Did Ammiano Ask Brown to Suspend Daly? Donkey Puckey, Says Ammiano!

In the 06/11/2002 Examiner: P. J. Corkery wrote:

"That unlikely duo Willie Brown and Tom Ammiano got together over the weekend to see about suspending Cobra Daly from the Bd. of Supes. Cobra threatened a cop for trying to arrest him at a demonstration at Hastings Law College on Friday," Corkery alleged.

"The issue behind the fracas, a plan by Hastings to build a garage where housing once stood."

Of this allegation, Tom Ammiano said, June 13, "That's ridiculous. They retracted it the next day. They're on a Jihad against him, and they just gratuitously made it up."

"They had someone call me and leave a voice message, 'Oh, did you meet with the Mayor about Chris Daly?' I called back on the answering machine and said, 'No, I did not. That's ridiculous.' The next day they printed it as if I did. The day after that, they said I did not," Ammiano reported.

"Their retraction was tacky and sarcastic: 'Stop The Presses! Tom Ammiano did not meet with the Mayor (as printed here yesterday), but Tom, you should have!' Meaning I should have talked to the Mayor about suspending Chris."

"What are you going to do? That's the level of stupidity. It's a setup. They say something, and you've got to deny it?"

Q: "So, there was no merit in it?" I asked.

A: "None at all. I don't meet with the Mayor to plot against supervisors, especially Chris who I've endorsed."

Q: "It could have had the affect of driving a wedge between you."

A. "Well, we're a little smarter than that. But right, that's the transparency there. "

Q: "So, a Mayor cannot get rid of a supervisor for talking back to a Cop?"

A. "No, (not) for anything! You know, the real deal here is: Supervisors can't be suspended. This is not like highschool where the principal (suspends students). The Mayor can't do anything about a Supervisor. It's the electorate, you know... (who decide by voting). It was really annoying. I saw Chris this weekend at events. I talked to him about the incident, and we're fine."

Q. "So, there wasn't even a meeting between you and the Mayor where this could have even come up?"

A. "No. Nothing. I don't even think the Mayor was in town."

Of the Examiner's calling Daly an "out-of-control Cobra" and President Ammiano's comment that they are "on a Jihad" against him, Supervisor Daly told me,

"I think it's pretty clear to anyone who can read that the 'Examiner' is out to get me. That's their job. They are mouthpieces for downtown interests, and downtown interests don't like me much."

Q. "Because of the issues?"

A. "That's absolutely right. If they are out to get me, Fine."

Q. "Fine?"

A. "Bring it on. They've been doing it for eight, ten months. I'm still here."

"The civil disobedience was to get heightened attention on the issue. It did that, but also the papers, especially the Examiner, ran with this story of me getting arrested. I got roughed up a little bit. It's just like them to focus on that when the issue itself is what's really important."

"There are a lot of reasons why the neighborhood is so united in its opposition to the 880 car garage. It's not just about the fact that there should be some affordable housing on this site, (even though) the Philadelphia and the other hotel were torn down. It also has to do this huge parking garage being totally inappropriate. The Madonna Senior Housing Complex is right across the street. Pedestrian safety is a huge issue in the Tenderloin. Congestion. Hyde and Larkin Streets are already highways --- north and south corridors. The parking garage is just completely inappropriate. It appears that Hastings may be rescinding their vote. I learned that this afternoon."