Michael Barba

Exclusive: Video of S.F. sheriff official crashing into parked car exposes gaps in investigation Richard Jue, formerly chief of staff to Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, is avoiding a criminal conviction for leaving the scene of an accident and then lying about it.

NEW: We obtained surveillance footage of the alleged hit-and-run by SF Sheriff Miyamoto’s then-chief of staff, Rich Jue. It revealed far more than we expected. @meganrcassidy.bsky.social and I dug in. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...

S.F. Mayor Lurie moves to eliminate job of whistleblower in City Hall scandal Joe Macaluso alleges that the administration is using the budget cuts as a pretext to get rid of him for blowing the whistle on Kimberly Ellis, the former director of the department.

An SF city worker who got put on leave by his boss after he filed a whistleblower complaint against her is now facing a new challenge: Mayor Lurie wants to eliminate his job.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/m...

Protesters formed a human banner at Ocean Beach during the "No Kings" protests in San Francisco on Saturday. The protest is among nationwide demonstrations against President Donald Trump.

📸: Santiago Mejia

Top San Francisco official who failed to disclose side job placed on leave Kimberly Ellis was put on leave from her job as the director of San Francisco’s Department on the Status of Women.

Kimberly Ellis, who bills herself as the “most powerful unelected person in California Democratic politics,” routinely mixed her political interests with her role as a city official, raising questions about her spending of city funds. She is now on leave www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/t...

‘Appearance of a bribe’: $5,500 portrait given to former S.F. official flagged in city report ’Appearance of a bribe’: $5,500 portrait given to former S.F. official Sheryl Davis flagged in city report

the Sheryl Davis portrait saga continues: a city report finds the gift from nonprofit Urban Ed cost $5,500, created "at least the appearance of a bribe." w/ @stjbs.bsky.social www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

Davis isn’t the only official who got a portrait of themselves from the nonprofit. Supervisor Shamann Walton has one hanging in his office.

He says he didn’t disclose it as a gift because it’s up for sale.

“It does not belong to Shamann,” Walton told me.

Story w/ @stjbs.bsky.social

Exclusive: Gift portrait of disgraced S.F. official prompts more questions about influence peddling Exclusive: Gift portrait of disgraced S.F. official prompts more questions about influence peddling

Ex-SF official Sheryl Davis got a portrait of herself from a nonprofit that was seeking a $270K contract from her.

She called it a “beautiful gift” in an Instagram post showing the art hanging in her city office.

Now Davis is saying she never accepted the gift.

www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

‘Death upon death’: Defendant in killing tied to cult-like ‘Zizian’ group dictates 1,500-word letter over jail phone ‘Death upon death’: Defendant in killing tied to cult-like ‘Zizian’ group dictates 1,500-word letter over jail phone

EXCLUSIVE: Maximilian Snyder, accused of killing Vallejo landlord Curtis Lind in slaying linked to Zizian fringe group, dictates letter to @sfchronicle.com reporter from jail

With @meganrcassidy.bsky.social @michaelbarba.bsky.social www.sfchronicle.com/crime/articl...

‘Rationalist Fleet’: Before killings linked to fringe group, ‘Ziz’ led fateful tugboat voyage to California ‘Rationalist Fleet’: Before string of killings linked to fringe group, Jack ‘Ziz’ LaSota led fateful tugboat voyage from Alaska to California

We traced the origin story of the 'Zizians' back to a 94-foot tugboat called Caleb, which sunk in a harbor near Half Moon Bay. The WWII-era vessel is still there today, partially submerged near the Mavericks surf spot. www.sfchronicle.com/crime/articl...

My colleagues @mgafni.bsky.social @rswansf.bsky.social @meganrcassidy.bsky.social and I dug in with @demianbulwa.bsky.social edits. Read it up

Who is ‘Ziz’? How a mysterious group with roots in the Bay Area is linked to six deaths Six killings across the country, a fake drowning in San Francisco Bay and fear of an AI apocalypse: Who is the mysterious ‘Ziz’?

DEEP DIVE: Six deaths, a fake drowning and fears of an AI apocalypse: Who is the 'Ziz' behind a mysterious group with ties to violence around the nation?

www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Also: hello, I’m here

A San Francisco police officer saw the drug crisis up close. But he was carrying a dark secret He was a cop who saw the drug crisis up close on S.F.’s streets. Then his addiction nearly killed him

I profiled Davin Cole, a well-liked San Francisco cop who did a good job hiding his addiction to prescription painkillers — until he got desperate. Cole dropped his daughter at cheer practice, then took a gun into a drugstore. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/p...