Gay man takes over at key SF dept. as allegations rock mayor's race

  • by John Ferrannini, Assistant Editor
  • Tuesday September 17, 2024
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Mawuli Tugbenyoh has been named the acting director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Photo: Courtesy Mawuli Tugbenyoh
Mawuli Tugbenyoh has been named the acting director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Photo: Courtesy Mawuli Tugbenyoh

San Francisco Mayor London Breed named a gay man as acting executive director of the city's human rights commission late last week as allegations of potential wrongdoing in her administration sent shockwaves through the mayoral race.

Mawuli Tugbenyoh was tapped as acting executive director September 13, according to a news release. He'd most recently been deputy director in the San Francisco Department of Human Resources, where he helped with reforming the city's hiring process, according to the release. He is a co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, which solely endorsed Breed in the mayor's race.

"My focus will be on rebuilding the community's trust through transparent, accountable actions that allow us to advance the transformative work of the Human Rights Commission," Tugbenyoh stated. (SFHRC didn't return the Bay Area Reporter's request for an interview.)

The news came after the San Francisco Standard reported September 12 that Sheryl Davis, who first went on administrative leave and then resigned September 13, signed off on $1.5 million in contracts with a local nonprofit, Collective Impact, run by a man with whom she shared a home address and a car. Davis was required to disclose this and allegedly didn't.

A San Francisco Chronicle investigation also revealed alleged financial mismanagement at the city agency, reporting that people were overpaid tens of thousands of dollars, that expenses were approved without documentation, and that one nonprofit director received a reimbursement for a $10,000 Martha's Vineyard rental.

A Standard reporter last Friday asked Breed — who has described Davis as a friend — if she knew about this relationship. The mayor said, "Not right now, not right now."

During an editorial board meeting September 16, the B.A.R. asked Breed when, then, could she answer that question.

"Right now, everything is under investigation," she said. "There's only been one reporter that has been as aggressive, in my face, the way I was treated. I would have been happy to take him outside and have a conversation and answer a question but he was completely out of line. I have said I am very uncomfortable, you know, with people violating my personal space, and he was out of line and he asked me the same question at least four times and it was just inappropriate for a reporter. I've never had — other than one, kind of, gotcha reporter, get in my face like that since I've been mayor. I just want to say that for the record."

Breed added, "I will answer whatever question is appropriate for me to answer based on the fact that this thing is under investigation. It involves personnel issues, it involves contracts and other things. It is definitely important that I don't say anything that's going to put this investigation in jeopardy. And when it is appropriate and what is appropriate for me to answer, I will do so at that time because I have no problem in answering it. ... I have known and worked with Sheryl Davis for many, many years, many, many years — I consider her a friend and have always appreciated the incredible work that she has done to support and uplift community."

On September 17, Breed issued a statement about Davis and her male friend. "I was aware that Sheryl Davis and James Spignola were very close. That's why I made it clear to former Director Davis on multiple occasions that she needed to wall herself off from all decisions related to Collective Impact. While protective measures were put in place, they weren't implemented soon enough or to the extent necessary. As mayor, I take full responsibility because the buck stops with me."

A main issue has been Davis' oversight of the Dream Keeper Initiative, a priority program that Breed started in response to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis back in 2020.

The Dream Keeper Initiative is a citywide effort launched in 2021 to reinvest $60 million annually into San Francisco's diverse Black communities, according to its website. The initiative was housed in the human rights commission office, with Davis overseeing day-to-day operations.

"This really hits hard," Breed told the B.A.R. "After the tragic death of George Floyd, there was an uprising not just in this city — in this country — to do something. There were so many people and organizations that promised change and support to the African American community and San Francisco did something. We did something, and I'm proud of that work and of what that could mean and has meant in terms of the investments and the success of all the good things that it's done, but I am devastated over the fact that now, it is in jeopardy and there are some real concerns over the mismanagement of the program."

Breed said before the revelations she had already ordered a hold on further resources going to Dream Keeper "until there was a full and thorough and transparent investigation to ensure the public these dollars are being used for the purpose intended."

Peskin, Farrell call for investigations

Most of Breed's top opponents in November's mayoral election wasted no time pouncing on the situation. One challenger, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, announced his intention to hold hearings on Dream Keeper and related matters at the Government Audit and Oversight Committee.

"Millions of taxpayer dollars are being siphoned off and lining the pockets of corrupt administrators and their associates, instead of being put to work to strengthen our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for the people of San Francisco," Peskin stated. "With news of each scandal, the public trust in local government erodes further. This type of corruption has plagued this administration: I'm calling for immediate accountability."

Former interim mayor Mark Farrell, who is also running, called for a federal investigation.

"For $120 million in public resources that should have been used to address our officer staffing and public safety crisis, we now know that funds went to pay for a home rental in Martha's Vineyard, cigars, bourbon, and motorcycle rentals in Lake Tahoe, and to services provided to residents in Oakland," Farrell stated. "There are now multiple reported, reoccuring examples of the misuse of public resources and cronyism. Enough is enough."

A recent Chronicle article () detailed that Urban Ed Academy was awarded $1.2 million under the program to place Black teachers in public schools, It turned out that after three years, only five people were placed in San Francisco schools. Most of the people who got jobs through the program ended up working for youth-focused nonprofits or teaching in Oakland, the paper reported.

Candidate Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi's fortune who later became founder and CEO of the nonprofit Tipping Point Community, tied the scandal to separate allegations about a Farrell mailer in support of Proposition D and a Chronicle story about his actions in support of an effort to open school yards on weekends.

"In a matter of hours these two insiders have eroded public trust for years to come," Lurie stated. "It's time to turn the page on corruption in San Francisco. Our residents and taxpayers deserve accountable, effective leadership — no more backroom deals, conflicts of interest, or pay-to-play schemes. We won't get the change we need by replacing one corrupt insider with another. They spent their careers building up a broken system that they've been caught exploiting, repeatedly. It's sheer arrogance for them to claim that they alone can fix it."

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