Jeff Adachi

No City For Drunk-Driving (Yet): SFPD's DUI "Scandal" Isn't Automatic DUI Freedom

​The San Francisco Police Department's latest evidence-handling SNAFU -- in which numerous drunk driving arrests and convictions were thrown into question because SFPD was monitoring drivers' breath with equipment that wasn't in working order -- rightly made headlines and led foreheads to be slapp ... More >>

Adachi Campaign Alleges Lee Door Hangers Violate Campaign Finance Law

Ed Lee​Interim Mayor Ed Lee is facing new allegations of wrongdoing on the eve of the election, capping a slew of ethical complaints that has dogged his campaign this fall.Public Defender and mayoral contender Jeff Adachi says he filed a complaint with the San Francisco Ethics Commission this morn ... More >>

Public Defender Alleges Cops Stole From Child's Piggy Bank, Used Excessive Force (VIDEO)

Charles Tran (at podium) alleges excessive force by SFPD at today's press conference​Update 5:00 p.m.: SFPD department spokesman Sgt. Michael Andraychak says Chief Suhr will forward the theft allegations onto the FBI, which is investigating the previous criminal misconduct allegations brought forw ... More >>

Police Scandals Free Up Jail Cells For Released Inmates

San Francisco County Jail: Vacancies​The Examiner had an intriguing piece today on how the scandals shaking the police department in the last year have had an ironic consequence: more empty beds in county jails to receive the hundreds of state prison inmates that will be sent our way from state pr ... More >>

SF Weekly Letters

Pension Critic Tony Hall Is a Pensioner

Tony Hall says he'll make a living no matter what...​If Jeff Adachi is this city's pension crusader, Tony Hall must be pension pope. The former supervisor and professional singer (who has an colorful past, no doubt) told SF Weekly that Adachi's pension solution "isn't worth a darn." It simply does ... More >>

Tony Hall, Mayoral Candidate, Barred from Debate Because of His Stance on Pensions

Tony Hall​Unions representing San Francisco's police officers and firefighters have barred former city Supervisor Tony Hall from participating in a debate among mayoral candidates slated for tomorrow, citing in part Hall's aggressive stance on reforming municipal workers' pension and healthcare pa ... More >>

Faux Willie Brown Weighs In on San Francisco Politics

The Country's Deadliest Jobs

Pension Reform: Jeff Adachi Says Mayor's Proposal Doesn't Add Up

The new face of pension reform?​Mayor Ed Lee announced his long-awaited pension reform proposal today, partnering with Supervisor Sean Elsbernd to introduce an amendment to the city charter that aims to defray San Francisco's mounting liabilities for employees' retirement benefits. Lee's goal all ... More >>

Dennis Herrera Called Out Over Pension Reform Ethics

Deciphering what's legally dumb​Public Defender Jeff Adachi's crusade continues ... but now he's turning his sights on City Attorney Dennis Herrera, claiming he is using his role as the city's chief lawyer to influence pension reform. Adachi's SF Pension Reform group, fired off a letter to Herrera ... More >>

George Gascón Likens Community Courts to Village Elders Meting Out Justice

Electing George Gascon as D.A. Will Be Like Siccing These Guys On SF Apple Stealers​Are Community Courts, as proposed by District Attorney George Gascón, a great way to quickly resolve nonviolent crime cases without clogging up the Hall of Justice? Or are they merely a way for prosecutors to rail ... More >>

Guardian, SEIU's Ridiculous Take on Pension Reform

I know! Let's tax the rich! ​If you hopelessly lash yourself to one of the city's political camps you're likely either a hack or on the payroll. Or, in the case of this week's Guardian editorial likening city pension reform to Wisconsin-style union-busting, both. The piece is penned by the preside ... More >>

FBI Takes Over Police Misconduct Investigation from DA George Gascón

DA George Gascon​District Attorney George Gascón said today that he is turning over his office's investigation into alleged police misconduct to FBI agents and the U.S. Attorney's office.Following a press conference, Gascón issued a statement that U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag "has agreed to take o ... More >>

SFPD Perjury Scandal: 'Police, Lies, and Videotape'

Public Defender Jeff Adachi​The San Francisco Police Department said it would expand its review of alleged officer misconduct in several narcotics arrests after defense attorneys revealed more video footage today they say contradicts sworn statements made by officers in police reports.It was the t ... More >>

Matt Gonzalez Named Chief Attorney in S.F. Public Defender's Office

Back at City Hall ​Matt Gonzalez, the liberal former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, is coming back to local politics after taking a job as the new chief attorney in the Public Defender's Office, effective today. Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced the appointment this morni ... More >>

Wisconsin Union Battle Resonates in S.F.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker​It was only a matter of time before San Francisco politicians and activists began weighing in on the pitched battle over union power in Wisconsin. Even more so here than in most states and cities, labor is an essential factor in all political equations. So is it that un ... More >>

DA Kamala Harris' Office Has ID'd at Least 76 Police Employees With Problem Backgrounds

D.A. Kamala Harris​The San Francisco District Attorney's office has so far notified Public Defender Jeff Adachi in writing of 76 police department employees with criminal or disciplinary backgrounds requiring disclosure.The letters come in response to a judge's order that D.A. Kamala Harris move q ... More >>

Workers' comp covers retired cops who get cancer

Baylinks: German Tourist, Treasure Island, Picketing

brandsoftheworld.comNow we really know what that "W" stands for...​Blame may fall on teen party organizers for German tourist's death [SF Citizen]Someone puts the green in Walgreens [SFist]Treasure Island development plan may be too crowded for God [SF Gate]

Jeff Adachi for mayor!

Bill O'Reilly Blathers On About San Francisco -- to Jeff Adachi

​FOX bloviator Bill O'Reilly seems to have the same attitude toward San Francisco that 20th-century Germans had toward France: Loves the place, but just can't stand all the damn people who live there. So it was interesting to watch O'Reilly going on about San Francisco this weekend, claiming to ad ... More >>

Gavin Newsom to Present City Budget Today

​Mayor Gavin Newsom's office  will today present the city with its budget for the next fiscal year. Union concessions and months of internal budget-hacking have likely made a potentially calamitous budget merely lousy. Yet, if past years are a guide, here's what will happen: City-funded nonpr ... More >>

D.A. Kamala Harris Doesn't Know How Many S.F. Cops Are Also Criminals

​You heard that right: San Francisco District Attorney and Police Chief George Gascon said at a press conference this afternoon that they don't know how many police officers in San Francisco have past criminal convictions.The press conference came in the wake of damaging revelations in the San Fra ... More >>

The Odd Couple: Former Combatants Adachi, Elsbernd Bond Over Pension Reform

Felix, Oscar; Sean, Jeff. Sean, Jeff; Felix, Oscar.​When we last covered the interaction of Public Defender Jeff Adachi and Westside Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, the latter was cutting the former off in mid-sentence -- and the former was giving the stare-of-death to the latter. In the epic battle ove ... More >>

Public Defender Wants $2 Million Owed to City on Ingleside Murder Case for his Office, Not General Fund

We caught up with Public Defender Jeff Adachi at City Hall this week for a brief chat about his wave-making announcement on Monday that he's seeking the aid of local and state legislators in recouping $2 million racked up by the city defending eight men in a decades-old murder case. The notorious "S ... More >>

Supes to Prod State for $2 Million in Defense Costs for 'San Francisco Eight' Murder Case

This just in: Public Defender Jeff Adachi has persuaded a few members of the Board of Supervisors to help his office recoup millions of dollars in defense costs racked up in the failed prosecution of eight alleged former militants charged with murdering a San Francisco police officer in 1971.Sergean ... More >>

S.F. taxpayers may be struck with the legal tab for a failed Ingleside murder case

Public Defender Plugs Kamikaze-Mixing Skills For Tonight's Barroom Fund-Raiser

Adventurous drinkers should ask barkeep Chris Daly for 'The Jane Kim'​We can't publicize every last political fund-raiser in this city. But when you've got elected public officials slinging alcohol and touting their drink-mixing prowess -- we'll belly up to that bar. The League of Pissed-Off Voter ... More >>

Public Defender Says Tenderloin Drug Sweep Spells Trouble for Court System

​No sooner had newly minted San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon declared a much-publicized sweep of drug dealers in the city's notoriously crime-ridden Tenderloin neighborhood than doubters began speaking up. After all, as San Francisco Chronicle columnists Matier and Ross noted recently, mak ... More >>

San Francisco Has a Budget -- and Chris Daly Has Left the Building

Once more, for old time's sake. Lost somewhere between the news of Sacramento's impending raid upon municipal revenue streams and President Obama's comfy jeans, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors yesterday passed the city's contentious, agonizing $6.6 billion budget. This wasn't done without Super ... More >>

Interesting Double Bill at City Hall: Come for the Justice In Iran Rally -- and Stay to Raise Hell for the Public Defender

Richard BuiIt's a protest double-header starring Jeff Adachi and the Iranian people...The beleaguered demonstrators of Iran could use a good public defender these days -- but, beyond that, we never thought to connect the totalitarian crackdowns in Tehran and the ongoing game of budget chicken betwee ... More >>

Double Whammy: Not Only Did Supes Pull Money Away From Mayor's Pet Community Justice Center -- They Also Gave Some to Public Defender

Audrey FukumanThe supes came for Newsom's pet court -- will they defund his whale next?By now, ardent followers of San Francisco politics may know that the Board of Supervisors' Budget and Finance Committee yesterday moved to financially starve -- and thus kill -- Mayor Gavin Newsom's pet Community ... More >>

Pride Rides: The Mayor's Convoy, The Public Defender's Truck, The Assessor's Last-Minute Call -- and a Big Surprise From Eric Mar

Janine KahnAn artist's rendition of Jeff Adachi's dump truckAnswers are trickling in from our elected officials on how they plan on cruising at this weekend's Pride Parade. Starting at the top, Mayor Gavin Newsom takes the same approach with vehicles as he does with spokesmen -- if one is good, then ... More >>

Point Adachi: Controller's Audit of Public Defender's Office Bolsters Claim Farming Out Cases to Private Attorneys Would Cost City More

Richard BuiJeff Adachi survived his probing by the city controller -- and is now proudly boasting the resultsSome of you may remember the very public tête-à-tête between Public Defender Jeff Adachi and Supervisor Sean Elsbernd earlier this year. Sparked by Adachi's request to hire more paraleg ... More >>

Mayor Slashes Public Defender's Budget -- Despite Adachi's Extremely Public Campaign To Avoid Cuts

Richard BuiPublic Defender Jeff Adachi sticks to his gunsSan Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi tested out the old maxim about the squeaky wheel, hoping a preemptive publicity campaign would save his office from the city-wide cuts in next fiscal year's budget. But there's ... More >>

Posterized: Public Defender Takes Budget Battle To the Streets

In this space we've detailed the increasingly strident and -- at times -- surreal game of "budget chicken" between Public Defender Jeff Adachi and the mayor and his allies. Mayor Gavin Newsom is set to submit a budget on June 1, and Newsom Spokesman Nathan Ballard has repeatedly said that if Adachi ... More >>

Nation's Public Defenders, Including San Francisco's, to Meet, Discuss Who's Getting Screwed Over the Worst

Richard BuiPublic Defender Jeff Adachi has not yet mentioned growing up in an old water tank on a rubbish dumpIn a get-together that threatens to devolve into the legal equivalent of the Monty Python Four Yorkshiremen sketch -- "You were lucky to live in a house! We used to live in one room, all 26 ... More >>

Public Defender Still Showing Up Every Day at Community Justice Center, 'Keeping Streets Safe From Perfume'

Jeff Adachi claims he's doing the work of three menJeff Adachi is walking through the Polk Street doors of the city's new Community Justice Center every day. The folks he's supposed to represent? Not as often. For the last two weeks -- in what is, depending upon whom you believe, either a theatrical ... More >>

Public Defender Says Stint at Community Justice Center Is No Stunt -- Pledges to Return Every Day

Jeff Adachi says see you at the CJCIt would raise eyebrows around the city if the fire chief grabbed a hose and doused a burning building, the planning director checked in for work behind the permitting counter, or the head of the Department of Public Works hosed human effluvia off city streets. And ... More >>

East of Eden

Adachi Straps Brick to Accelerator in Game of Budget Chicken With Mayor

Jeff Adachi personally showed up for this photo, tooAfter last week grumbling to SF Weekly that Mayor Gavin Newsom had welshed on his promise to provide a "couple of attorneys" to staff the city's fledgling Community Justice Center, Public Defender Jeff Adachi has resorted to theatrically ridiculing ... More >>

Public Defender Unapologetic About Playing Budget Chicken with Mayor, Says It's Impossible to Cut His Costs

Public Defender Jeff Adachi has no qualms about refusing to adhere to Gavin Newsom's demands he cut his budgetIn recent weeks, SF Weekly (and others) have covered the increasingly nasty public exchanges between Public Defender Jeff Adachi and the Board of Supervisors and Mayor's Office. In a nutshel ... More >>

Lawyer Brawl: Public Defender Says Supervisor 'Has No Idea What He's Doing.' Supe Retorts Public Defender Is a 'Horrible' Administrator

There's no love lost right now between Supervisor Sean Elsbernd (left) and Public Defender Jeff AdachiPerhaps disproving the scientific theory Mo' Money, Mo' Problems, a critical lack of the stuff has touched off a nasty feud between Public Defender Jeff Adachi and Supervisor Sean Elsbernd. After El ... More >>

The War On Gangs

With murders on the rise, City Attorney Dennis Herrera is cracking down on gangs using a legal tool critics say smacks of McCarthyism

Baring Equality

The cases of a young defendant and a repeat offender attorney show power and privilege tip the scales

Presumed Local

This year's superb S.F. International Asian American Film Festival focuses on homegrown, U.S. films

The Chess Man of Market Street

Every morning the old man brings the boards, pieces, tables, and chairs. All you need to bring is 50 cents.

The Last of the Burtons?

They have dominated state and local politics for 50 years. Now, for the first time, the future of their "family business" is in doubt.

Et Tu, Mom?

A new theme is already beginning to take shape this young campaign season: politicians betraying their heirs