisted that the last time he used drugs was before he was incarcerated, at 17. Even before the OIG report came out, several city leaders began talking about removing him from the oversight board. At last Friday’s meeting, where the sheriff oversight board elected a new president, Palmer delivered a lengthy address, apologizing to colleagues, lamenting his character getting “run through the mud,” and describing how hard it was to be a leader after spending so many years behind bars. Palmer later accused Mayor Daniel Lurie of trying to eliminate the board or its members. He also vowed to use his remaining two years in the role to oppose Prop. F, a fall ballot measure that would let the mayor remove political appointees without cause. Unless Palmer is convicted of a new serious crime, removing him from the board would require a hearing before the Ethics Commission and a final vote by the Board of Supervisors, where nine of 11 members would need to support his ouster.

SF candidate wants rival’s $500,000 crypto donation steered to the community

A candidate vying to represent San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point is calling on a rival to redirect a billionaire’s $500,000 donation to local churches and community groups. Shawn Richard, 58, one of four candidates running to replace termed-out Supervisor Shamann Walton in District 10, held a news conference on the steps of City Hall Sunday urging a political committee supporting opponent Theo Ellington, 37, to steer a half-million-dollar donation from crypto billionaire Chris Larsen — the single biggest outside contribution ever made to support a candidate for San Francisco supervisor — away from the campaign and toward the neighborhood. “Half a million dollars invested directly in families struggling with the high cost of food and basic necessities could have an immediate and tangible impact,” Richard said in a prepared statement, calling on the committee to put the money “directly into the hands of trusted Bayview churches” to buy groceries and other necessities for congregants and neighbors. In an interview after the news conference, Richard said the money shouldn’t go only to religious groups. “It’s not just the churches that we’re saying give all the money to,” he said, naming Cornerstone Baptist Church, Providence Church and Calvary Hill among congregations he’s spoken with. He said he’d also want the money to go to organizations doing “excellent work” on mental health and addiction services, and toward maintaining small-business corridors he said the city has neglected. City filings show the political action committee has raised $500,000 — all of it from Larsen, who co-founded Ripple — and has yet to report spending any of it. Individual donors are capped at $500 in direct contributions to a candidate, but no such limit applies to independent expenditure committees, which can raise and spend unlimited sums as long as they don’t coordinate with a campaign. It’s not unusual for PACs to give money to charity. They just don’t have to. Because the PAC isn’t a candidate-controlled committee, San Francisco’s surplus-funds laws don’t apply. Rather, it falls under the California Political Reform Act’s general rules for campaign funds. Under California Government Code, Section 89515, campaign funds may be donated to “bona fide charitable, educational, civic, religious, or similar tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations.” That means a Bayview church could qualify, as long as no committee insider personally benefits and the gift “bears a reasonable relation to a political, legislative, or governmental purpose” of the PAC. Both J.R. Eppler and D.J. Brookter, Ellington’s other opponents, criticized the Larsen contribution when it was first reported last week. Eppler said District 10 "deserves a supervisor who represents the hardworking people who live here” and argued billionaires “make investments and expect returns.” Brookter said it raises the question of “whose interests will actually be represented in office.” Richard’s demand took that criticism a step further.. The candidates’ own fundraising numbers, pulled from city Ethics Commission filings, show why the demand lands differently coming from Richard than it might from the others. Ellington’s campaign committee has raised roughly $480,000, compared with Eppler’s $151,000 and Brookter’s $129,000. Richard’s committee,“Elect Shawn M. Richard for District 10 Supervisor 2026,” has reported no financial activity at all this cycle. Asked whether the demand looks like sour grapes from a candidate who hasn’t raised as much money, Richard rejected the framing. He pointed to more than three decades of running the nonprofit Brothers Against Guns, which he founded in 1995 after losing two younger brothers to gun violence, as a source of recognition that doesn’t depend on outside money. “I don’t owe anybody anything,” he said. This is Richard’s second run for the seat; he also ran in 2014 and lost to incumbent Malia Cohen. District 10, the city’s poorest district, includes 80,000 residents and spans Visitacion Valley and Sunnydale — some of the last neighborhoods in the city to get new housing or basic public investment. The $500,000 check from Larsen, added to the $480,000 Ellington raised, puts just about $1 million behind just one candidate running for one of 11 seats on a city board. Aaron Peskin, a former supervisor and longtime critic of big spending in local elections, said it’s the kind of money “people spend to put someone in the U.S. Congress.” Richard argued the scale of Larsen’s interest in an underserved district race isn’t hard to explain. He pointed to undeveloped parcels in District 10 that could be built up to 10 to 15 stories, and to plans for AI-related data centers in the district. “The community needs to have say-so,” Richard said, arguing that whoever wins the seat will effectively help decide how much of that development goes forward. Two data centers are planned at the Bayview-Visitacion Valley border. One, run by NOVVA Data Centers, is already operating: a 36-megawatt facility on a 7.5-acre campus. The donation also complicates the “hometown, not the machine” image Ellington has built his campaign around, Richard said. Richard, in the interview, pushed back on the idea that Ellington bears no responsibility just because the money moved through an independent committee rather than his own campaign account. “Do you own your name, or do they own your name?” he asked, arguing Ellington could have spoken out publicly against the PAC. Richard said his opinion of Ellington personally hasn’t changed, but said the decision to accept the donation has hurt how the community sees him. “It doesn’t help his credibility ... as a man of the community that he says he is.” Ellington asserted his campaign’s independence from the PAC. “Outside organizations make their own decisions about how they participate in elections,” he told The Standard. “They do not speak for me or our campaign.” He pointed instead to his own record — growing up in the district and raising his family there, and “fighting for affordable housing, good jobs, environmental justice, safer neighborhoods, and opportunities for all working families.” If elected, he added, “that’s who I’ll answer to as supervisor: the people of District 10.”

Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen drops $500K on SF district race

Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen donated half a million dollars to a group supporting Theo Ellington in the District 10 supervisor race. The $500,000 is among the largest single donations to a third-party group supporting a lone candidate in San Francisco history. San Francisco’s wealthy regularly spend six-figure sums on city ballot measures, but such donations aren’t typical in races for elected office, according to data from the San Francisco Ethics Commission. Large donations are routinely made to third-party groups spending on multiple candidates. Former Supervisor Aaron Peskin has long derided the shocking rise of spending in Board of Supervisors races, a force he calls “corrupting.” “It’s like a tsunami. It’s like that flood that just happened in Nepal. It is beyond comprehension,” Peskin said. “That’s the kind of money people spend to put someone in the U.S. Congress.” Candidates in the District 10 race to represent the Bayview and Potrero Hill, among other neighborhoods, would succeed Supervisor Shamann Walton, a progressive Democrat who is termed out at the end of this year. Ellington is considered a moderate Democrat, and if elected, would strengthen Mayor Daniel Lurie’s bloc on the Board of Supervisors. Candidates have largely centered their messaging on broad affordability and housing that workers can afford. Donors are limited to $500 in direct contributions to candidates, but third-party groups can accept donations of any size. The donation was made to a political action committee , founded two weeks ago, with a clunky name: From the Neighborhood, for the City, Supporting Theo Ellington for Supervisor 2026. Neither Ellington nor a spokesperson for Larsen was available for comment. For comparison, Michael Moritz, chairman of The Standard, gave a $250,000 contribution to a GrowSF PAC supporting Alan Wong’s District 4 supervisor campaign in June. That donation was already considered outsized. As of early September, Ellington had more in his campaign account — about $472,000 — than opponents DJ Brookter, with $129,000, and JR Eppler, $151,000. Larsen is one of Lurie’s key supporters, having donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to independent groups backing the mayor’s allies in the June election. Larsen and his wife have also pledged millions of dollars to a committee, Clean Up City Hall, that is supporting measures to modernize city contracting, consolidate power over city commissions in the mayor’s office, and raise the signature threshold for propositions to qualify for the ballot. Brookter had choice words about Larsen’s donation. “District 10 deserves a supervisor who answers to the neighborhood and its residents, not to the donors writing half a million dollar checks,” Brookter said in a statement. “Voters should ask themselves a simple question: when tech billionaires and corporate interests are this invested in a district race, whose interests will actually be represented in office?” Eppler similarly called out the donation. “District 10 deserves a supervisor who represents the hardworking people who live here,” Eppler said. “When a billionaire puts half a million dollars behind a candidate, voters have to ask whose interests will come first. Billionaires don’t give gifts. Instead, they make investments and expect returns.”

The SF supervisor who never left: Ahsha Safaí’s City Hall lobbying blitz

Yes, we are covering the San Francisco Democratic Party’s endorsements Wednesday night. Stay tuned for coverage in the coming hours. In the latest “Where Are They Now: City Hall Edition,” a quick scan of the Ethics Commission’s lobbyist database shows one former official who never exited the gilded dome: Supervisor Ahsha Safaí , who termed out in 2025. While city officials have a one-year “cooling off” period during which they’re barred from lobbying government, as soon as he legally could, Safaí lobbied like his life depended on it. Lobbyists are required to report which government officials they spoke to, when, and about what issue. Safai contacted officials 23 times in March and April, 32 times in May, 52 times in June, and 24 times in July, the latest month for which data is available. He didn’t respond to a request for comment. Safaí’s clients include the Mission gas station Doubletime , residential treatment center provider Psynergy Programs, and the influential San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council. He tapped his Rolodex for those clients, lobbying Supervisors Matt Dorsey , Bilal Mahmood, Connie Chan, Stephen Sherrill, Rafael Mandelman , and Danny Sauter. He has also hit up Mayor Daniel Lurie ; the mayor’s chief of staff, Aly Bonde , and head of communications, Han Zou ; fire chief Dean Crispin ; and a small army of city staffers. The topics have been just as diverse, ranging from the city’s project labor agreement (an issue Safaí worked on as a supervisor ), a proposed real estate transfer tax, training programs for climate change initiatives, and obtaining street permits. The sheer number of contacts raised the eyebrows of City Hall insiders. Even some of the most prolific and well-known lobbyists rack up only a dozen contacts with city officials in a month. But Safaí is a special case, they said. “Ahsha, whatever you want to say about the guy, if you remember his campaigns, he was a relentless campaigner,” one of those insiders said. “When Ahsha had a thing he was pursuing, he would not leave you alone.” Or, as another insider put it, “That man looooves to talk.” — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez Got tips? Send them to us at powerplay@sfstandard.com . OPENGOV HEARING : It’s been unclear for months whether Supervisor Jackie Fielder would hold a hearing about OpenGov, the controversial software Lurie procured for the city in October to revamp its convoluted permitting infrastructure. Fielder’s office confirmed to Power Play that it’s finally going down: Sept. 2 before the Budget and Finance Committee. The timing is important. The hearing will take place right before the three-member board — comprising Supervisors Dorsey, Sauter, and Chyanne Chen — votes on a major extension of the software that is set to cost the city tens of millions in the years to come . Fielder will focus on the findings of a recent Budget and Legislative Analyst report, which found that the OpenGov deal lacked transparency but didn’t violate city contracting rules. Liz Watty , a Planning Department official and one of the chief overseers of the OpenGov project, will speak, as will Fred Brousseau , director of policy analysis for the BLA, and a representative of the city’s Office of Contract Administration. — Gabriel Greschler LURIE’S RADICAL FOCUS: A handful of big-city mayors have become national figures lately, held up as a preview of where the Democratic Party is headed. Lurie wants no part of it. He made that crystal-clear again this week in a rare sit-down interview with a national outlet. In a taped interview posted Monday, a Washington Post reporter repeatedly tried to draw Lurie in — asking about AI policy debates in Washington, mayors shaping the future of the Democratic Party, and his own tendency to dodge national politics. Lurie wouldn’t bite. He steered every question back to San Francisco. Asked whether he sees himself as bucking a trend of more “radical” mayors, Lurie turned the premise around. “I think it is radical for an elected official to think about his or her city and just stay focused on that,” he said. Without naming names, he took a jab at other elected officials who attempt to use their local positions as a stepping stone to higher office. “I didn’t come into office thinking about what was next for me. I think actually we saw too much of that from our elected leaders,” he said. Call it principle or call it positioning. Either way, Lurie has found his own version of radicalism. So far, it seems to be working in his favor. — Maggie Angst RED ALERT : When a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Northern California one night in December 2024, San Francisco was placed under a tsunami warning. It caused widespread panic, and the city’s emergency alerts to residents didn’t provide guidance on what to do in the event of a tsunami, according to an internal review of the incident discussed in a civil grand jury investigation published in June . Another internal review of emergency alerts for a July 2025 tsunami advisory, following a magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Russia, found that the city had to “ rush translation during the event .” Both situations exposed shortcomings in the city’s emergency alert system, and they’re just two of hundreds that were missing crucial information, as identified by the June audit. In a response this week to the grand jury, signed by Lurie and the heads of the police, fire, and emergency management departments, the city agreed with most of the report’s findings and recommendations for improving the way it communicates about emergencies. By January 2028, the city will adopt clear written standards for what information should go into emergency alerts, including the source of the emergency, hazard, location, specific guidance, and time. It will also standardize alerts that communicate when an emergency has ended and will comply with the city’s Language Access Ordinance. The city’s detailed responses are available here . — Omar Rashad

The barely watched SF race bringing in eye-watering amounts of money

Advocacy group GrowSF is about to spend more backing its endorsed candidates for the Board of Education than any outside group before. Teacher’s pet! The group has committed to spending a chalkboard-screeching six figures to back incumbent Phil Kim, Autumn Brown Garibay , and Tim Tung. (All are moderate Democrats, of course — GrowSF’s usual persuasion.) The group declined to share an exact figure, citing a desire not to fully tip off political opponents. But the previous levels of spending they said they’d exceed would buy a lot of school raffle tickets already: In June, candidate Brandee Marckmann spent $136,000 of her own money, according to the San Francisco Ethics Commission. GrowSF spent $220,000 on Kim in June. GrowSF directors Steven Buss Bacio and Sachin Agarwal told Power Play they want to invest in candidates who are focused on schools, not on higher office. In their minds, progressives have long used the Board of Education as a springboard; case in point, Assemblymember Matt Haney and insurance commissioner candidate Jane Kim. “We need Board of Education members focused on improving student outcomes and restoring fiscal responsibility — not advancing their political careers,” Bacio said. “We’re launching our largest school board campaign ever to elect candidates who will deliver results for students, families, and San Francisco’s future.” Kim is aligned with GrowSF’s policy goals for the San Francisco Unified School District, such as bringing back algebra for eighth graders and promoting strict fiscal discipline. Brown Garibay is a former PTA president who promises to add accountability measures to SFUSD’s reading and math goals. Tung spent five years financing infrastructure for San Jose, 12 at S&P Global Ratings as lead analyst for California local governments, and now works in municipal finance at Allspring Global Investments. He’s betting his résumé will carry him through: In June, commissioners approved a balanced $1.36 billion budget on a fractious 4-3 vote, with five of seven voicing frustration at the lack of clear strategy. Reina Tello , a progressive Democratic school board candidate, wasn’t exactly happy to hear that an outside group would drop a mountain of money into the race. The organizer from Latino group PODER raised about $10,000 from working-class families, she said. “That kind of money really corrupts the whole race,” she said. “It makes it hard for grassroots candidates that care about the issues, care about the schools, care about the students, to be able to keep up.” — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Ezra Wallach SOUTH BAY HELP : Supervisor Connie Chan will be joining forces with a progressive standard-bearer Monday, in a move likely aimed at capturing Democrats outside her usual voting bloc. Chan will speak at a town hall in San Francisco with Rep. Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley, in collaboration with the California Working Families Party, Power Play has learned. It’s a curious pairing: Khanna has played a key role in pushing insurgent progressive candidates across the country, such as ousted Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner ; Abdul El-Sayed , who won Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary two weeks ago; and Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh . Chan, however, is not using an insurgent playbook; instead, she’s running a more old-school progressive campaign, grounded in labor and anti-corporate politics rather than the outsider energy that has powered El-Sayed and other candidates. But Khanna’s imprimatur on her campaign could help in crucial ways: The congressman, who endorsed Chan in July, is associated with techie “abundance” types — the same San Franciscans who are likely to consider Chan’s foe in the race, state Sen. Scott Wiener . It may also help pick up votes from the world of Saikat Chakrabarti , the unsuccessful progressive insurgent candidate in the June primary, whose positions align much more closely with Khanna’s. In an interview with NPR this week, Khanna — reputedly eyeing a 2028 presidential run — used language almost identical to that of Chakrabarti during his campaign: “I believe we need a next New Deal for America, an industrial investment bank, 1,000 trade schools, tech centers, a care economy, childcare, elder care.” Khanna isn’t the only elected official coming from out of town to give Chan some juice. Rep. Jared Huffman of the North Coast is set to endorse the supervisor Monday. The two filmed a video Friday at Fort Point that focuses on environmental protections and offshore drilling. — Gabriel Lorenzo Greschler TUNG-TIED : If you ask Nancy Tung , the chair of the Democratic County Central Committee, about her brother Tim, who, as noted, is running for a seat on the Board of Education, she’ll tell you he might be the best thing since sliced bread. “I’ve known him his whole life,” she said with a laugh, “so I have a pretty good idea of who he is. Even if he were not my brother, I would be so excited to have a candidate like this in the race. He’s incredible.” But SF Parents, the influential moderate group, isn’t quite as smitten. It hasn’t endorsed Tung for the November election, but an Aug. 8 email from its executive director, Meredith Dodson , suggested the group might have backed him had he filed as a candidate in time. The email also hinted at pressure from other moderate groups that are considering supporting him — pressure Nancy didn’t deny. “We’ve still never met Tim,” Dodson told Power Play, “but I’m sure he’s a great guy.” By Dodson’s account, SF Parents told Tung about its endorsement timeline in March and never heard back. Tung filed in late July, weeks after the group’s process had closed. In the email, Dodson described him as “a late, politically connected entrant” — a nod to his sister — and worried that his connections put the group’s top pick, first-time candidate Brown Garibay, “at greatest risk.” Tung, for his part, says he took his time to enter a race with three open seats because he was weighing what the job would cost his family. He’s aware of the tension between SF Parents and other moderate groups but is unbothered. “It is what it is,” he told Power Play over coffee on Friday. Voters, he said, want a candidate “with my expertise.” “How can we not have this gem of a public education system,” Tung added, “when we have so many natural advantages?” The DCCC votes Aug. 26 on its endorsements for the November ballot — a must-watch, considering the position of Tung’s sister. — E.W. PROP I OPPO : Some big money may soon start flowing toward killing a progressive-led housing measure. Proposition I, sponsored by public-sector unions, promises to direct roughly $120 million annually in transfer-tax revenue toward affordable housing. On Thursday, Mayor Daniel Lurie came out against the plan alongside law enforcement allies , claiming it would divert money from public safety. On Friday, moderate forces upped the ante, with the building trades and SF chamber of commerce forming the “No on I, SF for Accountability in Housing” committee. “Prop. I is a deceptively written measure that’s claiming to be about affordable housing but doesn’t require a single new unit of housing to be built in San Francisco. But it does create a $120 million nonprofit slush fund that blows a hole in our city’s budget,” said Larry Mazzola Jr., president of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council. Expect some hefty checks to be written toward the effort. — G.G.

Inside the little-known political account bankrolling Matt Dorsey

Tech billionaire Chris Larsen can’t donate more than $500 to the November reelection campaign of Supervisor Matt Dorsey , who is running unopposed. And he can’t give Dorsey a gift of more than $630 because of local ethics laws. But there is another way to write a big check, and on June 24, Larsen found it. The crypto executive and political power broker deposited $25,000 into Dorsey’s local Democratic County Central Committee officeholder account, an obscure campaign vehicle that allows for unlimited donations to support officials’ activities on the party board — and one that ethics experts warn can function as a slush fund . The 24 elected members on the committee hand out all-important endorsements for local races and measures and serve as a proxy for the direction San Francisco’s political leadership takes on issues. Are you a City Hall employee with some good tea? Email us at powerplay@sfstandard.com . Some of the expenses charged to Dorsey’s officeholder account over the last 15 months make sense. Others — for which explanations are largely not provided on the campaign filings — are more curious: 669 Uber and bike-share transactions totaling $5,374; 65 charges to restaurants ($3,568); and six Apple purchases ($3,373). The restaurant expenses include Turquaz SF, the Italian deli Limoncello, and The Grove. Dorsey maintains that the charges are for his duties as a member of the DCCC (the body meets roughly once a month) and that he plays a major role in the local party and “may be seeking more of a role at the state party” — hence the need to be zooming around town, taking people out to meals, and buying an Apple computer for the job. But he conceded he needs to review some of the transactions. “I gotta talk to my compliance person,” he told Power Play on Tuesday. “I gotta settle it up. I gotta write a personal check for a couple things.” The following day, Dorsey said he had made a total of $327.57 of expenses in error to the officeholder account — $55.22 at the clothing store Zara, $53.39 for two visits to Shake Shack, $99.47 at Apple, and $119.49 for a Bay FC sweatshirt for an August 2025 game — that, in some cases, he had accidentally charged to his DCCC card instead of his personal account. “I assumed (wrongly) that wearing Bay FC gear for the pre-game ceremony aired on the Jumbotron would qualify that purchase as a valid expense,” Dorsey wrote in a text, which included a scan of a check dated Aug. 5 for settling some of the expenses. “My compliance team said no. FWIW, Sixth Street Partners (a major investor in Bay FC, Giants, etc.) among others at the Bay FC game that day are major donors to the Democratic Party and Democratic Party-endorsed ballot measures, for which I’ve been an active fundraiser.” Among the elected members of the DCCC, only Dorsey and chair Nancy Tung have active officeholder accounts. Since the DCCC’s most recent election in 2024, Tung has made 135 transactions totaling $20,300. Dorsey has blown past that, with 877 transactions totaling $78,162. Even if you remove the Bay Wheels and Lime rides, which cost a couple of dollars each, Dorsey has 416 expense lines. Sean McMorris , an ethics expert at the nonprofit California Common Cause, said, “Officeholder accounts give me a little bit of heartburn. Or a lot of heartburn.” Dorsey isn’t the only DCCC member to have such an account. Former Mayor London Breed and former Supervisor Jane Kim both caught flak in 2018 ( from our illustrious Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez when he was at the Examiner ) for pledging to limit DCCC donations to $500 — then taking big donations from outside interests anyway, while making questionable expenses. Rules governing officeholder accounts are quite broad: Elected officials can use them for anything political, governmental, or legislative, though they cannot use them to fund their own reelection. The law prohibits local jurisdictions from regulating the accounts, much to the ire of watchdogs . “When these laws are not implemented with guardrails, then the public is right to be skeptical and question, when wealthy special interests give lavishly to these accounts, what they are expecting in return,” McMorris said. “It sets up a system where the officeholder becomes reliant on those wealthy special interests. And in return, those wealthy special interests become reliant on those politicians voting in a way that benefits them and their interests and their bottom line.” San Francisco Ethics Commission Executive Director Patrick Ford declined to comment “on specific situations that could come before the commission as enforcement matters.” Shery Yang of the state Fair Political Practices Commission said any expenditures less than $200 must be “reasonably related” to a political, legislative or governmental purpose, while expenses that exceed that figure must be “directly related.” Larsen did not respond to a request for comment. Others have also given to Dorsey’s officeholder account. According to a Power Play review of campaign disclosures since 2025, the supervisor has received $10,000 from Y Combinator’s Garry Tan , $5,000 from North Beach strip-club owner Joseph Carouba , $5,000 from the police union, $7,500 from the SF Apartment Association PAC, $10,000 from the SF Association of Realtors, $22,500 from attorney Joseph Cotchett and others at his firm, $7,500 from Yerba Buena Commons Associates, $3,500 from real estate developer Danny Haber , $5,000 from SFLP Management, $2,500 from developer Oz Erickson , and $2,500 from the NorCal Carpenters. Tan’s spokesperson, Sam Singer , said the money is going to Dorsey because of his “strong” stance on law enforcement, substance abuse, and drug treatment. “And I would add to that that he is likely the next Board of Supervisors president — he is certainly under consideration for that — and Garry wants to assist Matt Dorsey in that in any way possible.” — Gabriel Lorenzo Greschler THE ‘NO’ BOT: State Sen. Scott Wiener ’s campaign to succeed Nancy Pelosi launched a new attack line this week — and it talks back. The campaign unveiled ConnieChan.ai , a chatbot that impersonates rival Connie Chan and invites voters to ask policy questions. The bot is billed as “the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything you ask.” “Let’s do nothing together,” the webpage says . “Bring me an idea, and I’ll explain why it can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t happen.” The reaction has been what you might expect this deep into the congressional race, sparking accusations of sexism and racism, renewed scrutiny of AI money in the race, and no shortage of political theater. Ian Krager, who recently joined Chan’s campaign after serving as Pelosi’s communications director, said the ploy shows that Wiener is “desperate for attention.” “It’s never a good idea for a man to put words in a woman’s mouth — especially when they are falsities fraught with racist and sexist undertones,” he said. Screenshots taken by Chan’s camp Monday afternoon show the bot responding to a prompt about her accent — Chan came to San Francisco from Hong Kong at age 13 — saying, “I’m afraid my San Francisco accent is so thick I can barely understand myself.” By Wednesday, the bot was no longer giving that response. Joe Arellano , Wiener’s campaign spokesperson, did not immediately respond to questions about whether his team had made adjustments and why. Krager said the stunt proves Wiener was “bought and paid for by Big AI.” An Anthropic-affiliated group has given $500,000 to Abundant Future, a PAC backing Wiener that’s largely funded by a handful of wealthy executives, including Larsen, Tan, and Michael Moritz, former Sequoia Capital head and chairman of The Standard. Wiener was the clear front-runner out of the primary, with an 11-point lead over Chan, but recent polling suggests the gap may be narrowing. Arellano said the chatbot is designed to lean into the “AI craze” and “creatively reach voters with a product that highlights Connie’s long record of obstruction.” He pointed to an AI safety bill Wiener sponsored as proof that the senator’s been “thinking about workers and safety and delivering on these issues for years.” UC Berkeley public policy professor Henry Brady said the attack fits Wiener’s brand as a “doer” and is a counterpunch to Pelosi’s endorsement of Chan. “He’s playing to his strength,” Brady said. But he warned that campaigns are wading into uncharted territory with AI stunts. “This is going to be interesting to see as AI messes up — what kind of ownership will politicians be required to take of it?” Brady asked. “I don’t think we’ve worked that one out very well.” — Maggie Angst

The Standard wins initial ruling in fight for Mayor’s PG&E blackout records

It’s been months since PG&E CEO Sumeet Singh said during astonishing public testimony at a Board of Supervisors hearing that Mayor Daniel Lurie personally directed the utility to prioritize restoring power at the War Memorial Opera House during the December blackout, which plunged a large swath of the city into darkness for days. Singh quickly recanted his statement as The Standard reported on his testimony, chalking it up to a “misunderstanding,” and the mayor’s office denied the remarks. But questions remain about how that memorable (not in a good way) holiday weekend unfolded. As a reminder: Lurie received an “ opera house update ” text message from Jake Zigelman , PG&E’s Bay Region vice president, on Dec. 21 — the same day the mayor’s daughter was set to perform as Clara in “The Nutcracker” at the venue. Through a public records request, The Standard obtained that iMessage, which shows undisclosed correspondence above and below the text. The Standard has repeatedly pushed the mayor’s office to provide those additional messages, but Lurie’s team maintains that it has disclosed everything in its possession. Power Play’s Gabriel Lorenzo Greschler filed a complaint in April with the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, a local body that enforces the city’s open-government laws, seeking those records. During a hearing Tuesday, a subcommittee of the task force ruled in favor of The Standard in a 4-0 vote after Greschler, who came to the meeting with a large poster board showing the Dec. 21 text, argued that the public has a right to know what fully “happened between the mayor and the utility while the city sat without power.” “In addition to requesting all messages from Dec. 21 based on this thread you see, we have also asked for text messages from Dec. 20, the day the blackout first began,” Greschler told the task force. “It is hard to believe that the mayor and a VP at PG&E were not in conversation on this date, too, when one of the biggest blackouts in decades hit San Francisco.” In a response to the complaint, the mayor’s office said Greschler was “using both the complaint and the Task Force to promote the false narrative” that Lurie was directly involved in getting PG&E to prioritize power at the opera house. Dexter Darmali , the legislative and ethics secretary at the mayor’s office, repeatedly said throughout the hearing that it had produced all responsive documents. But task force members remained skeptical. “[Greschler] has been continuously asking for PG&E records, and he’s been very clear about what he wants, and then he had to file the request again, but it sort of seems like [the mayor’s office is] deliberately hiding some information and not sharing it with the petitioner,” said member Ankita Kumar . Another member, Saul Sugarman , said the ordeal “seems slightly fishy.” Task force members did acknowledge that Lurie has at least been disclosing texts — a marked departure from his predecessor, London Breed , who was accused of hiding such correspondence. The complaint will now move to a vote before the full task force, which has limited enforcement powers. It can rule that agencies or public officials violated public records law, order the disclosure of documents, and refer especially egregious cases to the Ethics Commission for potential discipline. The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the ruling. “The mayor’s office is claiming we want to ‘promote a false narrative,’” Greschler said. “Let’s get these documents released and clear up whatever truth arises.” — Hannah Wiley Got tips? Send to us at powerplay@sfstandard.com . BIG TECH BECERRA? : Critics of former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra blasted a $950,000 donation from Meta to an independent committee supporting his gubernatorial bid. The funding came Tuesday, a day before the company laid off thousands of workers , and comes amid the legislative fight to crack down on the industry amid concerns over AI and youth social media use. Becerra appears increasingly likely to survive the June 2 primary over fellow Democrats such as billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer and former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter — and interest groups have noticed his rise. “Meta is laying off thousands of workers while investing nearly $1 million in Xavier Becerra, and that’s because Becerra is their best bet to protect their profits regardless of the human cost,” Steyer spokesperson Kevin Liao said in a statement. Campaign mudslinging aside, the donation has generated alarm within parent advocacy groups pushing for greater oversight of tech products. “I’m incredibly disappointed and afraid of what this means and what Meta thinks it’s going to get out of this,” said Julianna Arnold , who founded the group Parents Rise after her teenage daughter fatally overdosed on a counterfeit fentanyl pill purchased on Instagram . Arnold said she was particularly concerned that the donation coincides with California’s legal battles against social media companies over claims that their products are designed to addict children . “Unfortunately, I think that they are doing this so they can turn the tides on the state’s direction of being the enforcers of this,” she said. Becerra spokesperson Jonathan Underland said the candidate “has never been bought by a check” and pointed to his experience leading California in “a multistate antitrust action against Facebook over its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.” “That’s who Xavier Becerra is — someone who doesn’t ask how powerful an interest is, or how big their check was, before deciding to hold them accountable,” Underland said. — H.W. SNOOZIN’: San Francisco voters are clutching their ballots close to their vests. Turnout data shows just 7% of ballots returned so far in battleground districts 4 and 2, where incumbent Supervisors Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill , respectively, are vying to hold onto their seats. One can almost see the tumbleweeds rollin’ through the Department of Elections. While each district shows roughly 3,500 ballots returned out of 47,000, Sherrill has less to worry about, insiders said. Lower turnout is “a problem for Alan,” one insider told Power Play, mostly because the mountain of cash in third-party spending (including from San Francisco Standard chairman Michael Moritz ) is most likely to sway low-information voters. But in a low-turnout scenario, only the most dedicated, frequent voters show up. In the Sunset, part of District 4, those are voters who followed every twist and turn of the recall of Supervisor Joel Engardio and could tell you off-hand which candidates back the Great Highway reopening. Insiders said that helps candidates who either have strong local roots, like recall leader Albert Chow, or those with strong ground game, like legislative aide Natalie Gee , who is known to exhaustively door-knock and has strong support from labor groups, whose members also are known for hitting the streets in support of favored candidates. — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez PELOSI, PUH-LEAZE: Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’ s endorsement of Supervisor Connie Chan in the congressional race had heads spinning — some doubted the day would ever come. But few had a reaction like that of techbro political influencer and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan. Tan openly wondered on X why Chan never followed through after he asked her to resign. (You know, after publicly including her on the list of politicians he thought should “die slow.”) “Last year I asked Connie Chan to resign for her role in making San Francisco unsafe for Asian Americans. This year she somehow got the endorsement from Pelosi,” he posted. “Make it make sense. You can’t.” While Tan tries to figure out why one of the most powerful Democrats in the U.S. doesn’t give two wits about what he says about Chan, or about anything, the betting website Kalshi is showing an upswing for the progressive supervisor in at least two distinct markets . With $94,560 on the line, the first betting pool shows that Chan’s chance of a win rose from 6% to 36% in just two days after Pelosi’s announcement. Her rival Saikat Chakrabarti saw confidence drop from 20% to 8% — more than a hundred people threw down bets after Pelosi’s endorsement. A second pool, asking which of the two would advance alongside state Sen. Scott Wiener, showed Chan leap to more than 73% and Chakrabarti drop to roughly 26%, when days before they were roughly 50/50. Pollster guru Paul Mitchell , vice president of Political Data Inc., told Power Play that while he thinks the prediction market stuff is generally “stupid,” this particular case “is actually an instance where Kalshi is able to respond to an event rapidly, where a poll won’t catch that for another week or more.” In this case, he said, “yeah, it can be used as a data point” — one that measures the weight of Pelosi’s influence. — J. F. R. THE STANDARD AT MANNY’S : With less than two weeks until the June 2 primary, enormous sums of money continue to pour into what’s shaping up to be a historically expensive election cycle. On Wednesday, for example, Google cofounder Sergey Brin chucked in a cool half million to one of the city’s business-backed ballot measures, Proposition C. Breaking this all down for you are The Standard reporters Hannah Wiley and Emily Shugerman , who will talk money in politics with “Pacific Standard Time” podcast host Emily Dreyfuss on May 27 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Manny’s. The group will hash out the contest to succeed Pelosi, the California Billionaire Tax Act, and the governor’s race. University of San Francisco politics professor Keally McBride will also offer her analysis. Get tickets here . — Gabriel Greschler

PG&E launches $10 million PAC to take out gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer

This article is from Power Play, a twice-weekly newsletter rounding up the latest City Hall and local politics gossip. To sign up, visit The Standard’s newsletter page . Billionaire investor Tom Steyer has vastly outspent every opponent in the 2026 race for California governor, pouring $120 million of his own cash into his campaign. Now one of the state’s most powerful and politically connected corporations is trying to give him a run for his money … just as Steyer is seeing a boost in the polls post- Eric Swalwell scandal. Pacific Gas & Electric has injected close to $10 million into an anti-Steyer PAC called “Californians for Resilient and Affordable Energy,” according to new campaign finance disclosures. The PAC is also supported by the California Electric Utility Industry Labor Management Cooperation Committee and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, which represents around 30,000 utility workers in California and Nevada. Though PG&E’s millions are helping the effort behind ads that rip Steyer for his Proposition 13 reforms and wealthy background, you’d have to have a quick eye to realize the utility company is somehow connected. That’s because Californians for Resilient and Affordable Energy is actually taking its money and putting it into another anti-Steyer PAC, California Is Not for Sale, the group running the ads. California Is Not for Sale is supported by the real estate and construction industry. The disclosure at the end of the ads is a block of text, with the utility nestled in as one of its top funders. So why is PG&E going after Steyer? If he becomes governor, Steyer plans to introduce electricity reforms that could end up being a threat to the company and other investor-owned utilities. Steyer has promised to appoint people to the California Public Utilities Commission who are critical of utility profits and to pull back on expensive infrastructure projects, among other changes. The anti-Steyer blitz does not rip the candidate for his proposals to “smash the utility monopolies. ” Instead, one ad skewers the candidate for his Prop. 13 reform proposal, which would increase commercial property taxes. “What’s billionaire Tom Steyer’s plan to make California more affordable? Higher property taxes,” a voice says before a record scratch. “Wait, what? That’s right … of course, billionaire Steyer doesn’t have to worry about the cost of things like groceries, electricity, or property taxes.” (Steyer’s team says his reforms would not touch residential properties.) For his part, Steyer has created cheeky videos about PG&E, including one on Valentine’s Day that poked fun at CEO Patti Poppe ’s message of “ leading with love .” “Let’s be clear, a monopoly can’t love you,” Steyer says in the video as he stands in front of the substation that caught fire in December, leading to 130,000 PG&E customers losing power . “A monopoly is an abusive relationship.” In another video, titled “ Busting Utility Monopolies ,” he ambitiously promises to cut energy costs by 25%. PG&E deferred comment to California Is Not for Sale, which said in a statement, “The only ‘big money interest’ in this race is Tom Steyer.” — Gabe Greschler Got tips? Send to us at powerplay@sfstandard.com . DEAD BILL : If PG&E is able to squelch Steyer’s momentum, it won’t be their only win this year. On Tuesday, state Sen. Scott Wiener ’s SB 875 — a bill that would give cities more power to separate from their utility company by winnowing the role of the California Public Utilities Commission — failed to pass out of the Senate committee on energy, utilities, and communications. The legislation faced stiff opposition from PG&E and other powerful private utilities, the Bay Area Council, and the California Chamber of Commerce. Opponents claimed that the bill would be disastrous for the region’s utility jobs. Scott Wetch of the California Coalition of Utility Employees said at the hearing that 1,500 jobs could be lost if San Francisco turns to public power, adding that members’ pensions would be wrecked. “At a time when California should be strengthening the grid and protecting affordability, SB 875 instead introduces cost-shifts, uncertainty, and weakened oversight,” said Joshua Levenberg , an attorney for PG&E. And in one last PG&E-related piece of news: The city’s Public Utilities Commission submitted a cost estimate Monday of how much San Francisco would need to take over the utility company’s equipment in a switch to public power. The total: $3.4 billion — about a billion more than what the city offered in 2019. PG&E told NBC Bay Area its assets are “not for sale.” Considering the budget situation, maybe the city can ask Steyer to pitch in? — G.G. DC DUO: In the race to replace Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi in Congress, one person has been conspicuously missing — Pelosi herself. Well, congressional candidate and Supervisor Connie Chan must be smiling widely, as Pelosi made an appearance at the candidate's Capitol Hill fundraiser Wednesday night, insiders told Power Play. While Politico did just spot Chan hopping out of Pelosi's office — Chan is in D.C. for a building trades conference — the San Francisco legend's hobnobbing amidst funders gnoshing on vegetable dumplings may give Chan's coffers a hopeful bump. Her fundraising lagged behind opponents Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti , the latter of whom has self-funded to the tune of nearly $5 million . There were dozens of attendees at the fundraiser hosted by Sen. Adam Schiff , Reps. Grace Meng and Judy Chu, as well as a smattering of groups, including the Asian American Action Fund and a national Teamsters PAC. — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez A LITTLE SUMTHIN SUMTHIN: For contractors doing business with the city, donating money to candidates whose office would deal with said contractor is an ethical nope. San Francisco bars the practice, as it reeks of seeking undue influence. But that doesn’t stop folks from trying: A San Francisco Ethics Commission audit presented this month found a preliminary count of roughly 200 restricted donors giving to 2024 campaigns. The presentation came with a caveat: The findings aren’t final. Ethics Commission staff still needs to comb through the data to verify that the process — which looked at lists of campaign donors and prohibited contractors — didn’t mistakenly match people with identical names. One takeaway from the early data: The mayor’s race was the main focus of prohibited contractor donations. Shocker. While most of the prohibited donations went to former Mayor London Breed (with a count of 58), Mark Farrell, Aaron Peskin, and Mayor Daniel Lurie all netted between 35 and 38. While the donors and politician recipients are culled from public data, naming individual donors would be problematic, considering the draft nature of the findings. Broadly, however, Lurie’s prohibited donations run the gamut from rag-tag nonprofit healthcare contractors to deep-pocketed developers. When the list is verified, don’t expect to see any big fines levied against candidates for accepting the money. All they’ve got to do is give it back. — J. F. R. MONEY HERE, MONEY THERE: For years, people running for the Board of Supervisors and the local Democratic Party board have enjoyed a Caldecott Tunnel-sized loophole in campaign finance law: While supervisor candidates are limited to $500 donations per person, Democratic Party candidates can rake in far larger amounts, often in the thousands. Much hay has been made about the alleged “ slush fund ,” which slowly faded from use until just this week. Insiders spotted the Police Officers Association donating an eyebrow-raising $2,500 to Supervisor Matt Dorsey ’s 2024 Democratic Party campaign committee . The race is long over — why do you need campaign donations? Dorsey said he used the campaign bank account for permitted “office-holder” purposes. Before the police union donations, Dorsey’s Democratic Party campaign funds paid for a poll to take the electorate’s temperature on his signature drug-free supportive housing measure . He plans to use the new donation to buy tickets for the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club’s annual Pride breakfast in June. Coming up through the city attorney’s office “makes you very careful about dotting i's and crossing t's,” Dorsey said. — J.F.R. FULL OF ENERGY : Lurie’s first international trip to Asia is wrapping up after stops in Shanghai and Seoul to promote tourism, arts, and cultural exchange. Chinese-language media have largely portrayed him positively, highlighting his social-media savvy and his slogan “Let’s go, San Francisco.” Coverage also emphasized his packed schedule and high energy as he rushed between events across Shanghai. One video showed the mayor running up the stairs at the Shanghai Grand Opera House while his communications director Han Zou and a security detail struggled to keep up. “I’m a little out of breath,” the mayor said in an Instagram post afterward. Another article noted his surprise at Shanghai’s vibrant nightlife. Some Chinese media outlets apparently received a note from the mayor’s office describing Lurie as a “moderate Democrat” who supports “cracking down on crime and improving public safety,” with an approval rating of 70% . In Korea, Lurie also toured the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Global Business Complex site, where San Francisco’s Exploratorium is partnering with Hyundai Motor Group to open a new hands-on science museum. He will travel to Virginia for a conference after the Asia trip and is scheduled to return to San Francisco on Saturday. — Han Li

The real reason Jay Cheng is leaving Neighbors. Plus: Lurie’s China debut

For more than a decade, San Francisco political operative Jay Cheng has worn many faces: He’s a master of the political dark arts, a schemer , an alleged abuser , a gifted strategist , a leader , a risk-taker. The polarizing figure burst onto the public scene after he was embroiled in ethics snafus during the 2022 recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin and the 2024 mayoral election . City Hall’s obsession with Cheng continued after he announced this week that he is stepping down as executive director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. Speculation abounds around one question: Why? Insiders bent Power Play’s ear with two theories. The first seems likely, because it has timing on its side. Sources say they have caught wind of an Ethics Commission investigation that, at least tangentially, involves Cheng — and Cheng told us there’s no investigation against him, specifically. Nobody we spoke to knows the allegations, but Neighbors had unflattering flirtations with Mark Farrell ’s mayoral campaign, like Cheng trying to hire a campaign manager , a potential violation of coordination between PACs and candidate campaigns. The Ethics Commission doesn’t comment on active investigations but revealed in a report published in March that it had 29 ongoing enforcement cases. The second rumor is that Mayor Daniel Lurie — who froze Cheng out after Neighbors ran afoul of the Ethics Commission — wanted a pound of flesh from the organization to get back in his good graces. And William Obendorf, the Republican billionaire who is a board member of Neighbors and its stalwart financial backer, served up Cheng to repair his relationship with Lurie. Obendorf didn’t respond to a request for comment. It’s less firm than the ethics allegations, but not wholly impossible. There’s not necessarily any timing that lends it credibility, beyond Neighbors trying to position itself to help Lurie in the November election, for which he’s juggling many competing priorities — from electing supervisor allies to his charter reforms — that may require outside help. Cheng has been caught and fined tens of thousands of dollars for ethics violations before, but still stayed on with Neighbors. Max Szabo , Lurie’s political spokesperson, told us the mayor will work with anybody, “irrespective of political affiliation,” to make San Francisco safer and more affordable. Translation: conservatives like Obendorf aren’t off the table if they’ve got the same goals as Lurie. Szabo denied any dealmaking. Of course, both explanations could contain shades of truth. And either story could serve as a convenient excuse for the other. Cheng said simply, “Everything I did was at the behest and direction of the board, and for the best interests of the organization. You live by the sword, you die by the sword.” — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez & Han Li Got tips? Send to us at powerplay@sfstandard.com . CHINA DEBUT: Lurie wrapped his first full day in Shanghai with a packed schedule: playing soccer , attending a traditional folk music performance , and, in classic tourist fashion, taking a night cruise along the Huangpu River — complete with a skyline photo op. Chinese media coverage has been quieter this time compared with former mayor London Breed ’s 2024 visit, when her bigger group, a stop in Beijing, and panda diplomacy drew more widespread attention. The coverage that has emerged from the current delegation has largely focused on sister-city ties and cultural exchange. Lurie showed up at a United Airlines event to promote tourism, and signed collaboration agreements linking the California Academy of Sciences, SF Conservatory of Music, and SF Opera with their counterparts in Shanghai. One news article headline read, “See what he did with music,” underscoring the trip’s emphasis on soft diplomacy. Lurie has framed the visit around the idea that arts and culture can bridge geopolitical divides. “This partnership is more than education. It reflects the power of music to connect people across borders, even when other forms of dialogue may be more challenging,” Lurie said in Shanghai. The mayor is traveling with several city officials, including Chief of Protocol Penny Coulter and Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet . His wife, Becca Prowda , has appeared alongside him in multiple state media reports. A city disclosure form also shows his mother, Mimi Haas , is part of the delegation. Lurie is expected to stay in China for one more day before heading to South Korea. — H.L. & Gabe Greschler KIM’S TV SPOTS : Moderate-leaning group GrowSF has become one of the most dominant forces in city politics, and a recent TV buyout shows just how much it’s willing to throw down for local races that otherwise aren’t getting much attention. The group shared exclusively with Power Play that it has made ad buys in the six figures from its $300,000 war chest supporting school board candidate Phil Kim . It’s basically unheard of to run TV ads for school board candidates — but not for GrowSF, which has established itself as part of the moneyed Team Lurie and has connections to deep-pocketed techies. Kim was appointed by Breed in 2024. He’s running against two progressives in the June election to serve the remainder of his term, then will run again in November. The ads were bought through the GrowSF Voter Guide, an independent expenditure committee whose top donor is environmentalist and entrepreneur Nicholas Josefowitz . The ads, which are airing now, present Kim as a pragmatic member of the school board who has prioritized algebra, helped balance the budget, and supported a deal during the February teachers strike “without bankrupting our schools.” “Phil Kim helped save SFUSD from bankruptcy and prevented mass school closures,” one of the ads states. “He balanced a billion-dollar budget, protecting every classroom, and made sure teachers kept their jobs.” — G.G.

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Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 6

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 7

The Access Appeals Commission provides final reviews for a wide range of City permitting decisions. It ensures an efficient, fair, and expeditious permit issuance process through an impartial panel. The commission holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals related to City permits.

Access Appeals Commission

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 1

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 2

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 3

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 4

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 5

Adult Probation Department supervises individuals on probation and facilitates their reintegration into the community. It provides reentry and rehabilitative services, including victim restitution and financial assistance for crime victims. The department values public safety, offender rehabilitation, and community partnerships.

Cristel Tullock

The Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners evaluates arts and crafts applicants and monitors program compliance. It conducts studio visits and public screenings to ensure adherence to established criteria. Members also revise program criteria and undertake additional tasks as needed.

Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners

San Francisco Airport manages air traffic operations and ensures safe aircraft movement. It provides parking facilities and maintains airport infrastructure to accommodate travelers and staff. The department oversees ground transportation and coordinates with airlines for efficient passenger services.

Mike Nakornkhet

The Airport Commission oversees policy and strategic planning for San Francisco International Airport. It makes key decisions on airport development projects and financial management. It ensures compliance with regulations and collaborates on initiatives like terminal naming.

Airport Commission

Airport Commission Commissioner 1

Airport Commission Commissioner 2

Airport Commission Commissioner 3

Mark Buell

Susan Leal

Airport Director

Animal Care and Control Department manages animal sheltering, adoption, and emergency response services. It enforces animal-related laws and regulations, ensuring the humane treatment and safety of animals. The department also provides public education on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.

Animal Care and Control Department

Virginia Donohue

Animal Care and Control Department, Director

The San Francisco Arts Commission oversees the integration of arts into city life and ensures public access to cultural experiences. It makes decisions on public art programs and allocates grants to support local artists and performances. The commission actively shapes policies affecting the arts ecosystem in San Francisco.

Arts Commission Commissioner 1

Arts Commission Commissioner 2

Arts Commission Commissioner 3

Arts Commission Commissioner 4

Arts Commission Commissioner 5

Suzanne Ferras

Jessica Rothschild

Seth Brenzel

JD Beltran

Marcus Shelby

J Riccardo Benavides

Nabiel Musleh

Charles (Chuck) Collins

Lydia So

Arts Commission Commissioner 15

San Francisco Arts Commission invests in a vibrant arts community and shapes cultural policy. It enlivens the urban environment through public art programs and supports diverse artistic expressions. The commission facilitates meetings and discussions to engage the community in cultural development.

Ralph Remington

Arts Commission, Director of Cultural Affairs

The Asian Art Commission determines policy and administers the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. It oversees museum operations and collaborates with the Asian Art Museum Foundation on fundraising efforts. Commissioners ensure the museum's strategic direction and financial sustainability.

Asian Art Commission

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 1

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 2

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 3

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 4

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 5

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 6

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 7

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 8

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 9

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 10

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 11

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 12

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 13

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 14

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 15

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 16

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 17

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 18

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 19

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 20

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 21

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 22

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 23

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 24

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 25

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 26

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 27

Asian Art Museum showcases Asian art and culture through exhibitions and educational programs. It offers diverse collections and hosts special events to engage the community. The museum fosters cultural appreciation and understanding by providing access to its extensive art collections.

Dr. Soyoung Lee

Asian Art Museum, Director

The Assessment Appeals Board #1 hears property tax assessment appeals in San Francisco. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine property values. The Board has the authority to make final decisions on assessments regardless of property type or value.

Assessment Appeals Board #1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 3

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 4

Adena Gilbert

Paul Bellar

Quirina Mitchell

Hilary Winslow

The Assessment Appeals Board #2 adjudicates property tax assessment appeals for San Francisco taxpayers. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine accurate property values. The Board exercises authority to render final decisions on residential properties and specific real estate assessments.

Assessment Appeals Board #2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 3

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 4

Louisa Mendoza

Joyce Lewis

Nicholas Goldman

Michelle Domingo

The Assessment Appeals Board #3 provides a platform for San Francisco taxpayers to contest property tax assessments. It conducts hearings where evidence from both taxpayers and the Assessor is evaluated. The Board makes binding decisions on property assessments based on presented evidence.

Assessment Appeals Board #3

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 3

Marc Dickow

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 5

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 6

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 7

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 8

Assesses property, applies exemptions, collects transfer taxes, and records official documents.

Assessor-Recorder

Joaquín Torres

The Ballot Simplification Committee ensures voter materials are clear and understandable. It reviews and revises ballot language to accurately reflect propositions and measures. The committee advises on simplifying complex legal and technical terms for voter comprehension.

Ballot Simplification Council