Despite the fact that it’s a controversial stance, a coalition of Latino groups has come out publicly in support of disgraced Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi and his wife, Venezuelan telenovela actress Eliana Lopez.
Mirkarimi pleaded guilty to false imprisonment in March after a New Year’s Eve argument that left Lopez with a bruised arm. Soon after, Mayor Ed Lee began proceedings to remove Mirkarimi from office for official misconduct. The Ethics Commission is currently considering whether to recommend that the supervisors remove their former colleague from office.
The Comite de Padres Unidos, a parents’ group that helps immigrants; a notable immigration lawyer; and a Mission District business group have come out in support of Mirkarimi. Jorge Garcias, president of the Latin Business Network and Community, a Mission District neighborhood group, said he supports the couple because he feels the mayor has a personal vendetta against Mirkarimi.
Garcias and popular radio host Marcos Gutierrez organized a fundraiser to buy Lopez an airplane ticket to return to San Francisco from Venezuela so she could testify in her husband’s defense.
They have penned editorials, attended Ethics Commission hearings to show support and contributed to the fund for Lopez’ airfare.
“What we want is for the sheriff to do his job,” said Silvia Ramirez, a committee member who is a survivor of domestic abuse. “We want his rights to be respected, especially here in a progressive city like San Francisco.”
Committee member Lupita Siordia told El Mensajero, a Bay Area Spanish-language newspaper, that the system has disempowered Lopez.
“As a woman, also an immigrant with children, I understand Eliana. She was never given the opportunity to speak. That woman Madison made decisions for her and created a political game along with the mayor,” Siordia said, referencing Ivory Madison, López’s neighbor who released a video of Lopez to the police without her consent.
Their stance is different from that of groups like La Casa de Las Madres, a nonprofit organization that helps victims of domestic violence and has not only denounced Mirkarimi but even launched a billboard campaign against domestic violence that refers to the case. Supporters of Mirkarimi contend that the billboards were paid for by his political opponents.
The Latino groups that support Mirkarimi are concerned about possibly losing an ally who supports immigrants’ rights.
“The most important thing is that the sheriff was elected fair and square by the voters of this city,” Siordia told El Mensajero. “I am a citizen and I voted for the sheriff after having studied my options very well. He is the only one who is against Secure Communities and wants to reform the jail system because of the injustices that exist, because of how bad it is.”
Immigration lawyer Mark Silverman joined the coalition after talking with Ramirez. Silverman told the newspaper that he is conflicted because of the allegations of domestic violence.
“Everything is a matter or proportion,” Silverman told El Mensajero. “He himself [Mirkarimi] said he did something wrong. The issue is to balance it out and put it in perspective. This crime that he committed, that I would say is domestic violence at a minor level, is bad enough to be discredited as sheriff.” Removal from office would be disproportionate punishment, he said.
He also wants Mirkarimi to keep his post because of his stance on immigrants’ rights.
“Ross Mirkarimi has taken a position in his campaign to protect the rights of the people in jail, not just Latinos, against abuse from the police system and mainly has taken a position against cooperating with ICE,” Silverman said.
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My name is Erick Arguello, the one in the picture for this article. This picture was taken at an award presentation hosted by the Latin Business Network. I was presented an award for our work on 24th St. and posed with
Eliana Lopez who had also received an award.
Our organization does not support or endorse any position regardin this case. Its unfortunate that the writers of this aticle used a file picture that was not taken for this article.
Translation: Mission Local writer, Rigoberto Hernandez, supports the convicted criminal Mirkarimi along with a immigration attorney … No merit, considering the source.
Saying “Sorry!” isn’t taking responsibility… Step down, complete 3 YEARS of probation… That is taking responsibility, run again if you want… The ONLY reason his wife is doing well NOW, is that the proceedings went forward… His wife was afraid of him, read her earlier testimony… Madison did not misrepresent herself…
I am Latino and am embarrassed to be said ‘our’ groups support this guy. As far as I am concerned this article only names two group and an immigration lawyer who sees this as free advertisement. GImme a break.
Thank you for your perspective. MissionLocal does love to speak for certain communities as though they are unanimously agreed with MissionLocal’s own opinion, it seems.
Magnificent site. A lot of helpful info here.
I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you in your sweat!
I have a hard time accepting the possibility of having a Sheriff who’s on parole.
look moron, he’s not on parole, he’s on misdemeanor probation. parole is for people release from state prison. how many mea culpas does the guy need to make? his own wife said how she was completely disempowered by the cops and the DA who refused to listen to what she wanted. he grabbed her arm, and he’s sorry. let’s not burn him at the stake please. and more to the point, i think it’s great to have a sheriff who understands the pain, stigma and shame of the criminal process. he is more able to help others move past their mistakes than the average person who thinks they’re better than everyone else as though they never did anything stupid.
I think once the Sheriff admitted to committing a crime, any crime, he morally and ethically disqualified himself from office. It is incompatible to have someone who is charged with enforcing the law to admit to breaking it. The issue of DV, while troubling, is really a side issue. It simply boils down that he committed a crime, and he should gracefully resign.
Also, committing a crime, is not doing something “stupid,” that would be running with scissors or failing to look both ways before crossing the street. Rather, committing a crime is doing something wrong. There is an important difference.
And, yes, while many people have done things that are wrong, myself included. We all should expect to be held accountable for them, and no the criminal process is not enough. If I committed a crime, I could well expect that it may lead to my being fired, and I do not even hold the trust of an elected office.
Ross Mirkarimi should step down.
Hey we should make that fake plastic surgeon the sheriff instead. He truly knows the pain of the legal process. I think as long as he says sorry he’d be a great candidate.
Mea culpa: I have a hard time accepting the possibility of having a Sheriff who’s on probation for Domestic Violence.
How ironic that the group is named “Padres Unidos”.
In the Spanish language, words generally revert to the masculine form when describing a mixed group. The word here means “parents,” and is described as such in the article. It is also only one of a number of groups taking this position, as referenced in the article.
Interesting to see sarcasm directed at the only people – from the Latino community – willing to finally give the victim a voice, and to listen to her.
Change ‘ironic’ to ‘fitting’.