Newsom vets possible replacements for Ed Jew

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/24/7 | Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross

[SmithL]

With an informal deadline looming, Mayor Gavin Newsom and his staff spent Sunday vetting possible replacements for Supervisor Ed Jew, while Jew's attorneys vowed to fight his suspension every step of the way.

"The first step would likely be up the federal courthouse steps to ask for an injunction," said Jew's lawyer Steve Gruel, who is defending the supervisor against a federal mail fraud complaint that accuses him of instigating a $40,000 shakedown of local businessmen.

If Newsom suspends Jew, a hearing before the Ethics Commission would follow, probably leading to a trial, in effect, before the Board of Supervisors.

Gruel argues that as long as Jew is under indictment in federal and state courts, it will be impossible for him to testify in any city proceedings related to the criminal charges he faces.

"It will be like putting him on trial with his hands tied behind his back and duct tape over his mouth," Gruel said.

"Plus, remember, he hasn't been convicted of anything," he said.

Gruel vowed the mayor will have a fight on his hands from the moment he tries to oust Jew from the board.

"The mayor has already said they're going into uncharted waters," Gruel said. "Believe me, they are going to be stormy as well."

Be that as it may, as of Sunday the mayor appeared as determined as ever to see Jew removed from office, and to instigate proceedings within the week unless Jew resigns on his own.

"Do we think the first stop will be some kind of injunction? Possibly," said one key mayoral adviser. "Believe me, nobody is kidding themselves that this isn't going to be messy.

"The phrase we're using is 'grim determination' - nobody wanted to do this," the source said.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

It’s a good thing the first name is in the headline, leaving a non-Californian confused, rather than only the last name, which would have been startling.

[SmithL]

For a lot more background information on this San Francisco soap opera, click on keyword EdJew.

Ed Jew appears to be the only San Francisco politician that isn't allowed to pick and choose which laws to obey.

[ridesthemiles]

Ed Jew is apparently in trouble way over his head.
He has lied and mislead his constituents.
I also believe the bribe stories.
BTW- I am NOT a supporter of Newsome. He is a cannibal of an entirely different breed, IMO.

[bpjam]

I’m a little confused. Why is this Jew guy being persecuted?

What is different about ‘shaking down’ some business and passing a higher tax to pay for homeless shopping carts? Both require that honest citizens are forced to cough up extra money to subsidize some politicians personal penchant?

Is there some new era of respect dawning for business owners in SF? Or did this Jew guy just get caught making a gay joke in a public restroom somewhere (which was being used as a cruising spot which Larry Craig had yet to discover)?