Double standard: Mirkarimi and Nuru

Lee vs. Nuru: Not Happening!
by Larry Bush
3/25/2012
CitiReport

It came and went in the blink of an eye.

The Chronicle gave it one story, six paragraphs on page C-3 on March 2. No editorial, no commentary from Chuck Nevius. No billboard.

Yet the appointment of Mohammed Nuru to be permanent Director of the Department of Public Works delivers one of the city’s most important agencies into the hands of a man who allegedly protected a serial sexual harasser, fired his own Equal Opportunity officer who had objected, was at the center of election scandals in 1997, 1999 and 2003, was involved in using a city-funded agency for political campaigns, and used thousands of dollars in city-funds to beautify his own block.

If ever there could be a case study on the application of the city charter’s proscription against “conduct that falls below the standard of decency, good faith and right action impliedly required of all public officers,” it would be the case of Mohammed Nuru.

Instead those standards were brushed aside by Mayor Ed Lee who extravagantly praised Nuru when appointing him two weeks ago.

“Mohammed Nuru is a dedicated public servant who has proven over the last decade to be one of the hardest working City employees keeping San Francisco clean, green and beautiful,” said Mayor Lee. “His track record of building bridges and partnering with the community aligns with our common commitment to maintaining the City’s infrastructure, delivering outstanding service to residents and visitors, and efficiently managing public works projects that will create jobs and help revitalize San Francisco’s economy,” said Lee in a press statement

Just a year earlier on February 15, 2011, Lee signed off on a $105,000 settlement in a case brought by Nuru’s Equal Opportunity officer for racism and sexism following her dismissal and alleged retaliation.

Among a list of examples of Nuru’s misconduct, his EEO officer included tolerating a DPW official who sought sexual favors from staff members over a 30-year period and held a woman employee imprisoned in a car while he sought sexual favors from her.

Flash back to 2004, when an extensive City Attorney’s investigation led by a deputy city attorney who now is a Superior Court judge found Nuru to be at the center of a pattern of corruption in 1997, 1999 and 2003 campaigns. The report was turned over to Nuru’s supervisor, at the time Ed Lee, who shelved it with no action...

It gets worse. The rest of the story at CitiReport.