Chair of Oversight Committee Announces Legislative Response to Resignation Letter Scandal

SAN FRANCISCO — Supervisor Dean Preston, Chair of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, plans to announce a trio of efforts to end the use of undated letters of resignation for Mayoral appointees and to uncover the full extent of the Mayor’s use of this coercive policy.

Preston submitted formal Letters of Inquiry to the Mayor’s Office and to all appointed Commissioners, directed the City Attorney’s Office to draft an ordinance to prohibit the use of resignation letters from City commissioners, and will hold an emergency hearing on the subject, at which the public will be able to weigh in.

“This resignation letter scandal is deeply concerning. Requiring undated resignation letters from nominees for Commissions is completely out of line and inconsistent with our City’s Charter,” said Supervisor Preston. “As the Chair of GAO, I am committed to uncovering all of the facts here, and making sure this never happens again.”

Supervisor Preston’s efforts follow a weekend of news stories revealing that Mayoral appointees to some of San Francisco’s most powerful commissions were required to sign undated resignation letters as a condition of appointment. The Mayor’s resignation letter policy was discovered after documents were released via a public records request which included an undated resignation letter that Police Commissioner Max Carter-Oberstone said the Mayor’s Office had him sign as a condition of his reappointment this past spring. In the last two days, additional information has come out about dozens of sitting Commissioners who have signed such undated resignation letters, including MTA commissioners, Police Commissioners and more.

“The Mayor’s appointees, once they take their seats, are supposed to be independent commissioners. This secret effort to control commissioners is totally inconsistent with the City Charter which specifically protects these commissioners from unilateral removal once appointed.”

Preston’s Letters of Inquiry are broad, seeking not just information about Commissioners, but also appointments the Mayor has made to vacant elected positions. The Letters of Inquiry also seek information about any threats to use the resignation letters to control appointees.

Preston also directed the City Attorney to begin drafting an Ordinance to expressly ban the resignation letter practice and make clear that any such outstanding letters are null and void.

Letter of inquiry to the Mayor’s Office

Letter of Inquiry to Commissioners and Nominees

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