The San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force voted unanimously on October 22, 2022, urging the release of documents related to a phone call between Mayor Daniel Lurie and former President Donald Trump. The commission asserts that Lurie unlawfully withheld information that could clarify the nature of the conversation, which occurred prior to the withdrawal of federal forces from the Bay Area.
The task force, which oversees public-records law, expressed concern regarding the potential implications of the call. Some members suggested that Lurie might have negotiated with the White House during this communication. While the mayor’s office maintains that no agreements were made, it has declined to release certain records related to the call, citing attorney-client privilege.
In a letter issued before the vote, the mayor’s office claimed the only pertinent documents are those related to a “legal consultation” with the city attorney’s office. They emphasized that these records are not connected to the Trump call but to an executive directive issued by Lurie in anticipation of federal deployment. Dexter Darmali, a mayoral aide responsible for records, stated that the office conducted a thorough search but found no additional documents, aside from those protected by legal confidentiality.
Despite these assertions, the task force challenged the mayor’s stance. Attorney Dean Schmidt, a member of the commission, noted that while some documents might be privileged, others likely exist that should be accessible to the public. “If Lurie’s office released the requested documents, even if they were heavily redacted, that would help the commission determine if the assertion of attorney-client privilege is too broad,” he explained.
Tensions rose during the nearly three-hour session as task force members expressed frustration over the mayor’s office’s initial failure to provide call logs from the day of the conversation. These logs are typically public records and include basic details such as time, date, and participants. Commission member Maxine Anderson urged the mayor’s office to recognize their duty to the public, stating, “They should approach these hearings and requests for public records in that spirit.”
In a separate review in December, a three-member subgroup of the task force unanimously concluded that Lurie had violated state law by withholding records from the call. The only information released regarding the conversation was a brief log made public by the San Francisco Public Press, which stated: “7:30 pm – 7:55 pm Phone Call with Donald Trump, President of the United States re: calling off potential federal deployment in San Francisco.”
The log indicated that after promising a “surge” of immigration forces to the region, Trump and Lurie spoke about cancelling that plan. Following their conversation, it was reported that billionaire allies intervened on behalf of San Francisco, which may have influenced the president’s decision to back down.
The matter has now been referred to another committee within the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. This committee may determine if Lurie committed a “willful” violation by failing to produce requested records, potentially escalating the issue to the city’s ethics commission. It is important to note that the authority of both commissions to compel the mayor’s office to release documents is limited.
The ongoing discussion around transparency in public records highlights the critical balance between governmental privilege and the public’s right to know. As the task force continues its inquiry, the implications of the mayor’s actions could have significant repercussions for public trust in local governance.
