Reporters Kicked Out of City Hall Meeting

By Erin Sherbert Mon., Mar. 7 2011 at 5:59 PM

Government watch

Just as an emotional community meeting over a Tenderloin homeless shelter was set to start at City Hall today, reporters were booted out -- and those are the facts.

Ron Case, the president of Lower Polk Neighbors, reportedly walked outside with an aide from Supervisor Jane Kim's office and conferred for a few minutes before coming back into the meeting room and telling reporters they had to leave.

Why would the press be kicked out of a community meeting, which was presumably open to the public? Supervisor David Chiu told SF Weekly that he got there late, so he hadn't witnessed reporters being asked to leave, and he wasn't entirely sure if it was a public meeting.

Case told us "it wasn't my call."

Then we got our answer.

"Having a bunch of reporters there is not conducive to speaking your mind freely, you know?" a Kim aide told SF Weekly today.

Yes, we know exactly what you mean, unnamed source.

The community discussion was about the growing frustrations and concerns over Next Door homeless shelter. Attendees, it seems, wanted to speak callously about homeless people -- without the fear of being quoted and coming off as callous.

Kim's office claims the "community meeting" was private, although some Lower Polk residents say otherwise. A press release had been sent out earlier Monday by the Community Leadership Alliance, inviting media to the "public meeting."

We aren't sure exactly how many reporters were asked to leave, and what's even more unclear is why any of them left at all. Aren't they part of the community?

"Well, we didn't want anyone to make more of it than it was, and if we got misquoted somehow," Case told us after the community meeting ended. "There was nothing really to write about."

Looks like we'll have to take his word on that.

Follow us on Twitter at @SFWeekly and @TheSnitchSF

Tags:

Lower Polk Neighbors, Ron Case, Supervisor David Chiu, Supervisor Jane Kim

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Hanoi Jane Kim ("I don't do the pledge") LOL

sfsanity

LPN was willingly co-opted by Chiu around 2005 or so with the blessings of Peskin as Chiu began his ascendancy to what he foolishly believes is mayor of SF. Mid-Polk Neighbors was formed approximately in 2006 or 2007 to promote Chiu's D3 Supervisor candidacy.

dantsea

There has to be some way to make this very unpleasant for Jane Kim so that she isn't as blatant about it in the future.

Brock Keeling

I yearn for the day when SF Supervisors realize that, outside of a very small group of people no one gives a shit about, they are not celebrities.

h. brown

Fact Check,

My apologies. The group was co-opted beginning in 2007 for Chiu's 2008 race.

I appreciate the correction.

World Champion Giants lead all teams in Spring Training.

Bettyblogger

I guess she didn't want folks to get the inside track on her secret meetings?

el Greco

Did anyone from the press simply not leave? In other words, refuse to go?

mattymatt

Did none of the reporters have a cell phone with which to record this taking place?

njudah

Good to know that transparency in government is alive and well at City Hall, and that our progressive elected officials are out there making sure the public is informed.

h. brown

Interesting,

Not surprising, but interesting. This 'Lower Polk' group was formed to promote David Chiu's candidacy a couple of year's back. Thought they were headquartered in his district. Let's see how the Guardian spins this to favor Kim and Chiu.

Giants not on radio again.