( – promoted by Lucas O’Connor)

At a press conference this morning, San Francisco Police Commissioner and former Democratic candidate Joe Alioto Veronese threw his support to Mark Leno for State Senate.

Veronese was joined by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assessor Recorder Phil Ting, School Board President Mark Sanchez, Supervisors Bevan Dufty and Sean Elsbernd, former Treasurer Susan Leal, and Firefighters Union President John Hanley.

Leno also announced the weekend endorsements of the California Nurses Association and the California Teachers Association. Leno spoke on how this is clearly a two person race between Leno and former Assemblyman Joe Nation. The campaign’s momentum since the CDP convention highlights how the progressive community is uniting to keep this seat from falling into the hands of a candidate who doesn’t even support single-payer health insurance and voted against Sheila Kuehl’s bill.

“As we look forward to the election of former State Senator Jackie Speier to congress tomorrow — fingers are crossed, we think she’ll do very well — I’m reminded that when Senator Speier was moving forward her landmark privacy legislation, consumer privacy legislation, that Joe Nation again not only would not support it, but was carrying legislative water for the banking and credit card industry that Jackie was trying to reform.”

Leno went on to remind people of Nation telling the papers that it was a “mistake” for Mayor Newsom to courageously advance marriage equality. As the sponsor of the first resolution in the country opposing invading Iraq, Leno also reminded voters of Nation’s opposition to a timetable for withdraw.

Video and more pics after the jump.

Mayor Gavin Newsom

Assessor Recorder Phil Ting

Mark Sanchez, who pointed out that he’s a Green Party member and they don’t usually support Democrats but he’s supporting Mark Leno.

You too can Mark Leno.

I’m sorry, but this just too creepy to call a coincidence. First, Susan Leal is asked to leave by Gavin Newsom, and today she is struck by a car today just outside City Hall.

Susan Leal, general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, was struck by a car in front of City Hall just before noon today and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, according to the spokesman for the commission.

Leal was in the crosswalk between City Hall and Civic Center Plaza when she was hit from behind and then flew about 30 feet, said Tony Winnicker, commission spokesman. She is conscious and alert and has no evident broken bones, said Winnicker, who was with Leal at the hospital.

“She’s doesn’t remember a lot,” he said. “She’s pretty shaken up.”

Leal was undergoing tests to check for any head or internal injuries, according to Winnicker.

The driver of the car that struck Leal stopped at the scene, he said.

At the time, Leal, a former supervisor and city treasurer, had just left City Hall, where she has been under pressure from Mayor Gavin Newsom to resign as head of the city’s public utilities agency. Newsom appointed Leal to the post in 2004.

Fog City Journal reports that the driver was not impaired.

The driver has not yet been cited and police do not believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he said.

Perhaps someone in Room 200 doesn’t want to let go of that $500,000. No matter what, everyone around Gavin Newsom winds up getting hurt one way or the other.

(Good question – promoted by Julia Rosen)

On Wednesday night the Newsom Administration went public with their pressure on Susan Leal to resign from the PUC.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Susan Leal has been asked to resign, the first major department head to be targeted for removal by Mayor Gavin Newsom, knowledgeable City Hall sources said… Leal received a telephone call Friday evening from Newsom’s chief of staff saying her services won’t be needed in his second term.

This has left a number of people asking “Why?”, and in response to the Mayor’s decision, I sent the following Letter to the Editor of the Chronicle yesterday afternoon.

To the Editor:

I am stunned to learn of Mayor Newsom’s request to the PUC General Manager Susan Leal for her resignation (“Newsom urges Leal to resign as head of S.F. PUC,” 12/6/07).

More below the fold.

To the Editor:

I am stunned to learn of Mayor Newsom’s request to the PUC General Manager Susan Leal for her resignation (“Newsom urges Leal to resign as head of S.F. PUC,” 12/6/07).

For years, the PUC languished under poor leadership and mismanagement prior to Leal’s arrival and is now in the process of implementing a $6 billion overhaul of our water and sewer systems, in addition to its ongoing responsibility for delivery of water to 2.5 million people, sewage conveyance and treatment for all San Franciscans, power delivery to MUNI and all City buildings, and operation of one of the greenest water systems in the world.  Leal has brought with her a competent, determined leadership team that has saved the City millions, implemented strategies for greener, cleaner power, and given direction back to an organization that badly needed it.

That Gavin Newsom has decided Leal’s “fit” in some circle of friends is more important than the continued success of this invaluable organization speaks volumes to what a second Newsom term holds for San Francisco.  During the Mayor’s re-election campaign, I at least felt that he couldn’t set the City backward, but now I am not so certain.  How unfortunate for us all.

Luke H. Klipp, President

San Francisco Young Democrats

I appreciate anyone’s thoughts here.