SF conservative speaks truth to power

City progressives like the notion that they are speaking truth to power, but conservative Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders is doing that best on the Mirkarimi issue:

...The City Charter could stipulate that a conviction represents official misconduct, but it doesn't---on purpose. Lee himself testified that a criminal conviction of a public official by itself does not constitute official misconduct. Hizzoner prefers to consider such cases on a "case-by-case basis." Translation: If one of Lee's City Hall pals is caught in the act, he wants to be able to spare him or her the Mirkarimi treatment...

There is no penalty for tossing overblown unproven charges into the "official misconduct" shopping cart. So Lee charged that Mirkarimi tried to dissuade witnesses, abused his power against his wife and two other charges. 

Commissioners roundly rejected these charges as city attorneys dismally failed to meet the burden of proof. Keep in mind that these add-ons are what spawned hours of investigative work and mountains of documentation that extended the hearings for what felt like a forensic eternity.

Perhaps the mayor felt that he would look ridiculous firing the sheriff for bruising his wife's arm---which Mirkarimi admitted to---so he sent the full force of city law enforcement on an expensive fishing expedition that netted no fish...