Last Minute Attack Ads Put Focus On SF Supervisor Race
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The fight over San Francisco's District 5 Supervisor seat has been even further escalated with the last-minute release of an attack ad aimed at the woman who currently holds the seat, Christina Olague.
Domestic violence advocates argue that Olague should not be reelected based on her controversial vote that gave embattled San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi his job back.
KCBS' Holly Quan Reports:
Ivory Madison, a key figure in the domestic violence investigation into Mirkarimi, starred in the ad, which criticizes Supervisor Olague, who's vote helped reinstate the sheriff after misconduct hearings failed to remove him from office.
"I live in District 5, next door to a convicted batterer, who is also our sheriff," Ivory said in the ad. "Because Christina Olague thinks it's okay to abuse your wife and still run a major law enforcement agency."
Andrea Shorter is a women's issues advocate and head of a political committee formed to unseat Olague.
"People are outraged and they want to make it very clear this is not acceptable," she said.
The committee is funded in part by Silicon Valley angel investor Ron Conway, who's also a supporter of Mayor Ed Lee. It was Lee who's attempts to remove Sheriff Mirkarimi from office failed.
Olague said Conway's involvement points to this not being about domestic violence but rather politics.
"If you look at the history of any of these people, I don't think any of them have a history of engaging with women of color or low income people around these abuse issues," Olague said.
Mirkarimi came under fire when it was revealed he bruised his wife's arm during a New Year's Eve fight.
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