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The California Report

SF Supervisors Call for Outside Investigation Into Public Works Corruption Scandal

Tara Siler
Supervisor Matt Haney says an outside investigator would be tasked with looking into the extent of corruption within the departments of Public Works, Public Health, the Airport Commission and any other city departments.
San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney with Supervisor Gordon Mar.  (Tara Siler/KQED)

A group of San Francisco supervisors is calling for an independent special investigator to scrutinize the city’s Public Works department after the agency’s director, Mohammed Nuru, was arrested this week on corruption charges.

Supervisor Matt Haney is leading the call saying that internal reviews and audits by the city attorney and the controller’s office, as called for by Mayor London Breed, are insufficient.

“It is both necessary and appropriate to identify a completely independent investigator without any pre-existing contracts or relationships with the city to conduct investigations,” Haney said.

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On Tuesday, Nuru and San Francisco businessman Nick Bovis were indicted on several corruption schemes, including allegedly attempting to bribe a San Francisco International Airport commissioner. The commissioner, Linda Clayton, resigned on Wednesday, citing health reasons.

Haney said an outside investigator would be tasked with looking into the extent of corruption within Public Works, Department of Public Health, the Airport Commission and any other city departments implicated in the federal complaint.

Supervisors Gordon Mar and Dean Preston joined Haney in demanding an outside review.

“We absolutely cannot rely on the executive branch of government… to investigate itself,” Preston said.

The mayor’s office said an outside investigator is unnecessary. A spokesman for the mayor said in an email that the city attorney and controller are “independent entities responsible for employee misconduct, investigations and audits. They will be tasked with making recommendations for reforms to ensure the highest standard of integrity is met.”

In the wake of the scandal, Haney intensified his call for a complete overhaul of San Francisco Public Works, creating a commission with oversight responsibilities of the agency, which commands a $500 million annual budget.

“The power of this department is massive,” Haney said.

Haney said he’s especially indignant that the streets in his Tenderloin district have remained filthy as Nuru was “lining his own pocket.”

Meanwhile, the federal investigation is ongoing and several supervisors said they won’t be surprised if more indictments are forthcoming.

Haney said that since Monday his office has received multiple calls from former and current Public Works employees who said they’ve been reluctant to report improprieties for fear of retribution by Nuru and others.

“This did not happen in a vacuum,” Haney said.

The 75-page federal complaint identifies several people using acronyms, indicating others may have been involved or known about the alleged corruption.

In light of what else could be coming down the pike, Preston said the scandal should not be a reflection on all Public Works employees.

“There may be bad apples that need to be dealt with, but we cannot attribute their conduct to the folks who are working beneath them and for them,” Preston said.

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