To: Members of the Ethics Commission
From: LeeAnn Pelham, Executive Director
Subject: Agenda Item 9 – Executive Director Report for February 2022
Summary and Action Requested
This report provides various programmatic and operational highlights since the last Executive Director’s
Report. No action is required by the Commission, as this item is for informational purposes only.
News and Updates
New Commissioner Appointed
As he announced last month, Commissioner James Bell made the decision to step off the Ethics Commission following his retirement as Founding President of the W. Haywood Burns Institute. We are grateful for Commissioner Bell’s service and thank him for lending his vision, teachings, and clarity of purpose to the Commission’s work over the past year.
Commissioner Michael Romano has been appointed by District Attorney Chesa Boudin to complete Commissioner Bell’s unexpired term of office, and assumed office effective February 7, 2022. We look forward to formally welcoming Commissioner Romano at the February 11 Commission meeting. Commissioner Romano is the director and founder of the Three Strikes and Justice Advocacy Projects and Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School. He has chaired the California Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code since 2019, serves as counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and has co-authored statewide ballot measures and led impact litigation and legislative campaigns. Commissioner Romano is a graduate of Stanford Law School and was a John Knight Fellow at Yale Law School. He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Commissioner Romano’s term of office is through February 1, 2025, at which time he will be eligible for appointment to a full six-year term pursuant to Charter Section 15.100.
New Director of Enforcement Named
I am happy to announce that Senior Policy and Legislative Affairs Counsel Patrick Ford has been appointed to serve as our new Director of Enforcement, effective February 7th. In his new capacity and as part of the executive leadership team, Pat will direct the work of the Enforcement Division and provide strategic and operational direction on all matters related to the investigation and administrative enforcement of laws within the Commission’s jurisdiction. Over the last several years, the Division has implemented significant improvements to its core program and business processes to strengthen its operations and functions and deepen the reach and impact of its work. Pat assumes the Enforcement Director role with a unique blend of legal and subject matter expertise that will be a strong asset as he works with our expanded team of seven investigators to continue to build on these achievements. Pat joined the Commission staff as Policy Analyst in 2017 when the Policy Division was first established and was promoted to Senior Policy Analyst in 2018. In 2019 Pat’s role expanded as Senior Policy and Legislative Affairs Counsel. Over the past four years Pat has provided thorough and incisive analyses in leading our policy and legislative work, driven the development and standardization of core practices in the Policy Division, and engaged stakeholders on range of complex issues. Prior to joining the Commission, Pat worked with campaign treasurers and attorneys in the Los Angeles area to ensure compliance with state and local campaign finance laws. As a Corporate Associate with DLA Piper, he engaged on issues related to regulatory compliance and corporate governance. Pat holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara and a JD from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, where he was a member of the Law Review. He is a member of the 2022 Program Committee for the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL).
Having served as our Acting Director of Enforcement on an interim basis since October 2021, Jeff Zumwalt now resumes his full-time role as Senior Investigator in the Enforcement Division. Jeff’s distinguished and steady leadership over the past four months has been notable and greatly appreciated, as is the skilled work of the entire investigative team, who have remained both energetic and focused during this period of transition.
Additional Staff News
We are also happy to welcome Geraldo Moya to our staff as temporary Administrative Services Clerk. Geraldo joined us on January 24 and is working closely with Rachel Gage and the Engagement & Compliance team to support a range of front office administrative functions and duties, such as assisting members of the public in accessing documents, disclosures, and public datasets on the Commission’s website and providing support with the intake and review of filings. Geraldo brings a range of customer service and technology support experiences to his role at the Commission, including prior work in the healthcare field in Alameda County and at SF International Airport (SFO).
Ethics@Work Job Applications Continue to Be Accepted
Applications continue to be accepted for the position of Ethics@Work Program Manager (1824). This position will develop and lead our new Ethics@Work outreach and training program, which we are designing to engage and inform City officials, employees, contractors and other key stakeholders with practical information and tools to raise awareness, develop common understanding, and improve compliance with government ethics laws. We encourage applications from seasoned professionals with diverse backgrounds who are eager to make a difference in public service by applying their training and communications expertise to lead this multi-faceted initiative. Detailed information about the position and how to apply can be found online on our job announcement for the Ethics@Work Program Manager position.
Ethics Commission FY23 Departmental Budget
As part of a City Ordinance that took effect in 2020, departments are required to hold two public meetings concerning departmental budgets at which members of the public may provide input. The Commission’s first meeting was held on January 21 and the second public meeting appears as Item 7 on the Commission’s February 11 meeting agenda.
Revenues Report
The table below reflects revenues received by the Commission for Fiscal Year 2022 as of February 4, 2022.
| Account Description | FY21-22 Original Budget | FY21-22 Actuals as of 2/4/2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Other General Government | $2,450 | $500 |
| Campaign Disclosure Fines | $50,000 | $14,758 |
| Lobby Fines | $2,000 | $1,650 |
| Campaign Consultant Fines | $2,000 | $800 |
| Economic Interest Fines | $1,250 | $170 |
| Other Ethics Fines | $7,500 | $34,004 |
| Lobbyist Registration Fee | $85,000 | $32,000 |
| Campaign Consultant Registration Fee | $7,000 | $5,000 |
| Total | $157,200 | $88,882 |
I look forward to answering any questions you may have at the upcoming Commission meeting.