Minutes of the Regular Meeting of
The San Francisco Ethics Commission
Friday, August 9, 2024
Hybrid meeting conducted in-person in City Hall Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, and also held online as a Remote Meeting via WebEx and aired live on SFGovTV
(Approved September 27, 2024)
Note: SFGovTV provides a continuous archive of audio, video, and Caption Notes recordings of Ethics Commission meetings that allows viewers to watch those meetings online in full at the viewer’s convenience. These archives of Ethics Commission meetings may be accessed at SFGovTV at http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=142.
(Note: A complete recording of this meeting can be found on SFGovTv.)
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: With Vice Chair Argemira Flórez Feng, Commissioner Karen Bell Francois, and Commissioner Yaman Salahi participating, a quorum was present. Chair Theis Finlev and Commissioner David Tsai had an excused absence.
STAFF PRESENTING: Kevin Kincaid, Online Meeting Moderator; Patrick Ford, Executive Director; Tyler Field, Senior IS Engineer; Michael Canning, Policy & Legislative Affairs Manager
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Kathleen Radez, Deputy City Attorney
MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED:
- Draft Minutes for June 14, 2024, Regular Meeting
- Executive Director’s Report dated August 5, 2024
- Cover Memo and Proposed Stipulation in SFEC Case No. 2223-484
- Proposed Amendments to Ethics Commission Campaign Consultant Regulations Staff memo dated August 5, 2024
- Proposed Amendments to Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Disclaimer Requirements Staff memo dated August 5, 2024
- Staff Presentation on Campaign Finance Disclosures Cover Memo dated August 5, 2024
Item 1. Call to order and roll call.
Vice Chair Flórez Feng convened the meeting at 10:13am and stated that members of the public may participate in-person or remotely.
Meeting Moderator Kevin Kincaid summarized the procedures for participation by members of the public for the meeting.
Item 2. Public comment on matters not appearing on the agenda.
Under Item 2, the Commission provided the opportunity for general public comment on matters not appearing on the agenda but within the Ethics Commission’s subject matter jurisdiction.
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou stated a pledge of allegiance. San Francisco workers were fired unjustly for not receiving the COVID vaccine. The City failed to settle in court. She urges the Ethics Department to investigate what is going on in City Hall and in the Ethics Department. She was retaliated against because of her background and for exposing corruption. She is now running for mayor. There is election interference because false numbers on those running for mayor have been reported.
Ellen Lee Zhou also provided a written summary of her comments available here.
No further public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
CONSENT CALENDAR Items 3 and 4.
The Commission took up its Consent Calendar, provided the opportunity for public comment on all Consent Calendar items, and voted 3-0 to adopt a motion by Commissioner Salahi and seconded by Vice Chair Flórez Feng to approve the following Consent Calendar items that required by the Commission:
- Item 3. Draft Minutes of the Ethics Commission June 14, 2024, Regular Meeting
The following Consent Calendar item was informational and required no action by the Commission, but the opportunity for public comment was provided.
- Item 4. Executive Director’s Report
Public Comment:
No public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Motion 240809-01 (Salahi / Flórez Feng): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (3-0) to approve consent calendar item requiring action by the Commission.
REGULAR CALENDAR
Item 5. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy and Jay Cheng
Commissioner Salahi disclosed that he donated to the campaign in question. This was not a required recusal, but he asked for a motion to recuse.
Motion 240809-02 (Francois / Flórez Feng): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (3-0) to recuse Commissioner Salahi.
This item was continued to the next meeting as there was no quorum without Commissioner Salahi.
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou stated that the respondent is a Chinese person, and asked why the Commission only investigates Asian people. The Ethics Commission was created to investigate City corruption, Zhou stated that she has been discriminated against by the Ethics Commission. The City is run by Democrats only.
No further public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 6. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed Amendments to Ethics Commission Campaign Consultant Regulations.
Michael Canning introduced the Item.
Vice Chair Flórez Feng asked if Commission staff can assist campaign consultants in this process. Canning replied that yes, a computer has been added to the lobby of the office so that staff can assist consultants who come in.
The Commission voted 3-0 to approve a motion by Commissioner Salahi, seconded by Commissioner Francois, to adopt the proposed amendments as drafted.
Motion 240809-03 (Salahi / Francois): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (3-0) to adopt the proposed amendments discussed.
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou stated that she had all volunteers on her campaigns in 2018 and 2019. She stated that the Commission tried to take a needle from an egg, there’s no needle in an egg, but that’s what the Commission did to her campaign. She is a MAGA Republican, she is a mother, she is pro-life.
No further public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 7. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed Amendments to Ethics Commission Regulations on Campaign Finance Disclaimer Requirements
Canning introduced the item. Commissioner Salahi asked if there’s an assessment on how the court activity could be impacted by these measures. Canning stated that he’s not sure how the ongoing litigation will be impacted by these measures.
Vice Chair Flórez Feng asked where we can find information about secondary contributors. Canning stated that they can be found on the Commission’s website.
The Commission voted 3-0 to approve a motion by Commissioner Salahi, seconded by Vice Chair Flórez Feng, to adopt the proposed amendments to the regulations as drafted.
Motion 240809-04 (Salahi / Flórez Feng): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (3-0) to adopt the proposed amendments.
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou stated that she has concerns about the Ethics Commission department. She is a taxpayer, and public employees are paid by her, the taxpayer. She has seen news for Act Blue, which supports Democrats only. The Ethics Commission should be concerned about this. Act Blue supports some San Francisco politicians. She has concerns about the Act Blue donors related to election interference and election fraud.
No further public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 8. Staff Presentation on Campaign Finance Disclosures.
Tyler Field presented on the Commission’s campaign finance dashboards.
This item was informational and required no action from the Commission.
Public Comment:
No public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 9. Items for Future Meetings (Discussion and Possible Action)
Public Comment:
No public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 10. Additional opportunity for public comment on matters not appearing on the agenda pursuant to Ethics Commission Bylaws Article VII Section 2.
Public Comment:
No public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Item 11. Adjournment.
The Commission adjourned at 10:51am.