A false $84,000 TV ad sponsored by the San Francisco Realtors Association
has been pulled off the air by Comcast following a complaint filed
by District 3 candidate David Chiu with the Ethics Commission.
From the campaign to elect David Chiu to District 3 Supervisor
October 15, 2008
In response to an Ethics Complaint filed by District 3 Board of Supervisors candidate David Chiu yesterday, the COMCAST cable television company this morning announced it has pulled an $84,000 TV political attack ad off the air because the group sponsoring the ad failed to substantiate its false attacks on David Chiu.
An email from COMCAST to the David Chiu campaign this morning stated: “As of this morning, the ad has been suspended and off the air. S.F. Realtors Association must now provide substantiation to back up their claims or provide a new ad.”
“Special interests are trying to mislead, manipulate, and in this case blatantly lie to voters to turn City Hall into a rubber stamp for their agenda,” said candidate David Chiu. “I ask our San Francisco voters to stand with me to reject a tired, McCain/Palin-style of politics based on lies and false smears, and to elect Supervisors who will stand up to special interests.”
Candidate for San Francisco District 3 Supervisor David Chiu.
Photo by Luke Thomas
Yesterday, Chiu filed a formal complaint with the S.F. Ethics Commission against COMCAST and the S.F. Realtors Association because the television attack ads, which began broadcasting on Monday, falsely claim that Chiu supports legalizing prostitution.
David Chiu is a former criminal prosecutor who publicly announced his opposition to the measure on the S.F. November 2008 ballot which would decriminalize prostitution, Proposition K, at a public meeting of the S.F. Democratic County Central Committee on August 13, 2008 that was widely reported in the media. He is also listed on the No on Prop K website as an opponent of the measure.
The Ethics Complaint stated that the ad violates Section 1.163.5 of the S.F. Campaign and Government Conduct Code, which strictly prohibits the distribution of campaign ads that contain false endorsements.
“These false ads were particularly outrageous because I am a former prosecutor, neighborhood leader and community court Judge-Arbitrator who has fought for years to stop crime in our neighborhoods,” said Chiu. “I applaud COMCAST for taking swift action and urge the Ethics Commission to enforce the law and hold the S.F. Realtors Association fully accountable for violating laws designed to stop exactly these kinds of false ads.”
The Hunger Site
October 16, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Maybe it’s just me but I’ve always found this sort of thing as being so blatantly mean-spirited to the point of being laughable and counterproductive to the cause of it’s sponsors. It would be one thing to send out mailers that have well-reasoned and level-headed arguments against certain candidates but it is another thing entirely to assume that everybody detests Chris Daly as much as the sponsors do (though, I fully admit that Chris isn’t popular among a lot of San Franciscans). And I’m not saying that connecting Chris Daly to these candidates wouldn’t work but the way in which they make the connection is so dumbed down and cynical as to insult the voter’s intelligence.
In addition, such tactics would rile up the intense support that these candidates already have (as was the case with Chris is 2006) and encourage them to redouble their efforts in order to elect them. For my part, after seeing this kind of trash, I kicked in an extra $100 to Eric Mar’s campaign and another $50 to John Avalos’ campaign.
October 15, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Parotting? I’ve been calling Chiu a puppet for 4 months and I want full credit.
That said, the deceptive ads are unethical tactics that echo those of slimeballs Carl Rove and Aaron Peskin.
October 15, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Progressive activists throughout the City should focus the next few weeks before the election walking precincts and phone banking for David Chiu, Eric Mar, and John Avalos.
These good people are all under assault by the SF Realtors Association, the SF Apartment Association, the Building Owners and Managers Association, and other special interests who are trying to weaken tenant-friendly laws.
Big money can be defeated if progressives come together to out-organize the opposition. We can’t let Joe Alioto Jr., Sue Lee, and Asha Safai win these important Board seats.
October 15, 2008 at 3:14 pm
The reaction to this unethical behavior by supporters of David Chiu’s opponents is also typical McCain/Palin style tactics.
When they see that one line of attack isn’t working, they throw out words like “puppet” like they were schoolkids calling each other names in the playground.
And for all the candidates for Supervisor who promised to bring civility to San Francisco politics: Where are your voices?
October 15, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Parroting the SF Realtors line means that you are a puppet too.
Saying Chiu is a puppet of Daly is just a laughable joke using the SF Realtors Republican guilt-by-association rhetoric.
Chiu has the widest range of support and endorsements of any District 3 supervisor candidate. Daly is just 1 of HUNDREDS of supporters from across the political spectrum.
Focusing on only one endorsement is just nonsense.
“I ask our San Francisco voters to stand with me to reject a tired, McCain/Palin-style of politics based on lies and false smears…â€
Vote November 4th!
October 15, 2008 at 2:33 pm
That would be David Chiu.
Your reasoning for labeling Chiu a puppet is that he changed a vote when threatened by Daly, but how do you know that is true? Try to provide actual evidence — I bet you can’t. The only account of a “Daly threat” over the Chair vote is with Arlo Hale Smith.
October 15, 2008 at 2:17 pm
David Chui is against Prop. K (that’s only one position), but he is still fundamentally a puppet of Daly. Look how quickly he reversed his vote on the DCCC when threatened by Daly. How can we trust him if he is so willing to fold under pressure?