Paid mercenaries: SF Archdiocese and POA shred Church and State separation

Lee Heidhues 9.3.2021

We are reposting the letter sent to the Archdiocese of San Francisco in January 2021 criticizing its cozy relationship with the San Francisco Police Officers Association (POA).

POA Ad Catholic SF 9.3.3021 — Catholic San Francisco – POA Ad

This co-mingling of Church and State activities is all the more alarming in the current atmosphere which finds the POA one of the main backers in the attempt to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

The POA is letting Mayor London Breed’s allies Andrea Shorter, Mary Jung and Nancy Tung do its political dirty work in this attempt to subvert the 2019 will of the voters.

The Recall DA Chesa Boudin campaign is hiring mercenaries at $8.00 per signature and putting these mercenaries up in hotels in its attempt to take down San Francisco’s Progressive DA. A District Attorney who has shifted long standing policy and not looked the other way when cops engage in misconduct under the color of law. Chesa is holding the cops accountable.

The Mayor Breed’s DA Recall campaign claims to have gathered nearly 50,000 signatures. At $8.00 per signature the DA Recall campaign, funded with Republican right wing MAGA money, has now shelled out $400,000 to these mercenaries for signatures. This does not include the costs of travel, food and lodging paid to these mercenaries.

Not wanting the cops responsible for their misconduct is the reason the POA viciously opposed the election of Chesa Boudin, spending over $700,000 in its failed effort. The POA is at it, again, with the willing assistance of The Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Following is a special contribution by associate Blog mistress Liz. 1.16.2021

Dear Archbishop Cordileone, Publisher:

It is alarming that the Catholic Church, which sanctifies life, racial inclusiveness, integrity, compassion, accepts money in the form of political ads from the San Francisco Police Officers Association (POA).

The POA is a group which advocates for SFPD with its long history of abusing and harassing people of color, the homeless, the poor, and the disabled.

I was appalled when I saw the POA ad in the 12.17.2020 issue of Catholic San Francisco.

Catholic San Francisco has a prominent influence in shaping cultural attitudes and moral values.

In 2019 the POA spent nearly 1 MM to destroy the candidacy of District Attorney aspirant Chesa Boudin.

Chesa was victorious in the DA election.

Since Chesa took office a year ago, the POA has never let up on its line of attack on Chesa’s integrity, reforms to our broken criminal justice system, or reforms to the brotherhood of cops who cover up police misconduct deeds.

It is scandalous that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese allows money from the POA to help the POA retain power and position within the faith community,

Sincerely,

Liz Heidhues – a Catholic advocating for criminal justice reform