After a contentious 6-5 decision last week—in which allegiance non-pledger Jane Kim cast the deciding vote—Richard Johns was appointed to the historian’s seat on the Historic Preservation Commission.

The problem? Richard Johns isn’t a historian. The speculative subtext? His wife, Eleanor, used to be an aide to pro-development ex-mayor Willie Brown. The result? Lawsuit!

Led by one Gertrude Platt, the Proposition J committee, which successfully lobbied for the creation of the Historic Preservation Commission to replace the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board in 2008, brought a suit against the city of San Francisco yesterday, alleging that, by voting Johns in, the supervisors flouted a law specifying the qualifications required of all would-be Commission members.