Rare move could force Ed Jew out - S.F. city attorney asks attorney general to intervene...

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 6/18/7 | Cecilia M. Vega, Wyatt Buchanan

[SmithL]

City Attorney Dennis Herrera's request Monday for permission from the state attorney general to file a lawsuit that could force Supervisor Ed Jew out of office is a legal tactic rarely used in California and believed to be unprecedented in San Francisco.

- Saying his office's investigation into Jew's residency found overwhelming evidence that Jew has not been living in the Sunset neighborhood he represents, Herrera asked Attorney General Jerry Brown for approval to sue Jew so that the freshman lawmaker can be ousted from his seat on the Board of Supervisors.

It is the first time in modern San Francisco history such a request has been made on behalf of the city against a sitting supervisor. On only a handful of occasions has the legal maneuver been used in recent years to remove an elected official from office in California.

"Right now what we've reached is a crisis in the legitimacy of San Francisco government that we have not seen in modern times," Herrera said.

The action drew angry protest from Jew's lawyers, who called the move political and promised to fight it. Mayor Gavin Newsom said through his spokesman that the city attorney's findings were "troubling" and that he is reviewing city law to determine his "duties and responsibilities."

"I really don't know what the hell this big rush to judgment is," said Bill Fazio, one of many attorneys Jew has hired to represent him.

In a 50-page filing that asks the attorney general to intervene, Herrera presented the most comprehensive and compelling case yet in a month-old residency scandal that threatens Jew's City Hall job and could send him to prison.

[alloysteel]

Since when has NOT residing in the designated district grounds for stripping any legislator of his ill-gotten right to serve the special interests that put him in office in the first place?

Just consider the situation with Herself, the Cold and Joyless, and New York State. Or even Teddy and Massachusetts.

[PEACE ENFORCER]

The guy saved taxpayers lots of money in fees and tax's. It looks like he went after the wrong guy’s ... the garbage collector....I mean our elected politicians need to keep getting their kickbacks from these guy’s..... right?

[ridesthemiles]

the “big rush to judgement” here is the fact that if I were a SF resident, I would legally challenge ANY and ALL laws, regulation, rulings, etc, that Ed Jew had voted on up to now, and would be able to vote on in the future until this is settled.

Technically, this man does NOT belong in that office any more than you or I belong there.
There are clearly laws on the books all over this country about residence requirements to hold office. I know that for years, one had to be a resident of Los Angeles to work there as a fire fighter or policeman.

This man has lied, obviously about his residence, and has done so willingly. This is not an error due to a change in district lines or something like that. This man has been hiding behind wrong data for years.
Why? I don’t know.
But, he has been deliberate in his actions.
He deserves to be removed before the sun goes down today in SF, and I really think the legality of any votes he has cast in his time in the chair are really subject to legal challenge.