Former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
August 21, 2011
It may be hard to imagine US Senator Dianne Feinstein and former Mayor Willie Brown unwittingly doing the bidding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in their support of interim Mayor Ed Lee’s mayoral candidacy, but such a possibility would be abhorrent to voters at a time when the United States is suffering economically while China is thriving.
However ludicrous such a conspiratorial notion may sound, former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin believes San Francisco voters should be concerned of the possible influence of international politics in this year’s race for San Francisco mayor.
In an August 17 article published by the Epoch Times, Peskin says, foolishly or courageously, what others have said privately but are afraid to say publicly – that Chinatown ringmaster Rose Pak is working on behalf of the interests of the Chinese government.
“There are … individuals, but behind those individuals are actually entities that are more powerful than those individuals,” Peskin told the Epoch Times. “It is really about political influence and how political influence works—and that even includes working with and representing the interest of an outside government in San Francisco.”
“I am happy to name those names,” Pekskin added. “They include the People’s Republic of China.”
“I believe that what we are witnessing is that Ed Lee is a puppet who is controlled by Ms. Pak and Mr. Brown and the money influences that they represent,” Peskin added. “This flies in the face of those fundamental American, democratic values.”
Though Peskin does not cite concrete evidence to support his claim of PRC influence over Lee’s campaign, he points to the number of trips Lee has taken to the PRC with Pak. “The connections are deep,” Peskin said. “Look at the number of trips that Mr. Lee has taken to the People’s Republic of China with Ms. Pak—many over the years.”
Lee is not the only City Hall lever to have been courted and influenced by all-expenses paid trips to China. Former Mayor Gavin Newsom, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, Willie Brown and Peskin, himself, have all been whisked off to China in the lap of luxury courtesy of business leaders and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, headed by Pak, to solidify business deals and sister-city relationships and to meet with government officials. Pak was also a central figure in organizing opposition to the PRC’s most threatened foe, the Falun Gong spiritual group, in its denied 2004 permit request to participate in Chinese New Year parades.
For her part, Pak has consistently denied any ties with Beijing.
Chinatown powerbroker Rose Pak.
As for Lee’s ties to the PRC? In 2008, Lee was one of 41 torchbearers selected out of 543 applications by a Beijing Olympics selection committee to carry the Olympic Torch through San Francisco.
And though it was a matter of Chinese-American pride, Pak invited Chinese Consul General Zhansheng Gao to attend Lee’s swearing in as interim mayor in January. Gao also joined Pak and Lee during a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy on July 5 at City Hall.
Chinese Consul General Zhansheng Gao attended the Board of Supervisors’ confirmation of interim Mayor Ed Lee, 1/11/11.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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October 11, 2012 at 1:36 am
Rose Pak is a fat pig who should leave SF, swim to the PRC and otherwise piss off.
August 24, 2011 at 10:54 am
Sideways,
I understand what you mean about only me and you being the smart ones. But, I kinda got my doubts about you.
No offense.
As usual.
Can you play shortstop?
h.
August 22, 2011 at 2:04 pm
h.-
There is a big difference between ‘opinion’ and ‘accusation’.
For example, my opinion is that Peskin isn’t very bright.
An accusation would be that Peskin, Jewish by heritage, is secretly conducting his public affairs at the direction of the Israeli Government.
I’m quite certain that the first example is true and have no problem saying it. The second would be pure speculation on my part and could damage innocent parties so I wouldn’t say it without providing some justification, which I don’t have. To do so would be as unfair to Peskin as he has been to Rose Pak.
-s
August 22, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Peskin is leading the demise of the Democratic Party in SF. His progressive machine that controls the Democratic Party found it impossible to find an Asian Democrat running for mayor to give even one of the RCV endorsements to. I believe he, and the DCC are going to find it increasingly difficult to hide from allegations of rascism from the Asian community, and his comments from this column will seal the deal. I’d be willing to bet will be the first time a DCC-endorsed candidate loses a mayoral election in the most Democratic city in the country! Well done, Aaron and the rest of your cronies!
August 22, 2011 at 8:49 am
And, oh yeah …
The Chinese government is capable of doing anything you can imagine. Except dressing well.
h.
August 22, 2011 at 8:47 am
boys! boys!
Now knock it off. Peskin has a right to his opinion as do you. And, of course, I especially have one. Here’s a ‘consider the source’ thing I read yesterday about the propaganda media arm of the government will now be broadcasting in Times Square.
It’s all so high tech now. What ever happened to those guys who walked around with sandwich boards broadcasting their own particular view of things?
Anyway, here’s the piece:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/aug/9/chinese-agitprop-lights-up-times-square/
h.
August 22, 2011 at 5:49 am
Chinese Communist agents infiltrating our political system, Mr Peskin? I can’t imagine why, as a patriotic American, you have not turned over this information to the FBI, State Dept, or Justice Dept. Election tampering by foreign agents is a serious crime…unless, of course, you don’t have any evidence and you’re just making this stuff up.
August 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm
Seriously; this isn’t the usual incoherent ramblings, this is McCarthyism. Are we going to ask every business leader who visits China if they are now, or ever have been, a member of the Chinese Communist Party? Heck, Joe Biden is there right now. And what about Kissinger??
This is an issue where good people need to speak up. And Peskin’s friends, if there are any need to say “Step away from the bottle, Aaron. It’s time for us to get you some help” .
October 11, 2012 at 1:38 am
That’s right, call it McCathyism, that might cover that fat pig Rose Pak’s purpose…
August 21, 2011 at 7:49 am
Money talks,
The U.S. government allowed the Chinese Embassy in D.C. to put a couple of hundred of their diplomatic mission on buses and send them all over the country beating the crap out of Falun Gong demonstrators. Chris Daly was the only supervisor (you liked Pak back then, Aaron) … Daly was the only supe to stand up for the Falun Gong when Pak and thugs from the SF Chinese Consulate came to City Hall to interfere with Falun Gong public comment. Pak called them “worse than Al Qaida” and Jake McGoldrick called the Falun Gong, “terrorists”.
A close associate of Pak’s is banned from Daly’s bar (it ain’t easy to get banned from an Irish pub) … banned the guy for telling one of the geeks who opposed Lee that the guy should be careful because he and Pak’s people had, “leg breakers” who would take care of him.
The Chinese government seems to view any enclave of Chinese immigrants living anywhere in the world to be little Tibets or Formosas and they literally attack them physically. All over the world!
No, we don’t need a stooge for the commies as mayor.
What’s wrong with our usual line of stooges from AIPAC?
Giants at 11am.
God does love the Giants. As badly as they play, the team in front of them (Arizona) seems to play a bit worse to give us a chance for the old miracle finish.
A little song to tie it all together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjWn-ueeeLw
h.
October 11, 2012 at 1:40 am
Hear, hear! This attack on Falun Gong in SF is enough evidence to roast that pig. Rose Pak, fuck you murdering scum.