Campaign Watch

Willie helps Kamala Deputy city attorney Kamala Harris's connection to Mayor Willie Brown isn't something she plays up in her campaign for district attorney. Ties to the famed politician – who has run the most corrupt administration in recent San Francisco history – have hurt many candidates seeking local elected office over the past few years.

When asked about her former romantic liaison with Brown, Harris doesn't deny it – but she's quick to say that hers will be an administration completely "independent" from the influence of Brown or that of any other major political player.

Maybe she meant he'd be making an "independent expenditure," instead of lending direct political support to her first political campaign. Because on Aug. 20 Brown sent out letters to folks who'd already contributed to the Kamala Harris for District Attorney Campaign blasting incumbent Terence Hallinan for "fail[ing] to protect the city of San Francisco" and informing recipients that even though they can only give a maximum of $500 to her main campaign, the law allows contributors to donate an additional $500 to a soft-money campaign on a candidate's behalf.

Brown then asked supporters to give to the group running a soft campaign on Harris's behalf, the California Voter Project. The project's political director is Philip Muller, a consultant who helped Brown become mayor in 1995. CVP's other pet candidate in San Francisco is mayoral candidate Sup. Gavin Newsom, according to its Web site. The CVP's purpose "is simple ... We help the candidates and measures we support win and those whom we oppose, lose."

So far, the Harris campaign has raised more than $140,000 – nearly as much dough as challengers Hallinan and Bill Fazio combined. So it's difficult to believe her election effort is really hurting for cash. But maybe more than $100K just isn't enough; a recorded call left on Harris supporters' answering machines "on behalf of Mayor Willie Brown and the California Voter Project" last week might offer a clue: "We've purchased and distributed media throughout San Francisco to increase Kamala Harris's name identification among voters" the message says. "If you make a contribution, you will help purchase additional media." Translation: "After spending more than $130,000, we don't think enough voters know who she is to guarantee a win."

Harris adviser Jim Rivaldo said the campaign was unpleasantly surprised to hear of the soft-money expenditure. "Willie Brown has endorsed Kamala, and we have no problem with that," Rivaldo said. "But it's not our intent to put Willie Brown front and center."

POA politics Don't look for the union representing the city's law enforcement officers to pick a horse anytime soon in the district attorney's race. An inside source tells us that voters have such a dim view of the Police Officers Association right now that no one actually wants the group's official stamp.

Even though Judge Kay Tsenin threw out conspiracy charges against the department's top brass – which at one time included former police chief Earl Sanders and Alex Fagan Sr. (who has just been named chief by Brown and the San Francisco Police Commission) – the impression is still out there that some sort of cover-up or something unseemly went on with the cops' handling of the Fajitagate mess.

The POA's longtime favorite has been Fazio, whom the association endorsed in 1995 and in 1999. But an inside source tells us the group would also have been pleased to support Harris – had she been willing to strongly oppose Proposition H, the police reform measure on the November ballot. Early in her campaign, Harris refused to take a stand on the measure, although she has since come out in favor of it. Prop. H is showing strong voter support in polls, but Rivaldo denies that influenced Harris's decision.

Two for Ammiano Sup. Tom Ammiano has picked up two noteworthy endorsements in the past week. First, Sup. Aaron Peskin, the North Beach leader known for his fierce intellect and scrappy ability to navigate through the complicated maze of city bureaucracy and cut a deal, gave Ammiano his official nod Aug. 27.

And so did actor George Takei, known for his ability to navigate the celestial seas as Lt. Hikaru Sulu – on the voyages of the USS Enterprise on Star Trek.

Savannah Blackwell