PRESS RELEASE
Contact: For release:
John St. Croix
July 12, 2005
(415) 581-2300
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT JULY 11, 2005 MEETING
At its regular meeting on
July 11, 2005
, the San Francisco Ethics Commission took the following action:
- Voted 4-0 to grant a waiver from Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code section 3.224 (compensated advocacy ban) to Ephraim G. Hirsch, a sitting member of the Building Inspection Commission occupying the seat mandated to be filled by a structural engineer, provided that Mr. Hirsch work with the department head or his or her designee in his dealings with the Department of Building Inspection.
- Failed to approve proposed amendments to the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance related to the disqualification from participation in the public financing program of candidates who have outstanding fines or penalties for violations of state or local campaign finance laws. The Commission will reconsider this issue at its special meeting on
July 25, 2005
- Agreed to performance goals for the Executive Director.
- Approved a response to the 2004-05 Civil Grand Jury Report “What is the Difference Between a Contract and a Grant,” issued
May 24, 2005
- Approved Regulation 1.174 -1 related to notification to the Director of Elections of whether each candidate who has been elected has filed all required campaign declarations, statements or reports.
- Began and continued deliberations on: (1) proposed amendments to the regulation of electioneering communications; (2) possible changes to the Commission’s investigation and enforcement process; (3) the Commission’s waiver process pursuant to Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code section 3.234(a)(1)(E); and (4) proposed regulations related to reports required under CFRO section 1.134.
- Announced that the Commission entered into a settlement agreement with Jose Medina, a former candidate for District 11 Supervisor, who made a personal loan to his committee that exceeded the loan limit set forth in section 1.116 of the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance. Mr. Medina will pay $1,000 to settle the staff-initiated complaint.
The Commission will hold two special meetings on the following dates:
Monday, July 25, 2005
, at
5:30 p.m.
in Room 400 City Hall; and
Thursday, August 4, 2005
at
5:30 p.m.
in Room 416 City Hall. The next regular Commission meeting will be held on
Monday, August 8, 2005
, at
5:30 p.m.
in Room 408 City Hall.
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The Ethics Commission, established in November 1993, serves the public, City employees and officials and candidates for public office through education and enforcement of ethics laws. Its duties include: filing and auditing of campaign finance disclosure statements, lobbyist and campaign consultant registration and regulation, administration of the public financing program, whistleblower program, conflict of interest reporting, investigations and enforcement, education and training, advice giving and statistical reporting.
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