Hill Attacks Papan over Sheriff Debacle

In a blast e-mail to supporters, San Mateo County Supervisor and Assembly candidate Jerry Hill has attacked opponent Millbrae Mayor Gina Papan over an exchange between the two candidates during a candidate forum last Saturday hosted by the Pacifica Democratic Club.

Hill’s e-mail states:

This past Saturday while attending a Democratic candidate debate I was attacked by Gina Papan regarding San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks embarrassing actions while on a trip to Las Vegas last year. She tried to connect my responsibilities as Supervisor with Sheriff Munks poor judgment.

If you need further detail about the incident and how I handled it last year please visit my web site, www.votejerryhill.com/blog and under Blog you can see my response. You can also read today’s story in the San Mateo Daily News, http://www.sanmateodailynews.com/article/2008-4-22-munks-hill-cash

Additionally, to avoid any hint of impropriety, I have returned Sheriff Munks financial contribution to my campaign.

Hill’s rapid and nearly complete u-turn from a staunch defense of the Sheriff to a position of condemnation is an attempt at political damage control.

Hill has been badly damaged in the local press in a series of articles published in the Daily News and the San Mateo County times criticizing the board of supervisors for inaction in response to the Sheriff’s brothel visit last year in Las Vegas.

Hill in particular has been called out among the supervisors as he has taken thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Munks and Munks’ family for Hill’s Assembly bid.

In response, according to an article in the Daily News, Hill has given back a portion of the money he received from Munks and has asked the county counsel’s office to examine the possibility of amending the county charter in order to provide the board of supervisors with the authority to discipline independently elected county office holders in the future.

The Daily News scolded Hill and company for their lack of action stating that ”…because our county officials have betrayed the public's trust by stonewalling and hiding behind bureaucratic caveats, whatever investigation is conducted must be independent…”

Hill has yet to suggest any such independent investigation but, judging by a recent column in the San Mateo County Times, he is aware that his financial relationship and past support of Sheriff Munks may damage his candidacy in his current Assembly race and he is now hedging his bets.

Hill’s attack of Gina Papan is yet another attempt to divert attention away from his bungling of this scandal.