When last we checked in with Ross Mirkarimi, the recently elected — and even more recently suspended — Sheriff was refusing to resign from his post and ready to take on official charges of misconduct that could kick him out of office and make him lose his pension and benefits. That and Mayor Lee installed Vicki Hennessy in the post in the meantime. But a lot has happened in the year's breakout hit courtroom drama since last week. Here's where we stand now:
The misconduct trial isn't expected to start until next month, but when it does the proceedings will be televised, which should make for some decent Government TV programming. (SFGovTV Super Nerd sidenote: ethics commission meetings weren't recorded and televised on SFGovTV until recently, thanks in part to an effort Mirkarimi himself supported on the Board of Supervisors.) Anyhow, the misconduct trial is not even on the agenda at the Ethics Commission yet, so it could be awhile.
If we're going to keep comparing this thing to a soap opera, then we should point out that Mirkarimi's wife and telanovella estrella Eliana Lopez just got permission to flee the country take her son to visit his Grandfather in Venezuela. As part of the visitation agreement, she has to provide her husband with a copy of the plane ticket. Which seems kind of creepy, actually. For his part, Ross gets one video chat session with his son per day.
Anyhow, while Lopez is on away from San Francisco until the end of April, Ross sounds like he's a little hard-up for cash. As he told the Judge last week, now that he is suspended and not pulling in regular paychecks, his family can't afford daycare for their son. Someone probably should have pointed out that, by fighting for his office, Ross stands to lose a lot more money in his pension and health benefits.
As part of his plea deal, you'll remember, Ross also has to take a year of domestic violence prevention classes. Last Thursday, Ross attended orientation for the class, and met with his probation officer at the Hall of Justice. And the flock of reporters was there to catch him leaving the building, of course. As he slipped out down Bryant Street, a member of the Ross-arazzi reportedly asked him, "Is this a little surreal for you?” Ross simply replied: "Yes. To say the least.”
Surrealism aside, Ross isn't talking to the press much, but the Chronicle did manage to get one awesome Mirkarimi-ism out of him. When asked whether he felt the misconduct charges where "piling on", Ross just piled-on some more, saying: "I think the piling on was weeks ago; it’s just the same — piling on."
