July 11, 2022
For information: Michael Canning (415) 252-3100
At its monthly public meeting on July 8, the San Francisco Ethics Commission approved two settlement agreements that levied fines totaling $23,700 against two former city officials for violations of financial disclosure laws.
The Commission voted 5-0 to fine former San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education Member Gabriela López $1,400 for two counts of failing to disclose a reportable source of income on the Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700) that covered calendar years 2019 and 2020. As detailed in the settlement agreement, In the Matter of Gabriela López (SFEC Case No. 2021-038), López received income from Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC) as the organization’s Chief Academic Officer while she was a School Board Member in 2019 and 2020. Because this income was from a source which was or had been within the past two years engaged in work or services of the type used by the School District, López was required to report the income from and business position in MNC on her Statements of Economic Interests but failed to do so. As part of the settlement, López acknowledged responsibility for the violations amended her disclosure statements.
In a separate settlement agreement adopted on Friday, In the Matter of Darryl Honda (SFEC Case No. 2021-026), the Commission adopted a $22,200 fine against former San Francisco Board of Appeals Member Darryl Honda for four counts of violating City financial disclosure laws from 2017 through 2020. As detailed in the agreement, which was approved by a vote of 3-2, Honda worked as a realtor in an independent-contractor capacity for Corcoran Global Living, formerly Zephyr Real Estate, where he earned commission income while serving as a member of the Board of Appeals. On his Statements of Economic Interests, Honda reported income of over $100,000 from Zephyr Real Estate but failed to report the name of any source of commission income of $10,000 or more as required by law. After being contacted by Commission investigators, Honda amended his Form 700s for calendar years 2017 through 2020 to disclose the names of sources from which he received commission income of $10,000 or more. In his settlement agreement, Honda acknowledged responsibility and agreed to pay a monetary penalty for failing to disclose 37 reportable sources of income from which he received $10,000 or more in commissions.
As authorized by the City Charter, the resolution of violations through a public stipulated agreement enables respondents and the Ethics Commission to resolve enforcement matters without requiring a hearing on the merits. The Commission is authorized to assess a monetary penalty of up to $5,000 per violation or three times the amount of the amount improperly received, expended, or reported for each violation.
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The San Francisco Ethics Commission was created directly by the City’s voters with the passage of Proposition K in November 1993 and is responsible for the independent and impartial administration and enforcement of laws related to campaign finance, public financing of candidates, governmental ethics, conflicts of interests, and registration and reporting by lobbyists, campaign consultants, permit consultants, and major developers.
Our mission is to practice and promote the highest standards of integrity in government. We achieve that by delivering impactful programs that promote fair, transparent, and accountable governmental decision making for the benefit of all San Franciscans. Public service is a public trust, and our aim is to ensure that San Franciscans can have confidence that the operations of the City and County and the decisions made by its officials and employees are fair, just, and made without any regard to private or personal gain.