In San Francisco there is rarely such thing as a final victory.

Lee Heidhues 8.18.2023

Why does the powerful and well connected Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco refuse to provide documentation about its involvement in the 800K lobbying, courtroom and electoral campaign to destroy JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park?

The battle is over. FAMSF and its anti-environmental backers were defeated in the legislature, at the ballot box and in the Courtroom.

I prevailed in my fight with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) to obtain documentation regarding its strident opposition to the creation of JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park.

On July 25, 2023 after waiting five hours to have my Appeal heard by the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force (SOTF) I prevailed. Unfortunately in San Francisco there is rarely such thing as a final victory.

Next Tuesday evening a Committee of the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force will convene, again, to hopefully confirm my victory. I am told this is a pro forma matter. Knowing San Francisco and the power of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco I am skeptical.

During the late night hearing on July 25 the SOTF panelists made it perfectly clear they are frustrated and, yes, fed up with the difficulty in getting compliance from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco through Paria Dea, Senior Government Affairs Manager, submitted the attached five page Brief continuing to argue it is exempt from complying with the Order. I will be at City Hall to one more time make the argument that FAMSF cannot hide behind technicalities and needs to let the public behind the curtain of how it bullies its way past citizens who demand transparency and accountability.