Draft Minutes – July 10, 2026 – San Francisco Ethics Commission

Draft Minutes of the Regular Meeting of
The San Francisco Ethics Commission
Friday, July 10, 2026

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: Chair Argemira Flórez Feng, Vice Chair Yaman Salahi and Commissioners Karen Bell Francois participating, a quorum was present. Commissioners David Tsai and Kevin Yeh had an excused absence.

STAFF PRESENTING: Executive Secretary & Commission Clerk, Charlie Machado-Morrow; Deputy Director, Zach D’Amico; Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager, Michael Canning; Acting Enforcement Director, Jeff Zumwalt; Senior Investigator, Bertha Cheung.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Michael Gerchow, Deputy City Attorney.

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED:

Item 1. Call to Order and Roll Call

Chair Argemira Flórez Feng called the meeting to order at 10:02am and stated that members of the public may participate in-person or remotely.

Commission Clerk Charlie Machado-Morrow summarized the procedures for participation by members of the public for the meeting.

Item 2. Public Comment on Matters not Appearing on the Agenda.

James Chafee expressed concerns regarding the Commission’s handling of his sworn ethics complaint, citing delays in processing, the prompt dismissal of the case after he sought clarification, and the determination that there was no evidence of willfulness. He questioned the referral to the Sunshine Task Force, referenced prior complaints involving the same individual, and asserted that his complaint was not thoroughly reviewed before dismissal.

David Pilpel commented on Items 9 and 11, raising concerns that supporting materials and public correspondence referenced in Item 11 were not included in the agenda packet. He also asserted that the proposed regulation amendment lacked the required public notice and requested that the item not be heard due to the alleged procedural deficiencies.

A caller identified as Sullivan cited provisions of the Sunshine Ordinance and the Brown Act, asserting that agenda materials for Item 11 were incomplete because relevant correspondence and public comments were not included in the agenda packet. The speaker urged the Commission to ensure all related public records are made available as required.

CONSENT CALENDAR: Items 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8

Under its Consent Calendar, it provided the opportunity for public comment on all Consent Calendar items. The Commission pulled Item 3 from the consent calendar for discussion. Opportunity for public comment was provided.

Item 3, Draft Minutes for April 10, 2026, Regular Meeting.

The following Consent Calendar items were informational and required no action by the Commission, but the opportunity for public comment was provided.

Item 4, Executive Director’s Report
Item 5, Enforcement Report
Item 6, Audit Report
Item 7, Engagement and Compliance Report
Item 8, Electronic Disclosure and Data Analysis (EDDA) Report

Public Comment:

James Chaffee spoke in person and raised concerns about inaccuracies in the meeting minutes, including the misspelling of his surname and the omission of written public comment summaries he had submitted. He suggested that the minutes did not comply with the Sunshine Ordinance’s requirements for including citizen summaries and urged the Commission to improve accessibility and compliance with public records requirements.

Motion 260710-01 (Flórez-Feng / Salahi): Moved, seconded, and approved (3-0) to adopt the meeting minutes with the correction of Mr. Chaffee’s name and attaching his public comment letters to the minutes.

REGULAR CALENDAR

Item 9. Show Cause Hearing In the Matter of Rick Sanders v. Office of the Mayor (File # 25088) Based on a Sunshine Ordinance Task Force Referral

Senior Investigator, Bertha Cheung, presented a show cause hearing regarding a Sunshine Ordinance Task Force referral alleging the Office of the Mayor failed to comply with an order to produce public records. The Sunshine Ordinance Task Force representative outlined the basis for the referral, asserting a willful failure to disclose responsive records. Enforcement staff recommended that the Commission take no action, citing limited jurisdiction and the absence of an identified individual subject to enforcement.

The petitioner argued that the Mayor’s Office willfully withheld responsive records related to a public records request, while the respondent maintained that it conducted a reasonable search, produced all responsive records in its possession, and cooperated throughout the process. Commissioners questioned both parties regarding the alleged willful violation, the existence of additional records, and the scope of the Commission’s enforcement authority before concluding the evidentiary portion of the hearing.

Enforcement staff clarified that the Commission may direct an investigation under its enforcement regulations only upon a finding of a willful violation by an elected official or department head, and that such a finding would be required to pursue that course of action.

The Commission discussed the status of the hearing and stated that additional information and investigation were needed before reaching a decision. The Commission considered continuing the matter and returning it to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force for further review regarding a potential willful violation. A motion was made and seconded to refer the matter back to the Task Force to allow further consideration and address outstanding issues.

Public Comment:

David Pilpel called in and urged the Commission to continue the matter and direct staff to investigate the referral, asserting that additional responsive records likely exist and that the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force lacked the authority to conduct a full investigation. He also stated that the referral was made under a provision he believed did not require a finding of willfulness.

Bruce Wolfe, a representative of the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, called in and argued that the Office of the Mayor had not made sufficient efforts to locate additional responsive records and urged the Commission to exercise its investigative authority. The representative also noted the Mayor’s administrative responsibility for implementing the Sunshine Ordinance as a relevant consideration.

An unidentified caller cited the California Public Records Act, asserting that records relating to public business remain subject to disclosure regardless of where they are held and argued that the absence of records in an agency’s possession does not eliminate the obligation to disclose them.

Motion 260710-02 (Flórez-Feng / Salahi): Moved, seconded, and approved (3-0) to return the item to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force to proceed with a new referral providing the commission with a determination and more information.

Item 10. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Shamann Walton.

Senior Investigator, Bertha Cheung, presented a stipulated agreement involving Supervisor Shamann Walton regarding three violations: acceptance of a gift exceeding the annual limit, failure to report the gift on Form 700, and participation in a governmental decision involving a financial interest. Staff recommended approval of a $4,500 total stipulated penalty, consisting of $500 for each gift-related violation and $3,500 for the conflict-of-interest violation, noting mitigating factors and consistency with prior enforcement matters.

Public Comment:

James Chaffee spoke in person and raised concerns regarding the organization of the meeting packet, noting the lack of dividers, page numbers, table of contents, and clarity regarding the placement of certain documents, which made it difficult to follow agenda materials.

Motion 260710-03 (Salahi /Flórez-Feng): Moved, seconded, and approved (3-0) to approve the Proposed Stipulation, Decision and Order In the Matter of Shamann Walton.

Item 11. Discussion and Possible Action on Proposed Amendments to the Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Regulations

This item was continued to a future meeting for staff to provide the proper 10-day notice for the item.

Public Comment:

No public comment was received on this item.

Item 12. Discussion and Possible Action on Proposed Campaign Finance Reforms to Reinforce Contribution Limits and Ensure Accountability for Violations of City Law

This item was continued to a future meeting due to the item requiring 4 votes to be approved, and only 3 Commissioners present.

Public Comment:

No public comment was received on this item.

Item 13. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Behested Payment Waiver Legislation

Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager, Michael Canning, presented the item, an ordinance regarding amendments to the City’s behested payment waiver process. The proposed legislation, which includes a three-year sunset provision for the Board of Supervisors’ ability to grant its own waivers, adds transparency and reporting requirements. Staff recommended approval of the amended ordinance, which would return to the Board of Supervisors for further action if approved.

Public Comment:

No public comment was received on this item.

Motion 260710-04 (Flórez-Feng / Salahi): Moved, seconded, and approved (3-0) to approve the ordinance regarding Behested Payment Waiver Legislation with the provided amendments.

Item 14. Items for Future Meetings (Discussion)

No comments were made by the Commission or Staff regarding future agenda items.

Public Comment:

No public comment was received on this item.

Item 15. Additional Opportunity for General Public Comment

James Chafee commented requesting the Commission review its handling of meeting minutes and compliance with its bylaws. He referenced his prior experience with open government laws and expressed concerns about public participation, transparency, and the treatment of vulnerable community members.

A caller identified as Sullivan cited Sunshine Ordinance requirements regarding public access to agendas and related materials and requested that agenda items include clearer links to supporting documents, records, and public communications.

David Pilpel commented regarding Item 11, reiterating concerns regarding notice requirements, missing public correspondence, and the absence of staff responses to public comments. He requested that future materials include complete supporting documentation and timely notices.

Item 16. Adjournment

The Commission adjourned at 11:36am.