In a passionate editorial in the Examiner, local journalist and one half of local web series Necessary Conversation Melissa Griffin writes that newly sworn in Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi handled the recent domestic-abuse allegations against him about as poorly as he possibly could have. Rather than coming out firmly against domestic violence and agreeing to cooperate fully with the investigation, he's tried to write it all off as the work of his political enemies, and called it just a 'private matter, a family matter."

Griffin argues:

It most certainly is not. And shame on Mirkarimi for saying so. Secrecy and designation of the “private sphere” are the enablers of all manner of abuse, whether it be spousal, child or elder. Public safety officials, whose salaries are paid with our taxes, have even less of a right to claim privacy when their neighbors call the cops.

Furthermore, she says that Mirkarimi's progressive supporters and the local news media in general has seemed all too eager to give him a pass, and to believe that this isn't a story at all, even though we still know none of the details that have caused the DA's office to bring misdemeanor charges against him.

Apparently, the “nosy woman next door” (even though she hosted a fundraiser for Mirkarimi’s campaign) and the “Latina drama queen” (we are constantly reminded that Lopez was a soap opera actress in Venezuela) stereotypes are easy enough to believe. Better to defend the 6-foot-3 politician with a shiny smile shooing us away saying, “Nothing to see here.” That’s right, he’s the real victim.

She has a point.

[Examiner]