Police Union Ditches Christina Olague Following Mirkarimi Vote

By Erin Sherbert Fri., Oct. 12 2012 at 3:45 PM

SF Police Union's Newest target

The San Francisco Police Officer's Association has rescinded its endorsement for Supervisor Christina Olague in the November election after the District 5 rep shocked everyone by voting to give Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi his job back as the county's top cop earlier this week.

The Union fired off a statement today explaining how Olague really screwed up when she decided that Mirkarimi, who had been convicted of false imprisonment following a domestic dispute with his wife, was still fit to run the county jails.

See also: Supervisor Christina Olague Explains Her Vote to Save Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi

Per the SFPOA:

Ms. Olague has demonstrated her lack of empathy and support for victims of domestic violence during her recent vote before the Board of Supervisors and the SFPOA can no longer support her in this very important race.

But really this move shouldn't be that astounding to anyone at City Hall considering it was the San Francisco police who arrested Mirakrimi -- and built a dramatic case against him; it should be even less surprising since the police union never really wanted Mirkarimi as the county sheriff anyhow.

But Olague kinda shrugged off the loss; in fact, she tells SF Weekly she only learned that the POA had endorsed her when she heard about today's rescindment. "Somehow I missed that one," she tells us with a laugh. "It's up to them, but it's not going to affect my commitment to working with the Police Department and I want to maintain good relations with the captain [in the district]."

As we reported earlier this week, Oalgue had started receiving the hate mail from constituents just 12 hours after she cast her vote in favor of reinstating Mirakrimi. Olague, who was appointed to fill Mirkarimi's supervisor term when he was elected sheriff, told SF Weekly at the time she was prepared for this sort of political blow back, especially since her vote was seen as a betrayal to Mayor Ed Lee, who had been working hard to oust Mirkarimi. The mayor and his powerful friends, Rose Pak and Willie Brown, have been campaigning on Olague's behalf to help her get reelected as city supervisor.

"People are using the election to hold me hostage," she told SF Weekly after her vote this week. The Mirkarimi vote was "one of those situations where you can't think about Nov. 6. You really have to do what you think is the best thing to do -- because both sides are going to be angry."

She seems to have stuck with that attitude, even after losing the POA endorsement today. When we spoke with Olague this afternoon, she didn't seem too worried that this would be the first of many other dropped endorsements. "Nah, I'm picking some up, and that's the way life is -- you win some and you will lose some."

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Tags:

Ross Mirkarimi domestic violence, SFPOA, Supervisor Christina Olague

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jccourt

the SFPOA: says: "Ms. Olague has demonstrated her lack of empathy and support for victims of domestic violence"

Eliana Lopez is not a victim of domestic violence. The way this city has treated Ms Lopez is much worse than anything that ever happened between her and her husband. Thanks.

metaskeptik

@SFWeekly That's hilarious! Keystone Cops revoke endorsement. Lol! Thanks for reminding us that useless cops have a union. #WhodaThunkIt?

thecosmiccowboyranch

This entire case is a black eye for SF and common sense...

Conservatives always charge that liberals will run right over Civil Rights to pursue narrower aims... Ross Mirkarimi has been made a poster child for this formerly baseless charge... Folks is Esseff need to get hold of themselves and understand that balance is essential... I don't stand with men who beat women, not one bit... But that didn't happen here...

FOR A THUMB BRUISE?

You wanna destroy the family to save it? What a vicious criminal! Can't let this go by! Let's make sure he can't see his family for months, raise his child or hold the job we elected him to, let's spend literally millions, and put 'ol Ross i the poor house while we're at it, on this very important issue..Perfectly in keeping with the "Reality TV" world we live in, everybody gets 15 minutes to make a fool out themselves...

This proud liberal is ashamed of all the nannies in SF and I for one support the common sense and dignity expressed by Supervisor Olague, she should not be alone. When the clouds finally part you watch Ross run for Mayor... And win.

randolph.fleming topcommenter

@thecosmiccowboyranch To sum it up... Classic "Circular

Firing Squad" of the Left..The biggest reason that they never quite

achieve their 'collective' goals..

David4Peace

The police hate Mirkarimi because he consistently opposes police violence and supports community-based justice instead of just locking everyone up. Olague has won the undying support of the majority of District 5 voters who love Ross because he worked so hard for them. I'm sure there will be waves of negative publicity about Olague, Kim, Campos, and Avalos. But the voters in their districts won't buy it, even though people who don't know them will.

mrericsir topcommenter

Funny how SFPD only cares about domestic violence when there's political reasons to do so. When it comes to reporting domestic violence to SFPD on a normal day, they will tell you in no uncertain terms to fuck off and stop wasting their time.

patrick_connors topcommenter

Cops have opinions about domestic violence? Interesting....how many cops get charged with DV? More than a few.

Anyway this is probably why SFPD should stay out of politics.

Olague's vote for Mirkarimi was just as much a political tactic as was Ed Lee's relentless persecution of the elected Sheriff.

If cops don't see that they are pretty dumb. And if they DO see it but choose to ignore that the possibility to appear moral, then they are being just as political as everyone else.

realove

"her lack of empathy and support for victims of domestic violence". This is so untrue. I believe all the supes who voted to reinstate Ross spoke eloquently about the issue of DV and its seriousness. None of them had any lack of empathy/support. I really find it so unfortunate when people cannot see subtlety in this world, and believe everything to be simply black and white. This vote has a lot to do with issues of legality. But if the POA wants to characterize Christina this way, it is a reflection on them, in my opinion. It's a free world, but I do not concur with their assessment of Christina.

And by the way, what about San Francisco's dismal record in prosecuting DV cases? See the Guardian and Public Press for stories on that.

craftlaw

1 Like

she didn't vote as she did because of some lack of empathy for genuine victims of domestic violence. She voted as she did because the city charter language which the mayor pretended gave him the power to remove elected officials for private conduct(an arm grab) when not yet in office, that language is fatally flawed, and unconstitutionally vague. If the supes had voted to remove the sheriff, there would have been a certain winning appeal to the 1st DCA.That would have ended up costing San Francisco at least double the 1.3 million in taxpayer dollars that Ed Lee frittered away trying to get rid of a political enemy.

If she had voted differently, or had recused herself, there would have been unwanted scrutiny about the involvement of the mayor with the supes on this matter.

You see, Lee and his handlers never thought Ross Mirkarimi would have the gumption to demand due process, to fight back. They had nearly destroyed his family, taken his paycheck, had special friends at theChronicle lead the charge of character assassination....etc. But Ross, though chastened, was stronger than they hoped..

I'll never forget the grinning mugs of the professional non-profit dv CEO'S with their big six figure salaries as they infantilized Eliana,nearly destroyed the life of Theo,while arguing that a momentary arm grab is a beating, a killing,the end of the world. Then there was Sherri Kaiser, the not so nimble city attorney with her comparison of Ross Mirkarimi to Michael Vick. What, did she think Mr. Vick just grabbed the legs of the dogs he brutally killed? Enough already. Ross won, his family won, the cabal and its willing lynch job partners lost. That's a good thing.

Anyone who tries to keep beating(intended) this issue, is just mean and abusive. Let Ross, Eliana and Theo live their lives with no more faux drama.

Perhaps Ivory Madison could mind her own beeswax long enough to actually prepare and take the bar exam. Then her website puffery would have some substance.