Yee Corruption Case Hits Bayview

From SFGate,

State Sen. Leland Yee was arrested on public corruption charges Wednesday morning in a federal investigation... 

Also in custody was San Francisco political consultant Keith Jackson, a former San Francisco school board member... [with] huge ties to the Bayview.  

Among the locations being searched by FBI evidence response teams and the IRS was Bay Steel Inc. on Davidson Avenue in the Bayview neighborhood...

Keith Jackson

According to a since-removed page from Singer Associates website, Keith Jackson was a senior consultant at the firm who specialized in "developing community and grassroots campaigns for corporations...[and] in facilitating complex public affairs and communications issues that relate to community, business, and government."

Mr. Jackson has a long history of doing good in the Bayview, including his time as a member of the San Francisco School Board and once serving as executive director for the San Francisco Black Chamber of Commerce and Hunters Point Boys and Girls Club.

UPDATE:

According to the complaint affidavit, Mr. Jackson was a consultant to the Chee Kung Tong organization, and was introduced to an undercover FBI agent by the organization's leader and purported supreme authority in the internationally-based Chinese crime syndicate known as the Triad, Raymond "Shrimpboy" Chow.  Senator Yee and Mr. Jackson are alleged to have been "involved in a scheme to defraud the citizens of California of their rights to honest services... [and] were involved in a conspiracy to traffic firearms."  It alleges the Mr. Jackson was further "involved in a scheme to defraud of honest services, a murder for hire conspiracy, gun trafficking, and drug trafficking conspiracy."  Jackson's son, Brandon Jamelle Jackson, is also named in the affidavit, accused of murder for hire conspiracy, gun trafficking, and drug trafficking conspiracy.

The affidavit is pretty compelling reading, to be sure, and is all about guns, drugs, money and influence.

Senator Yee and Mr. Jackson are charged with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and 1346 (Wire Fraud of Honest Services); Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 922(a)(1) and 922(I) (Conspiracy to Deal Firearms Without a License and to Illegally Import Firearms).  Mr. Jackson is additionally charged with violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 1958 (Murder for Hire).

The way I read the sentencing statutes, both face several years in prison, even if convicted on only one of the counts brought against them.

Senior Scam Stoppers

Join Senator Leland Yee, in partnership with community organizations and state and local agencies, to empower seniors and families in the fight against scams and fraud!

WHAT: Senior Scam Stopper Seminar ~ FREE and open to the public
WHEN: Friday, May 18; 12:30pm – 2:30pm
WHERE: Portola Family Connections, 2565 San Bruno Ave. (btwn Burrows and Felton St.)

Seniors,family members and caregivers welcomed at this FREE seminar! As technology continually changes and scams become more sophisticated, it is increasingly important we educate, empower and protect ourselves and loved ones from financial and consumer abuse.

Senator Yee Lunar New Year Celebration

Please join Senator Leland Yee at their annual New Year celebration kicking off the Year of the Dragon! This event is free and open to public so please feel free to forward and bring others. All the details are below and attached in English and Chinese. Additionally, we’ll have an exciting line up of performance and activities including lion dancing, calligraphy, drummers, music, Shaolin martial arts, folk dancing, singing and art.

Friday, January 27, 2012
Noon - 1:30PM
SF State Building Lobby
455 Golden Gate Ave (btwn Polk & Larkin)

Yee’s Pipeline Safety Bill Unanimously Approved by Assembly

Legislation would Require Automatic and Remotely-Controlled Shutoff Valves Throughout Gas Pipeline System

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Assembly unanimously approved legislation authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) to require PG&E and other gas utility companies to install automatic and remotely-controlled shutoff valves throughout California’s pipelines.

The gas pipeline that exploded on September 9, 2010 in San Bruno was only equipped with manual shutoff valves and without a technician in the vicinity, the inferno continued for hours, killing 8 people and destroying 38 homes.

Yee’s SB 216 would require installation of automatic or remotely-controlled valves on all pipelines that cross an active seismic earthquake fault or are located within a High Consequence Area. Under SB 216, automatic or remotely-controlled shutoff valves would be required every 2.5 miles in the highest density areas (Class 4); every 4 miles in medium density areas (Class 3); every 7.5 miles in low density areas (Class 2), and every 10 miles in extremely low density areas (Class 1). Currently, federal regulations only require manual shutoff valves in these locations.

At probe's end, San Bruno pipe's origin is unknown - SFGate

Senator Yee's Annual Townhall & Pancake Breakfast

From Senator Yee's office:

We hope you can join us for our annual breakfast and town hall with Senator Leland Yee. This is a great tradition going back years and a terrific opportunity to meet new folks, hear from Senator Yee and have your questions answered – plus, free pancakes! This is open to the public of course so please feel free to forward and invite your neighbors. All we ask is for you to RSVP to our offices at 415-557-7857.


If you are on Facebook, please also RSVP and help spread the word there: Annual Pancake Breakfast & Town Hall with Sen. Leland Yee (but still confirm by phone, too – we really need to make sure we have enough food!)


Please see all the details below and here they are in brief:


What: Annual Pancake Breakfast & Town Hall with Sen. Leland Yee
Where: Saroyan Hall at Armenian-American Day School, 825 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco (Map)
When: Sunday, August 28; 9:00 AM

Senator Yee responds to Potential SE Sector USPS Closures

Many people have expressed concerns regarding the potential closures of three Southeast sector USPS offices – Visitacion Valley, Bayview-Hunters Point and McLaren.  On Monday, August 9 Senator Leland Yee issued the following statement to Sylvia Siu, Post Office Review Coordinator for the San Francisco District:
Dear Mrs. Siu:

I am writing to urge you to reconsider the potential closures of United Stated Postal Offices (USPS) in the Southeast communities of San Francisco that are vital to the existing and growing population residing there.

The communities most affected by these closures are historically some of the most underserved and underrepresented in San Francisco. As a longtime representative of San Francisco, I have and will continue to advocate for services like those provided by the USPS in these neighborhoods.

In recent years, residents of the Southeast sector have been working to preserve and adapt to changing populations and needs during a down economy. Communities affected by closures of the Visitacion Valley, McLaren and Bayview-Hunters Point USPS offices are largely comprised of low-to-moderate income families, immigrants and aging, longtime residents, many of whom do not own vehicles. Simply put, these communities need, use and benefit from the proximity of postal services currently available and as these areas are slated to significantly increase in population over the next decade the need will become exponentially greater.

For these reasons, I strongly urge you to reconsider the potential closures of USPS offices in the Southeast communities of San Francisco. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (415) 557-7857.

Sincerely,
Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.
California State Senate

There will likely be public meetings to discuss the closures, so stay on the lookout for those.

Slice of the Left Key to Yee

From Asian Week,

LESSON OF OAKLAND: With the left’s support in the 2011 SF mayor’s race, State Senator Leland Yee could avoid being isolated like former state senate colleague Don Perata in his 2010 Oakland ranked choice mayoral loss to Councilwoman Jean Quan. Although Perata was the early 11 percentage point leader among first choice ranked votes, Council members Rebecca Kaplan and Quan played a tag team match by encouraging supporters to vote for each other, and not Perata. Kaplan’s ranked ballots helped Quan edge Perata by nearly two points to become the first Asian Pacific American elected mayor of a major metropolitan city.

Read more at Asian Week