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Whose Side Is
Marjan Really On?

Political insider Marjan Philhour is a former London Breed staffer, City Hall insider and political fundraiser with a pattern of bending ethics for political gain. 

Whose Side
Is Marjan
Really On?

Political insider Marjan Philhour
is a former London Breed staffer,
City Hall insider and political
fundraiser with a pattern of
bending ethics for political gain.

The record shows that Philhour is a…
City Hall Insider
Marjan Philhour, a longtime political insider and aide to London Breed, has spent her entire career cozying up to political elites as a City Hall power broker and political fundraiser. Philhour has already raised and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars campaigning as a “small business owner.”1 What she doesn’t say is that she has spent virtually her entire career raising money for City Hall insiders, working for political insiders, and working as a senior advisor to London Breed.2 Can someone this close to the mayor truly be an independent representative for the Richmond?

Marjan Philhour, a longtime political insider and aide to London Breed, has spent her entire career cozying up to political elites as a City Hall power broker and political fundraiser. Philhour has already raised and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars campaigning as a “small business owner.”1 What she doesn’t say is that she has spent virtually her entire career raising money for City Hall insiders, working for political insiders, and working as a senior advisor to London Breed.2

Can someone this close to the mayor truly be an independent representative for the Richmond?

Rule Bender

Philhour is facing ethics complaints that she violated San Francisco’s clean government rules.3 This recent complaint was drafted in part by the former President of the San Francisco Ethics Commission and lists 36 instances in which Philhour violated campaign finance laws.4 Philhour was also penalized for campaign finance violations and found to be non-compliant with state and city campaign finance laws during her failed 2016 campaign for this seat.5

Philhour is facing ethics complaints that she violated San Francisco’s clean government rules.3 This recent complaint was drafted in part by the former President of the San Francisco Ethics Commission and lists 36 instances in which Philhour violated campaign finance laws.4 Philhour was also penalized for campaign finance violations and found to be non-compliant with state and city campaign finance laws during her failed 2016 campaign for this seat.5

Flip-Flopper on Key Policies
The record shows — Marjan Philhour doesn’t only bend election law. She will bend her principles depending on whose support she is seeking. In 2020 she supported London Breed’s plan to defund the police.6 Now she supports Breed’s plan to cut vital programs to hire more police.7 She said she supported higher taxes on small businesses by weakening Proposition 13.8 And in her failed bid for Supervisor in 2016, Philhour also advocated for an increase in the city’s sales tax9, which would have disproportionately affected San Francisco residents and local businesses, including many of the working families who call the Richmond home.10 Today? She no longer broadcasts her past support for defunding the police.11 And she has gone silent on her previous support for raising taxes on small businesses and residents. But can we trust someone who bends her principles whenever it suits her political ambitions?
The record shows — Marjan Philhour doesn’t only bend election law. She will bend her principles depending on whose support she is seeking. In 2020 she supported London Breed’s plan to defund the police.6 Now she supports Breed’s plan to cut vital programs to hire more police.7 She said she supported higher taxes on small businesses by weakening Proposition 13.8 And in her failed bid for Supervisor in 2016, Philhour also advocated for an increase in the city’s sales tax9, which would have disproportionately affected San Francisco residents and local businesses, including many of the working families who call the Richmond home.10 Today? She no longer broadcasts her past support for defunding the police.11 And she has gone silent on her previous support for raising taxes on small businesses and residents. But can we trust someone who bends her principles whenever it suits her political ambitions?
Rubber Stamp for Big Developers
At a time when many residents face rising rents and sky-high housing costs, Philhour is backed with massive donations by the real estate speculators who want to bulldoze our neighborhood shopping streets like Clement Street, California Street and Geary to make room for luxury high-rises 16 stories or taller with little or no requirements for actual affordable housing.12 13 And with displacements rising the last thing we need is another politician like Philhour bankrolled by real estate speculators.
At a time when many residents face rising rents and sky-high housing costs, Philhour is backed with massive donations by the real estate speculators who want to bulldoze our neighborhood shopping streets like Clement Street, California Street and Geary to make room for luxury high-rises 16 stories or taller with little or no requirements for actual affordable housing.12 13 And with displacements rising the last thing we need is another politician like Philhour bankrolled by real estate speculators.
Marjan serves herself, not the Richmond
SOURCES:
1 “Breed leads fundraising race for S.F. mayor. But one opponent is already giving her trouble,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2024 [link]
2 “SF Mayor Breed lines up new staff members, directs money at street cleaning,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 23, 2018 [link]; DataSF Campaign Consultants, Philhour and Associates [link]
3 “District 1 supervisor candidate Marjan Philhour hit with ethics complaint,” Mission Local, March 1, 2024 [link]
4 “Moderates want voters to end progressive control of local Democratic Party,” San Francisco Examiner, March 2, 2024 [link]
5 SFEC Complaint No. 1617-082 [link]; Macias Gini & O’Connell LLP, Candidate Committee Assessment Report, Philhour for Supervisor 2016, 12/28/17 [link]
6 “District 1: Longtime Progressive Richmond Seat Is Now Up for Grabs,” The Frisc, September 29, 2020 [link]
7 “Marjan Philhour is ‘fed up,’ but hasn’t given up,” San Francisco Examiner, November 8, 2023 [link]
8 San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee Endorsement Questionnaire 2020, Marjan Philhour for District 1 Supervisor [link]
9 Medium; “Homelessness and the Richmond District;” By Marjan Philhour, June 28, 2016 [link]
10 Office of Economic Analysis; Increases to the Sales Tax: Economic Impact Report, July 12, 2016. [link]
11 “Police union wades back into San Francisco politics after years of sitting on the sidelines,” The San Francisco Standard, January 8, 2024 [link]
12 “San Francisco housing is even less affordable than you think, new report says,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 12, 2024 [link]
13 “Following the money in D1,” 48hills, August 6, 2020 [link]; “The big GOP and real-estate money moves into District One,” 48hills, October 15, 2020 [link]
1 “Breed leads fundraising race for S.F. mayor. But one opponent is already giving her trouble,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2024 [link]
2 “SF Mayor Breed lines up new staff members, directs money at street cleaning,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 23, 2018 [link]; DataSF Campaign Consultants, Philhour and Associates [link]
3 “District 1 supervisor candidate Marjan Philhour hit with ethics complaint,” Mission Local, March 1, 2024 [link]
4 “Moderates want voters to end progressive control of local Democratic Party,” San Francisco Examiner, March 2, 2024 [link]
5 SFEC Complaint No. 1617-082 [link]; Macias Gini & O’Connell LLP, Candidate Committee Assessment Report, Philhour for Supervisor 2016, 12/28/17 [link]
6 “District 1: Longtime Progressive Richmond Seat Is Now Up for Grabs,” The Frisc, September 29, 2020 [link]
7 “Marjan Philhour is ‘fed up,’ but hasn’t given up,” San Francisco Examiner, November 8, 2023 [link]
8 San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee Endorsement Questionnaire 2020, Marjan Philhour for District 1 Supervisor [link]
9 Medium; “Homelessness and the Richmond District;” By Marjan Philhour, June 28, 2016 [link]
10 Office of Economic Analysis; Increases to the Sales Tax: Economic Impact Report, July 12, 2016. [link]
11 “Police union wades back into San Francisco politics after years of sitting on the sidelines,” The San Francisco Standard, January 8, 2024 [link]
12 “San Francisco housing is even less affordable than you think, new report says,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 12, 2024 [link]
13 “Following the money in D1,” 48hills, August 6, 2020 [link]; “The big GOP and real-estate money moves into District One,” 48hills, October 15, 2020 [link]
We Need Principles — Not Philhour
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Ad Paid for by Fix Our City SF, Sponsored By Labor Organizations
Ad Committee’s Top Funders

1. SEIU Local 1021 Candidate PAC: $819,000
2. IFPTE Local 21 TJ Anthony PAC: $550,000

This advertisement was not authorized by a candidate or a committee controlled by a
candidate. Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org

Ad Paid for by Fix Our City SF, Sponsored By Labor Organizations
Ad Committee’s Top Funders
1. SEIU Local 1021 Candidate PAC: $819,000
2. IFPTE Local 21 TJ Anthony PAC: $550,000

This advertisement was not authorized by a candidate
or a committee controlled by a candidate.
Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org

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