Ross Mirkarimi begins campaign to keep sheriff job

Facebook group: Stand With Ross

Sign the petition. Mayor of San Francisco: Reinstate Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi to his elected office

SF Bay Guardian Editorial: The Mirkarimi case is an abomination

There's only one way to say this: The official misconduct case against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has become a one-sided star-chamber proceeding that violates all the basic rules of fairness, decency, and due process.

Over the past few weeks, Mayor Ed Lee, acting through the City Attorney's Office, has been collecting evidence and issuing subpoenas to force witnesses (including some who have only a peripheral involvement in the matter) to give testimony. The mayor is acting as if he's prosecuting a murder case instead of conducting a hearing on whether an elected official should be thrown out of office for a misdemeanor.

And Mirkarimi and his lawyers have absolutely no ability to respond.

That's right: The mayor and the city attorney have subpoena power. The defense in this case doesn't.

SF Bay Guardian- GUEST OPINION: The politics of retribution

In the name of domestic violence, the mayor and the city attorney have removed an elected official from office. Domestic violence advocates are being used to further an agenda that is hypocritical and ultimately will undermine and dis-empower us all.

Ross Mikirimi was the only progressive elected in the last election. Ross has always been an ideological feminist. The established power brokers in City Hall did not want Ross to be sheriff. They do not want someone who advocates for diversity. They do not want someone who supports the rights of the people to implement the Compassionate Use Act and maintain cannabis dispensaries. They do not want a sheriff who will stand up to the federal government. They do not want a sheriff who will stand with the 99 percent.

It's interesting that he's described as feminist. I don't know why, except that he's broadly "progressive", and also supports workers' and gay rights. So it seems that feminism here is acting as toxic towards these other things, and seizing power at their expense. Coup d'etat is a good term for it. This shows what's liable to happen when men or liberal/progressive people work with opportunistic feminists, who will stab people in the back to take power.

He probably won't help his enemies after this. He's also a sheriff with a reputation for changing treatment of prisoners (a position compatible with men's rights.) From the change.org petition: "We believe that his policies will advance restorative justice, rehabilitation, and successful reentry into the community for ex-offenders, making San Francisco the safest city possible. "