Ross Mirkarimi

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Ross Mirkarimi
Mirkarimi in 2008
Sheriff of the County of San Francisco
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 7, 2012
Mayor Ed Lee
Preceded by Michael Hennessey
Member of the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
from District 5
In office
2005–2012
Mayor Gavin Newsom
Ed Lee
Preceded by Matt Gonzalez
Succeeded by Christina Olague
Personal details
Born August 4, 1961 (1961-08-04) (age 50)
Chicago, Illinois
Nationality United States
Political party Democratic (since 2010)
Other political
affiliations		 Green (founding non-member)
Spouse(s) Eliana Lopez
Children Theo Mirkarimi
Residence San Francisco, California
Alma mater St. Louis University
Golden Gate University
University of San Francisco
Occupation Politician
Website Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi

Ross Mirkarimi (born August 4, 1961) is sheriff of San Francisco. From 2005[1] to 2012, he served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, representing District 5. Mirkarimi is a marijuana legalization advocate, and co-founder of the Green Party of California.

Mirkarimi helped establish the Green Party and was a manager of its 2000 presidential candidate, Ralph Nader. He left the Green Party in March 2010 to become a Democrat.[2]

Mirkarimi served on the California Coastal Commission from 2009 to 2011. On April 20, 2006, Mirkarimi was awarded the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws' (NORML) Rufus King award, given annually for leadership in the reform of marijuana laws.[3]

On January 13, 2012, Mirkarimi was charged with domestic violence battery, child endangerment, and dissuading a witness in connection with a New Year's Eve altercation he had with his wife.[4]

Contents

[edit] Personal life

Ross Mirkarimi (pronounced Meehr-kah-reem-E) was born in Chicago in 1961 to Nancy Kolman and Hamid Mirkarimi. His father was an Iranian Muslim and his mother was Jewish (of Russian origin).[5][6][7] He grew up in Jamestown, Rhode Island, where he graduated from the Catholic, all-male Bishop Hendricken High School in 1979. "I totally credit my childhood in Jamestown for my green views," Mirkarimi said. "I'll never forget living near Fort Getty and exploring the unspoiled island with my dog Oscar when I was a boy."[8]

He has a Bachelor's degree in political science from St. Louis University, a Master's degree in international economics and affairs from Golden Gate University, and a Master of Science degree in environmental science from the University of San Francisco.[9] He has lived in San Francisco since 1984.

Mirkarimi is a graduate of the San Francisco Police Academy, where he was the president of his class. Before his election to office, he served in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office investigating white collar crime.[9]

On April 21, 2009, Ross Mirkarimi became a father, as Eliana Lopez, a Venezuelan telenovela star whom he met at an environmental conference in Brazil, gave birth to his son, Theo Aureliano Mirkarimi.[10][11]

[edit] Founding of California Green Party

Mirkarimi co-founded California's Green Party in 1990, and coordinated Ralph Nader's 2000 presidential campaign in California. He also managed local campaigns in San Francisco, including the 1989 Nuclear Free Zone initiative, the 2001 campaign for public power and the March 2002 campaign to elect Harry Britt to the State Assembly. He was a press spokesperson and campaign aide in the 2003 campaign to elect Matt Gonzalez mayor of San Francisco.[12] Mirkarimi supported Democrat Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[13]

Mirkarimi supported Green Party candidate Krissy Keefer over Nancy Pelosi in the 2006 congressional election. "Why," he asked in regard to supporting Pelosi, "do we decide to support the lesser of two evils or the evil of two lessers...the level of mediocrity being dished out by the Republicans and Democrats?"[14]

[edit] Campaign for Sheriff

In May 2011, scheduled to be termed out as supervisor, Mirkarimi announced he was running for sheriff of San Francisco in the November 2011 election.[15]

Mirkarimi did not receive the endorsement of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriff's Association, the union representing sheriffs. In an endorsement election of members, Capt. Paul Miyamoto received 353 votes to Mirkarimi's 2 votes. "This was a very large turnout for us," said Don Wilson, president of the association. "Miyamoto is a very popular guy in our department. We want one of our own to be sheriff. We want someone with experience."[16]

In an interview with the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), Mirkarimi said about his candidacy:

The challenges of our campaign are that I am running citywide. I have opposition, but with my name recognition as an elected official, it’s one of the first times that I’m seen as an automatic frontrunner, instead of the underdog posture that I'm more used to from my previous runs. The election is in November 2011, and it will be at the same time as the mayor and district attorney. Competing for resources and attention is always an inherent challenge with other high profile races.[15]

Mirkarimi has made combatting recidivism a centerpiece of his campaign:

We have to realize that what happens in the jail system directly affects public safety throughout all of San Francisco neighborhoods. That entwinement can’t really be denied anymore, and the money we throw at the Police Department to just re-arrest the same people really sort of is counter-intuitive without asking the obvious question, “What can we do so that when somebody comes out they will not repeat their offense?” And there are tested programs already existing in the Sheriff’s Department, ones that we could I think consider adopting and ones that deserve institutional support because most of the programs in the Sheriff’s Department aren’t general-fund-funded, they’re grant-funded, and so they live and die by the vulnerability of those grants. That says San Francisco is not frontburnering the importance of what it means to stand towards the development and accountability of those programs, and that needs to change. I’ll change it.”[17]

[edit] Domestic violence allegations

On January 13, 2012, Mirkarimi was charged with domestic violence battery, child endangerment, and dissuading a witness.[4] The charges came five days after he was sworn in publicly as sheriff and resulted from an altercation Mirkarimi had with his wife on New Year's Eve.

After his swearing in ceremony, Mirkarimi suggested that the police probe was politically motivated. "Forces are at work that want to stop me from becoming sheriff," he said.[18] Mirkarimi's wife, Eliana Lopez, refuted the charges against her husband. "This is incredible, unbelievable, I don't have any complaint against my husband".[19] She added, "The richest people in California are behind all this. They can't stand that a progressive with very little money won the campaign for sheriff."[20]

The domestic abuse complaint, however, was lodged by Ivory Madison, a San Francisco attorney and neighbor of Mirkarimi who had supported Mirkarimi in his campaign for sheriff and raised funds for his election campaign.[21] According to a search warrant issued on the neighbor to obtain text messages she exchanged with Mirkarimi's wife and a photograph of his wife's bruised arm, the neighbor called police after Mirkarimi's wife reported that she had been bruised in a New Year's Eve altercation with Mirkarimi.[22] According to the warrant, the neighbor videotaped the bruise at the request of Mirkarimi's wife and the two discussed the incident via text messages.[23] She also "indicated the alleged incident indicated a larger pattern of abuse."[24]

On January 20, Mirkarimi pleaded not guilty to the domestic violence, child endangerment, and dissuading a witness charges. The judge issued a stay-away order requiring Mirkarimi not to have any contact with his wife or two-year-old son. The judge said that based on an arrest warrant affidavit that contains "physical and emotional abuse," a stay-away order was necessary.[25]

On January 23, a second woman filed a police report claiming that Mirkarimi had abused her. She stated that Mirkarimi displayed a "raging pitbull aggressiveness" toward her, turning violent on at least one occasion, when he "grabbed both her upper arms, shook her and pinned her against the wall," leaving a bruise on her arm.[26] "He (Mirkarimi) is like a pit bull," the victim said. "He snaps, and he gets mad, and he goes right for the jugular."[27]

Two days later, after Mirkarimi's lawyer Robert Waggener told the press, "He's got a bombastic personality and occasionally he can be a bit of tyrant, but he is no abuser," Mirkarimi hired a new lawyer, Lidia Stiglich.[28]

[edit] Law enforcement issues

[edit] Support of the San Francisco 8

In 2008, Mirkarimi supported a controversial resolution by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors asking the state to drop charges against the San Francisco 8, eight former Black Panthers arrested for their involvement in the 1971 murder of Sgt. John V. Young at San Francisco's Ingleside Police station.[29] The San Francisco Chronicle opined, “A police officer slain in the line of duty is a disgrace that needs an answer. Instead, the shotgun slaying of Sgt. John Young is getting the political treatment from four San Francisco supervisors more interested in rhetoric than healing justice.”[30]

[edit] Support for Josh Wolf

At a solidarity fundraiser for Josh Wolf, an indie video blogger imprisoned for refusing to give a Federal Grand Jury his tape of an anarchist demonstration during which a San Francisco city policeman received a fractured skull, Mirkarimi said:

The issue here is certainly about the illegal incarceration of Josh Wolf and violating his protections as a member of the free press. But more importantly, we are witnessing the unraveling of the very fabric that made this country great. Maybe it's time for a new revolution?[31]

[edit] Police foot patrols

Mirkarimi sponsored legislation to require police foot patrols in high-crime neighborhoods. The Board of Supervisors approved this measure, but Mayor Gavin Newsom, citing objections by Police Chief Heather Fong, vetoed it. However, by a 9-2 vote, the Board overrode the veto; this was the first time that the Board of Supervisors had overridden a Newsom veto.[32] As of 2010, the policy was not implemented. New San Francisco Police Chief George Gascón called foot patrols "laughable" and "simplistic."[33] In 2010, San Francisco voters rejected Measure M, sponsored by Mirkarimi, which would have required the San Francisco Police Department to maintain a foot patrol presence from all its stations. Voters rejected the measure 54 to 46 percent.[34]

[edit] Civic and community organizations

Mirkarimi has been involved in these civic and community service activities: Director for SF Nuclear Freeze Zone Coalition; union negotiator for DAI Association union; member of the IFPTE Local 2; member of the Harvey Milk Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Democratic Club; member of the Iranian-American Chamber of Commerce; environmental analyst for the Harvard Study Team (Iraq) Bayview Hunters Point, California Base Closures; and member of the National Organization for Women (NOW).[35]

[edit] Supervisor

As Supervisor, Mirkarimi has sponsored some 40 pieces of legislation in a wide range of areas, including medicinal marijuana, crime, making streets safer for pedestrians, improving efficiency of city departments, and the environment.

[edit] Advocacy of marijuana legalization

In April 2009, Mirkarimi proposed legislation that would make San Francisco the first city in the nation to sell and distribute marijuana. "We're spending much more money keeping marijuana underground, trying to hide a fact that is occurring all around us," he said. "Now is the time to take responsibility for something we've deflected to others and to test our ability to take responsibility."[36]

On April 20, 2006 (4-20), the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws honored Mirkarimi with its Rufus King Award for outstanding leadership in the reform of marijuana laws.[37] In a speech accepting the award, Mirkarimi said:

That particular logic (of being in favor of medicinal marijuana but not wanting dispensaries in the neighborhood in which you live), as complex as it is, was emblematic of what certainly concerned me, that we continue to drive back in the shadows the very idea of what we're all congregated here for, and that is to mainstream the issue so that marijuana should not be criminalized and medical cannabis should not be criminalized and that we should do everything we can to build that kind of resiliency, to shore up even in the face of adversity, that while there's any attempt at pushback or blowback from our efforts to try to proliferate Prop 215 states throughout all fifty states of the United States, that we should not shrink at all with that ever particular kind of adversity once again.[38]

[edit] Tobacco smoking ban on golf courses

Mirkarimi supported a measure by Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier to ban smoking on city parks. Mirkarimi helped expand the ban to bus shelters to the city's public golf courses. Not extending the law to golf courses, Mirkarimi declared, "has this undertone of elitism."[39]

[edit] Reentry Council

On September 9, 2008, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed Mirkarimi's legislation creating a Reentry Council to coordinate the disparate and disconnected City programs that help ex-offenders transition from incarceration back into society.[citation needed] Mirkarimi in collaboration with Public Defender Jeff Adachi, District Attorney Kamala Harris, and Sheriff Michael Hennessey crafted this legislation to increase the effectiveness of City-wide efforts to reduce recidivism and violence, and promote safe and successful reentry into society for adults released from jails and prisons.

[edit] Environmental issues

In March 2007, Mirkarimi introduced legislation that prohibits large supermarkets and drugstores from providing customers with non-biodegradable plastic bags, making San Francisco the first city to regulate such bags. Since then other cities around the country and in Europe have take up similar bans, and there is a move by the California legislature to do the same.[40] Mirkarimi said, "Instead of waiting for the federal government to do something about this country's oil dependence, environmental degradation or contribution to global warming, local governments can step up and do their part. The plastic bag ban is one small part of that." Many supermarkets opposed such legislation. The bill passed 10-1 and became an ordinance.[41] The ban has been criticized as "cosmetic" by the SF Weekly, which asserted that the ban has led to an increase in the use of paper bags, a practice they claim is worse for the environment.[42]

In June 2008, Mirkarimi sponsored a one-year pilot program of a solar rebate program that provides $1.5 million to nonprofit organizations and lower income residents for the installation of solar voltaic power on rooftops; the measure received initial approval from the Board of Supervisors.[43] In July, Mirkarimi was named among several supervisors who, along with the mayor and various organizations, opposed a move to build fossil-fuel power plants in the low-income southeastern part of San Francisco.[44]

Ross Mirkarimi was the chief sponsor of a measure to require most employers to give pre-tax commuter checks to employees, with the intention of getting workers out of commuting via private car and into using public transportation; the measure is unlike many others involving regulation of businesses in that it was not opposed by the Chamber of Commerce.[45]

[edit] Street name changes

In February 2008, Mirkarimi announced his support for changing the name of a portion of Eddy Street to Marcus Garvey Way. Supporters hope that by renaming a street in honor of a well-known and influential figure of African descent, San Francisco's African-American residents will choose to stay in the city despite increases in the cost of living.[46]

[edit] Reparations bill

Mirkarimi also authored a piece of reparations bill, which would give descendants of those displaced by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency from the Western Addition priority in obtaining affordable housing. During the 1960s the city tore down much of the historic Fillmore district, most of whose resident's were permanently removed. Two-thirds of those displaced were African American.[47]

[edit] Gun control

As a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors, Mirkarimi fought against the NRA challenging San Francisco's attempt to bolster gun control laws.[48] This issue has caused many gun rights advocates to accuse Mirkarimi of hypocrisy, when it was reported that he himself was a gun owner even before he was elected Sheriff. He has since had to surrender his firearms due to the pending domestic violence allegations.[48]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.rossforsheriff.org/about-ross-mirkarimi
  2. ^ Tim Redmond, "Mirkarimi's a Democrat, Newsom's a candidate"; March 10, 2010; San Francisco Bay Guardian.
  3. ^ NORML: Daily Headlines (April 26, 2006) MARIJUANA GROUP HONORS MIRKARIMI.
  4. ^ a b Richmond, Josh (January 13, 2012) "San Francisco sheriff Ross Mirkarimi to face misdemeanor charges." San Jose Mercury News.
  5. ^ "Meet Ross", The Committee to Re-Elect Mirkarimi '08
  6. ^ http://www.thewesternedition.com/?c=117&a=1822
  7. ^ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/08/BAG13ALGCI47.DTL
  8. ^ The Jamestown Press Green movement champion grew up in Jamestown. April 24, 2008.
  9. ^ a b Herel, Suzanne (2005-01-08). "New supervisor emerges from behind political scene". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/08/BAG13ALGCI47.DTL. Retrieved 2008-09-05. 
  10. ^ The San Francisco Chronicle. Matier and Ross. June 18, 2008.
  11. ^ Board of Supervisor: Ross Mirkiarmi. May 2009 newsletter.
  12. ^ Brahinsky, Rachel; A.C. Thompson (2003-12-03). "Tainted dough? Gavin Newsom's flood of campaign cash isn't flowing just from San Francisco's elite: there's a sleazy Wall Street connection". San Francisco Bay Guardian. http://www.sfbg.com/38/10/cover_newsom.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18. 
  13. ^ Coile, Zachary; Cecilia M. Vega (2008-02-29). "Matt Gonzalez joins Ralph Nader's ticket". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/29/MNFCVATTD.DTL. Retrieved 2008-08-27. 
  14. ^ "Ross addresses Krissy for Congress".. YouTube.
  15. ^ a b Editors (May 6, 2011) "Mirkarimi Runs for Sheriff of San Fran." The Iran Times.
  16. ^ Sabatini, Joshua (June 17, 2011) "Ross Mirkarimi denied backing of sheriff's deputies for election." San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 7-5-11.
  17. ^ Abraham, Zennie (October 8, 2011) The Blog Report with Zennie62. SFGate. This quote appears at 28:51.
  18. ^ Gordon, Rachel (January 9, 2012) "Sheriff Mirkarimi sworn in under awkward cloud." San Francisco Chronicle.
  19. ^ Lopez, Eliana. "RAW VIDEO: Ross Mirkarimi and wife discuss domestic abuse charges". ktvu.com. http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/raw-video-ross-mirkarimi-and-wife-discuss-domestic/vFmqP/. Retrieved 2012-01-16. 
  20. ^ Tyler, Carolyn (January 18, 2012) "Mirkarimi's wife blames opponents for charges." KGO-TV.
  21. ^ Sherbert, Erin (January 9, 2012) "Ross Mirkarimi Update: Neighbor Who Reported Domestic Violence Fundraised for New Sheriff." SF Weekly.
  22. ^ Sabatini, Joshua (January 6, 2012) "Search warrant reveals information about Ross Mirkarimi domestic violence investigation." San Francisco Examiner.
  23. ^ Sabatini, Joshua (January 6, 2012) "Search warrant reveals information about Ross Mirkarimi domestic violence investigation." San Francisco Examiner
  24. ^ Griffin, Melissa (January 1, 2012) "Mirkarimi must be held accountable in abuse allegations." San Francisco Examiner.
  25. ^ CBS News (January 20, 2012) "San Fran Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi ordered to stay away from wife, kid in domestic violence case". CBS News.
  26. ^ Sherbert, Erin (January 23, 2012) "Ross Mirkarimi: Second Abuse Complaint Lodged Against Sheriff by "Ex-Girlfriend." SF Weekly.
  27. ^ Jamison, Peter (January 23, 2012) "Ross Mirkarimi's Second Alleged Victim Speaks Out in SF Weekly Interview." SF Weekly.
  28. ^ Gordon, Rachel (January 25, 2012) "Mirkarimi gets new lawyer in domestic violence case." SF Gate.
  29. ^ San Francisco Chronicle. Supe asks state to toss murder charges. June 12, 2009.
  30. ^ The San Francisco Chronicle. Guilty of grandstanding. June 13, 2009.
  31. ^ Editors (September 24, 2005) Journalist Josh Wolf returns to federal jail. Fog City Journal.
  32. ^ Hogarth, Paul (2006-11-15). "Foot Patrol Vote a Major Defeat for Newsom". http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3911 
  33. ^ Nevius, C.W. (2010-07-17). "Mayor Takes Low Road - Supervisors Even Lower". The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/17/BAV61EFGK3.DTL 
  34. ^ "Results Summary: November 2, 2010 - Consolidated General Election". 2010-11-02. http://www.sfelections.org/results/20101102/ 
  35. ^ "Handbook for the Board of Supervisors" (PDF). City of San Francisco. February 2007. http://www.sfgo.org/site/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/about/supervisor_handbook.pdf. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  36. ^ The San Francisco Chronicle. Mirkarimi proposal: Let S.F. sell medical pot. April 15, 2009.
  37. ^ Goodyear, Charlie (April 21, 2006) "Marijuana Group Honors Mirkarimi." Normal Daily News. (Retrieved 9-3-2008).
  38. ^ A recording of the speech is available at this page on the NORML Web site. Obviously, the Mirk smoked a doobie before making that statement.
  39. ^ Herrel, Suzanne (2005-01-26). "S.F. board votes to ban smoking in city's parks: Only golf courses would be exempt". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/01/26/MNG12B0HH71.DTL. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  40. ^ Truini, Joe (2207-04-02). "San Francisco votes to ban plastic shopping bags". Waste News. pp. 3. http://www.ebscohost.com. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  41. ^ Barak, Tamara; Gaffikin, Bridgid (2007-03-27). "San Francisco leads nation with ban of non-biodegradable plastic bags". Bay City News. http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/bcn_plastic_bag_ban_passed_070327.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  42. ^ Eskanazi, Joe (January 5, 2009) "Baggage." SF Weekly. (Retrieved 1-24-09.)
  43. ^ Buchanan, Wyatt (2008-06-11). "Supes OK rebates for solar power systems". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/11/BAJQ117AO1.DTL. Retrieved 2008-08-27. 
  44. ^ Arce, Joshua (2008-07-23). "SF Public Utilities Commission Cancels Power Plant Contract" (PDF). Brightline Defense Project. http://www.brightlinedefense.org/files/2008-07-23_press_release_sf_cancels_power_plant_contract.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-27. 
  45. ^ Rachel, Gordon (2008-07-31). "Plan Afoot to Get S.F. Workers Out of Cars". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/31/MN6U121MBQ.DTL&hw=mirkarimi&sn=003&sc=603. 
  46. ^ Brizzard, Chris (2008-01-29). "Marcus Garvey Way in the works". Bay View. Archived from the original on 2008-06-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20080614015504/http://www.sfbayview.com/News/Main/Marcus_Garvey_Way_in_the_works.html. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  47. ^ Malley‚, Ben (2008-08-12). "Western Addition Displacement Reparations Bill Moves Forward". BeyondChron. http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=5968. 
  48. ^ a b Taylor, Barbara (2012-01-26). "Gun Lobby Questions Why SF Sheriff Who Fought NRA Owns 3 Pistols". CBS San Francisco. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/01/26/gun-lobby-questions-why-sf-sheriff-who-fought-nra-owns-3-pistols/. 

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Matt Gonzalez		 Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
District 5
2005-2012		 Succeeded by
Christina Olague
Preceded by
Michael Hennessey		 Sheriff of San Francisco
2012 – present		 Incumbent
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