The Facts

Supervisor Jackie Fielder plans to return Monday after a three-month leave following a mental health crisis. The Board approved her request to be excused from meetings from April 7 through June 30.

The Context

Her return comes while a City Attorney investigation into her office remains unresolved.

That investigation began after a confidential legal memo was leaked to Mission Local. The memo warned that Mayor Lurie’s proposed sobering center carried “very high legal risk” if the city detained people there without meeting detention-facility standards.

The Chronicle later reported that the investigation had focused on Fielder’s office. Fielder’s office denied leaking the memo.

The GrowSF Take

Mental health crises are serious, and elected officials are human beings. We wish Supervisor Fielder well as she returns.

At the same time, District 9 went months without its elected Supervisor during an important budgeting process. San Franciscans still don't have answers about how a confidential legal memo ended up in the press.

If confidential legal memos can be leaked without consequence, it becomes harder for city leaders to ask hard questions, get honest answers, and make responsible decisions.

Fielder is often in the Board minority, so her return likely won't change any outcomes. Still, District 9 deserves to have its supervisor present and voting.