Does Speier Endorsement of Hill Spell Trouble for the County Sheriff?

According to the Pacifica Riptide blog, Congresswoman Jackie Speier has endorsed San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill in his bid for the 19th Assembly District seat. Hill is running against Millbrae Mayor Gina Papan and San Mateo County Community College Trustee Richard Holober.

The extremely late endorsement is a new twist in an already heated election and comes on the heels of Speier’s involvement in generating some bad press for Hill.

In mid-April, newly minted Congresswoman Jackie Speier blasted the San Mateo County board of Supervisors for the board members’ inaction in response to Sheriff Greg Munks’ detention at a Las Vegas bordello in April of 2007.

In a Daily News investigative article Speier stated: "This cries out for a comprehensive external investigation, because the highest law enforcement officer in the county should not be under any suspicion of illegal activity at any time, ever.”

The renewed interest in the scandal sparked largely by Speier had a disproportionately negative impact on the Assembly candidacy of San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill. Hill had the misfortune of having accepted nearly $12,000 in direct campaign contributions from Sheriff Munks and his extended family, including Munks’ father-in-law Bill Lane, owner of Sunset Magazine.

In fact, Lane donated $3,000 to Hill’s campaign just over a month after the news of the brothel bust hit the local papers.

Sheriff Munks himself hosted a campaign fundraiser for Hill on November 11, 2007, just a few months later.

News of the Munks’ largesse towards Hill was problematic as members of the public and Hill’s opponents in the Democratic Primary roundly criticized Hill for accepting such large donations from Munks and family as Hill and his colleagues failed to request that Munks explain his detention at a bordello by Las Vegas and federal law enforcement agents.

Following Speier’s call for an investigation, the new pressure forced Hill to return a portion of the funds he received from Munks – although Hill did not return the funds from the Lane family.

Speier’s announcement of an endorsement of Hill over the weekend is a peculiar twist in a volatile Assembly race. Political wags have speculated that Speier’s endorsement may be tied to a political change of heart by Hill in his continued support of Munks- meaning Hill may now turn on his old friend.

It is rumored that Hill may now call for an investigation of Munks. In turn, Speier would support her pick for Sheriff in that of San Mateo Police Chief Susan Mannheimer. It has already been whispered both publicly and privately that some would like to see Mannheimer replace Munks sooner rather than later. In fact Half Moon Bay Review editor Clay Lambert floated such an idea in the wake of the Sheriff’s scandal in 2007.

So the question is, did Hill trade Munks for Speier’s endorsement?