Tarnished state senator may run again for old seat
In California justice we have “guilty,” “not guilty” and now, thanks to the state Senate, “more likely than not” guilty.
Such was the verdict of the outside investigation into allegations that now-former state Sen. Tony Mendoza had made unwanted and improper advances on female staffers, interns and a lobbyist.
In other words, although the charges weren’t quite proved, the damage to the Senate’s reputation was sufficient to warrant an attempt to expel him. The Los Angeles County Democrat initially pledged to fight the effort, but ultimately resigned rather than face the firing squad recruited by his old housemate, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León.
In doing so, Mendoza allowed de León to “protect
the house” — that is, spare other senators from further embarrassment, which in the hardball world of politics is the duty of any legislative leader.
Mendoza protected himself as well, for while he has left the building, he can still run for his old seat in the June election.
And he could win, which would lead to a whole new chapter in the drama facing Democrats: Would they let him take his seat? History repeats: The growing anti-gun activism being displayed by America’s high school students in the wake of the recent shootings in Parkland, Fla., reminds me of the Chidren’s Crusade in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963 that proved to be the tipping point for the civil rights movement
More than 1,000 black kids peacefully took to the streets to protest segregation.
It was a stunning sight for both the likes of Bull Connor and the nation as a whole.
Let’s hope these kids can keep the movement going and finally force today’s leaders to make the changes in gun laws that they have so far lacked the courage to accomplish. New face: One thing you can say about newly appointed District Two Supervisor Catherine Stefani: She makes a heck of a first impression. After a 90-minute breakfast with her, I walked away of the opinion that she came to the board better prepared than any of the other 10 supervisors.
She should be. Stefani spent 12 years as an aide to her District Two predecessors, Michela Alioto-Pier and Mark Farrell, who appointed her when he was named mayor.
Stefani started her career as a prosecutor in Contra Costa County. After two years there, she decided she cared more about public policy than putting people in jail, and made her way to San Francisco.
I asked her how she thinks of herself politically.
“Probably a moderate,” she said. “Sometimes I’m a liberal. Sometimes I’m none of the above. I’m like you. I just do what I think is right and then justify it.” Lion’s share: The past few days have been all Chinese New Year all the time. Dinner after dinner, toast after toast, and the endless parades of lion dancers.
I was at one event the other night where the dragon looked especially spruced up. I took a closer look, and on the back of the dragon’s multicolored head there was a plaque that read: “Thank you Academy of Art.” Smart move. For years the academy has been in hot water with City Hall over its ever-expanding (and often unpermitted) takeovers and conversions of buildings into dormitories and classrooms.
Giving a bit of a “thank you” to the Chinese American community is both good art and good politics.
Picture perfect: Walking along the waterfront, I wandered into Pier 24 Photography. The current show, “The Grain of the Present,” displays the works of 10 photographers who represent the core of the Pilara Foundation collection.
The photos of everyday life rival any oil paintings that I’ve ever seen.
Check it out. If you don’t like the show, at least you’ll be treated to a walk along the waterfront, and from the inside of Pier 24 you’ll get oneof-a-kind views from the base of the Bay Bridge.
This spot is one of those hidden gems that we need to keep polished.
Back to the future: If you want to see the traffic nightmare heading our way, take a walk along Folsom Street west from the waterfront.
It’s what Van Ness Avenue and other main corridors will look like in the not-too-distant future. Folsom has been put on what they call a “road diet,” which means bus stops are in the middle of the street, automobiles park in the middle of the street, and there are bike lanes next to the curb.
The idea is that if you make streets more crowded, it will somehow reduce congestion.
At least that’s what they tell me. Movie time: “Fifty Shades Freed.” It’s a soft-core porn flick, and the sex is boring. That doesn’t leave much.
When the actors wear clothes, the clothes are fabulous. Not bitter: I was having dinner with London Breed at Farallon when a gentleman came up and said, “Nice to have a former mayor with us tonight.”
At which point Breed piped up: “Actually, you have two former mayors. Mine was for a much shorter time, but it still counts.”