Top SF official Kimberly Ellis ousted after misconduct probe
The big picture: Kimberly Ellis, once considered a power player in California Democratic politics, was appointed by former Mayor London Breed in 2020 to oversee the agency.
The agency, tasked with advancing equity for women and girls, shifted under Ellis' tenure from focusing on gender-based violence to taking on a larger role bolstering women in politics.
Driving the news: The Commission on the Status of Women, the department's oversight board, unanimously voted late Wednesday night to oust Ellis "for the benefit and the future success of the department," commission president Sophia Andary said.
The seven-member panel, which chose not to disclose its discussions on her dismissal, announced the decision after two hours of deliberation.
The dismissal is effective immediately and comes after Mayor Daniel Lurie, who does not have the authority to remove Ellis, asked the commission to do so.
What they're saying:"I have the highest expectations for city employees, and the City Attorney's investigation found that Director Ellis committed a range of misconduct, unlawful activities, and mismanagement," Lurie said in a statement to Axios.
Jen Kwart, spokesperson for the city attorney's office, declined to reveal details of the probe but said it concluded after "we had already gathered significant evidence of wrongdoing."
The other side: Ronald Arena, Ellis' attorney, told Axios via email that Ellis was targeted "not because she did anything wrong, but because she refused to be complicit in wrongdoing."
Arena's statement accuses the city of withholding key records, using her medical leave to rush termination, bypassing mandated ethics procedures and leaking details to the media to control the narrative.
"The City's conduct represents a profound abuse of authority and a betrayal of its own stated values," Arena said.
Catch up quick: Lurie suspended Ellis in March amid questions about her financial management and claims that she fostered a culture of fear. She has denied all allegations and maintains she did nothing wrong.
In 2023, her department awarded an $85,000 contract for a behavioral coaching company to a longtime collaborator whom Ellis described on social media as a " dear friend."
The department also spent over $600,000 on a one-day conference, including for food, lighting and a fashion show. (Andary received a $1,000 speaker's stipend, documents show.)
She later overruled employee concerns to approve a $30,000 overpayment to the political nonprofit that put on the conference via a no-bid contract.
Ellis has also faced scrutiny for failing to disclose nearly $20,000 in payments from the progressive Power PAC in 2023 through a personal consulting firm. Her department had granted the PAC's nonprofit affiliate $120,000 in contracts the year prior.
What to watch: Ellis announced a lawsuit against the city earlier this month, accusing the city of bringing back "discredited ethics allegations" to force her out.
"Director Ellis was not forced out for poor performance or ethical misconduct. She was forced out for telling the truth, for defending the vulnerable, and for refusing to quietly disappear," her lawsuit reads.
She claims the campaign to oust her was retaliation against her for reporting "credible and deeply disturbing" sexual misconduct.
The city attorney's office has not yet been served with Ellis' lawsuit, according to Kwart, who said her allegations were thoroughly investigated and deemed "baseless."
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