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Gay group may fight new maps
Vol. 41 • No. 33 • August 18-24, 2011
Behan to leave SF Pride
by Matthew S. Bajko
T
he state’s largest LGBT advocacy group, Equality California, is pondering what action to take, if any, in response to the new political boundaries for California’s legislative and congressional districts. The state’s Citizens Redistricting Commission signed off on the redrawn lines Monday, August 15. Shortly after the panel’s Jane Philomen Cleland vote numerous organizations voiced Assembly candiconcerns about the date Luis Lopez panel’s decisions and suggested they would take steps to challenge the new boundaries. One group, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, issued a statement that afternoon saying it was closely reviewing the maps to determine if they dilute the Latino vote and if “litigation is warranted.” EQCA has also voiced concerns about the new maps in terms of how they impact LGBT voters in several cities around the state. Several organizations have started informal talks with EQCA about joining any legal action against the new maps. “A lot of minority groups are looking at the maps and weighing in on whether to file legal action. We have been approached and are having those conversations,” said Mario Guerrero, EQCA’s government affairs director. “We are looking at the maps and looking at what impact they are having on our community and what next steps to take.” But Guerrero noted that drawing the lines is a balancing act that calls for some give and take between competing interests. “I think no one is going to be 100 percent happy here,” he said. “I think the lines generally were beneficial to the communities of interest we identified. However, there are shortcomings.” Republicans are also looking at how to contest the maps, particularly for the state Senate, as they are expected to see their clout be further reduced in the Statehouse. The GOP, in addition to threatening its own legal action, has openly discussed going back to the ballot in order to redraw the lines. Openly gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), who will run for re-election next year for the new, lone San Francisco Senate seat, said the GOP critiques are a case of “sour grapes.” See page 10 >>
What a difference a year makes. The San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee handed out checks totaling nearly $169,000 to its community partners Tuesday, one year after many of those groups received only a fraction of their payments. Bill Wilson
by Seth Hemmelgarn
A
fter working for months to solidify the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee’s finances, interim director Brendan Behan plans to
leave the organization at the end of the year. The news comes as the Pride Committee distributed nearly $169,000 to its community partners Tuesday, August 16, a remarkable turnaround from a year ago, when beverage partners initially received
only a fraction of what they were owed. As Behan’s title indicates, it’s been known since he was hired in April that the job would end in months. He said then that he would be with the organization through the end of the year. See page 12 >>
DA candidate Bock touts experience by Seth Hemmelgarn
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he’s the only woman running to be San Francisco’s next district attorney, but Sharmin Bock likes to tout something else in her bid for the office. Until recently, she had also been the only candidate who’s actually worked as a prosecutor. That changed when former prosecutor and defense attorney Bill Fazio entered the race last week, just before the Friday, August 12 filing deadline. “I can advise, guide, and lead trial lawyers,” Bock said. In a Saturday, August 6 interview, Bock, who has 22 years of courtroom experience, said she has “a long history of fighting for underserved communities.” A San Francisco resident, she serves as an assistant district attorney for Alameda County in charge of special operations and policy development. Bock, 49, created the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit and has been recognized for her efforts in fighting the prostitution of children. She was also selected to create and supervise the Alameda County District Attorney’s office’s Cold Case/DNA Cold Hit Unit. There, she adopted a multi-disciplinary approach that brings prosecutors, police, crime lab scientists, and the coroner’s office to solve “forgotten” murder and sexual assault cases. Another cold case-related operation Bock’s been involved in is the DNA Cold Case/Cold Hit
Jane Philomen Cleland
San Francisco district attorney candidate Sharmin Bock, right, talks with Jenny Ton, left, and Janice Mynie, an organizer of the Lower Haight Art Walk Festival, during the event.
Task Force, the formation of which she led. The task force is comprised of police agencies and scientists who meet regularly to discuss legal and forensic developments and review cases.
Views on LGBT safety Bock mentioned the prosecution of the men accused in the murder of Gwen Araujo, the
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transgender teen who was beaten and strangled to death at a Newark house party in 2002 at the age of 17. She said although she didn’t prosecute that case directly, she was “immensely moved by that tragic crime.” She said transgender people are the targets of many hate crimes, and See page 12 >>