Minutes of the Regular Meeting of
The San Francisco Ethics Commission
Friday, October 11, 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
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 Chair Theis Finlev, Vice-Chair Flórez Feng, and Commissioners Yaman Salahi, and David Tsai participating, a quorum was present. Commissioner Karen Bell Francois had an excused absence.
STAFF PRESENTING: Kevin Kincaid, Online Meeting Moderator; Pat Ford, Executive Director; Eamonn Wilson, Senior Investigative Analyst.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Kathleen Radez, Deputy City Attorney
MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED:
- Draft Minutes for September 27, 2024, Regular Meeting
- Cover Memo and Proposed Stipulation in SFEC Case No. 23-604 – In the Matter of Joanne Lee
- Cover Memo on Ethics Commission Draft Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024
Item 1. Call to Order and Roll Call
Chair Theis Finlev called the meeting to order at 10:04am 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.
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou recited the pledge of allegiance. She says she was wrongfully terminated for not getting vaccinated in 2021 from public service. There are 33 active lawsuits for the vaccination mandate. Elected officials and City Attorney abused power to prevent lawsuits from settling. She ran for Mayor in 2018 and 2019 and says the Commission discriminated against her for exposing corruption. Her billboards were removed by puppet-masters. The Commission didn’t stop election interference. She’s running for Mayor again this year. There are 13 candidates, but corrupt criminals have limited access to public debate.
Ellen Lee Zhou also provided a written summary of her comments that is available here.
CONSENT CALENDAR: Item 3
Under its Consent Calendar, the Commission provided the opportunity for public comment on all consent calendar items and voted 4-0 to adopt a motion by Chair Finlev and seconded by Commissioner Tsai to approve the following consent calendar items that required action by the Commission:
- Item 3, Draft Minutes for September 27, 2024, Regular Meeting
Public Comment:
No public comment was received and public comment on the item was closed.
Motion 241011-01 (Finlev / Tsai): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (4-0) to approve the consent calendar item requiring action by the Commission.
REGULAR CALENDAR
Item 4. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Joanne Lee
Investigator Eamonn Wilson presented this item. The matter involved Joanne Lee, an employee with the Arts Commission, who approved a grant to an organization where she was negotiating future employment. The proposed penalty is low due to mitigating factors.
Chair Finlev questioned the low penalty and discussed his thinking on the matter.
Commissioner Tsai asked if she hadn’t reported, would Enforcement have discovered this. Wilson confirmed they would have, since she mentioned it in regard to a post-employment waiver that went before the Commission.
Commissioner Salahi asked about the range that has been issued in the past for other cases. Wilson explained that the Commission has not had a 3.206(c) case before, so this cites to other SARP cases for reference.
Chair Finlev stated support for the action and made a motion to approve the STIP. Vice Chair Flórez Feng seconded the motion and it was approved 3-1, with Commissioner Salahi voting against.
Public Comment:
Eli Love, representative for respondent Joanne Lee. Stated that the grants occurred during winter storms to get money into pockets as quickly as possible. The grants were developed and went out quickly. Joanne Lee’s action was not determinative; they would have gotten the money regardless. She regrets her mistake and realizes she should and recused in hindsight.
Ellen Lee Zhou says we’re targeting people with Asian last names. Asked if there is a lawyer here representing City Attorney? Commission is trying to look like a court, but it’s supposed to be representative of the people. Commission did the same thing to her when she ran for Mayor. She says her friend passed away.
Motion 241011-02 (Finlev / Flórez Feng): Moved, seconded, and approved (3-1) to approve the stipulation in Item 4.
Item 5. Discussion and Possible Action on Ethics Commission Draft Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024.
Executive Director Ford presented the annual report draft. Commissioner Salahi noted that it is an impressive report, and the Commission has accomplished a lot in the last year. Chair Finlev stated the report should mention the current Commissioners for transparency. Overhauling the audit team during an election year is impressive, stated, Vice Chair Flórez Feng.
Chair Finlev made a motion to approve the annual report subject to any superficial changes staff identifies. Commissioner Finlev seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously (4-0).
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou has been coming to these meetings for years. The report doesn’t reflect the truth. Commission was set up by the public to prevent corruption, but the Commission does not see the point of the Commission. So many people are just supporting one party. The Commission supports Democrats. A lot of people are dying and overdosing. This is a money-laundering department.
Motion 241011-03 (Finlev / Salahi): Moved, seconded, and approved unanimously (4-0) to approve the draft annual report.
Item 6. Items for Future Meetings
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou says what happens in Ethics Commission is not representative of the people. Government mistreats people who are not vaccinated.
Item 7. Additional Opportunity for General Public Comment
Public Comment:
Ellen Lee Zhou says everyone is alike and everyone wants to see no drug dealing, no homelessness. Ethics Commission is doing nothing to actually stop these problems. Commission is corrupt and wasting its time. It supports Democrats.
Item 8. Adjournment
The Commission adjourned at 10:35am.