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Out of the Limelight

Written by Chris Daly. Posted in Opinion, Politics

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Published on March 18, 2008 with 3 Comments


District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly
Photos by Luke Thomas

By Chris Daly

March 18, 2008

Gavin Newsom continues to enjoy unusually high polling numbers in the LGBT community. Gavin generated much of this goodwill with his move on gay marriage. But as I’ve written before, out of the limelight, Gavin’s record on LGBT issues is less than stellar. And it’s no longer just about Gavin’s budget cuts to priorities like AIDS/HIV services — it’s become quite nasty and really personal.

Remember Gavin’s failed political power play to stop Theresa Sparks from becoming the first transgender President of the Police Commission? This was only the beginning.

Since that time, Newsom refused to reappoint Roma Guy to the Health Commission, ousted Debra Walker from the Building Inspection Commission Presidency, and tried to block Christina Olague from becoming the Vice President of the Planning Commission.

The latest prominent LGBT community leader in Gavin’s crosshairs is Robert Haaland.


Robert Haaland

Back in 2006, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin appointed Robert to the SF Board of Appeals. It has been common practice for members of that Board rotate in and out of leadership positions (with President and Vice President split between Mayoral and Board appointees). By custom, Robert should be elected Vice-President at the Board’s meeting Wednesday night. Unfortunately, the Mayor’s team has decided to stop that from happening.


Board President Aaron Peskin swears in Robert Haaland to the Board of Appeals, July 2006.

While it may not surprise insiders that the Mayor is targeting a former President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and probably the City’s most prominent FTM transgender leader, we shouldn’t allow it to go down without a fight.

The Milk Club is mobilizing people to show up tomorrow night at 5 pm at the Board of Appeals meeting (City Hall Room 416) to “raise some queer hell.” However it goes down, it should be worth the price of admission.

Newsom’s political attacks on LGBT leadership come at an inopportune time. After scoring big political points last week for exposing anti-Semitic postings made by a former Bayview Affordable Housing Initiative proponent, Newsom ally and Proposition G proponent Aurelius Walker is now facing renewed charges of homophobia. Introducing Mayor Brown during a campaign rally in 1999, Walker made these comments about Supervisor Tom Ammiano caught in the documentary See How They Run.

“We cannot have a Queen — the Mayor of the City. We need a King. Did you hear what I said? We cannot have a Queen!”

Walker’s public gay-baiting of Tom Ammiano was some time ago. But just last year, Walker made jaws drop again trying to blunt criticism that he was in bed with the Lennar Corporation saying that he wouldn’t lay in bed with another man!

I agree that hate speech should not be tolerated in San Francisco politics. When anti-Semitic remarks made by a Prop F proponent were exposed, I swiftly denounced them and asked the proponent to step down from his position.

With Walker’s homophobic remarks now exposed, will Gavin Newsom and Lennar do the same?


Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Chris Daly

Chris Daly

For over 5 years, I have worked at City Hall on affordable housing, tenants' rights, homelessness, public health, the environment, and senior and kids' issues. I have fought with all of my heart for economic, social, and environmental justice in San Francisco.

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  • Terrrie Frye

    Fortunately not all of us have been fooled by this mayor’s slick glitz, glamour, PR and photo ops, but it’s still too bad that enough of us fell for it to get him re-elected. It is so transparent that he is setting the local stage to assist him in his upcoming run for governor with a blatant disregard about how it affects the citizens of SF. And his robbing of MUNI in its time of trouble to pay his staff, using the city coffers to pay for his gubernatorial run, is unconscionable and should be stopped, or at the very least, investigated as highly unethical.

    Robert Haaland is one of fairest, open-minded people I know. I have watched him build coalitions across lines of color, gender, sexual preference, political parties, etc., and has been a total asset to the Board of Appeals. He is one of the people who got me interested in local politics and joining the Milk Club. Robert strongly urges people to participate in the process. He should not be denied his rightful place as VP at the political whim of the mayor.

    I was so upset when Local 2 endorsed Newsom for his second term because he showed up for a photo op during their hotel strike. I felt that if he really cared about Local 2, he would have gotten down and dirty and gotten arrested with the likes of Chris Daly, Robert Haaland, Sister Bernie Galvin and Local 2′s own Mike Casey. I wonder how they feel about this mayor now that he is attacking one of their strongest allies and supporters, Robert Haaland.

  • Jerry Jarvis

    Daly had his chance to set the city’s agenda, but I guess he settled on what he like to do best be critical of the job he refused to step up and take.

  • shona

    I dont know which comes first ..the sorrow ? or the outrage – at the continued attack on lgbtq elected officals& other visionaries -who are making/taking part in – just rulings to protect the interests of those truly under attack by regime.

    -working familys,disabled ,sancturary status communites and the poor. who are are just barely allowed ? to live? here! –

    We have been supported in our efforts to acheive justice by these comissioners/devotees to Milks legend of defending all human rights. .

    who clearly see ,and then take the risk to make others aware of the plan to displace us ,remove us and silence us – and have spoken out in compassion for all -that, to me.. is why these leaders are being targeted –

    their gender or sexual preference plays second fiddle to their politcal dissonace and refusal to play along!or remain silent about nothing less than a “”master plan” to dismantle and destablize
    a ever growing resistance –

    And its not up to chris daly to set the agenda straight,Mr.Jarvis ,respectfuly ,we are all called to duty-