Wow, this is an incredible article. You've clearly delineated the logical and organized nature of what the major media and political elite have deliberately obfuscated with endless social justice gaslighting. Why TH are we not seeing this kind of plainspoken investigative journalism done elsewhere in San Francisco? Rhetorical question, as we all know why--because the enormous nonprofit ecosystem that employs thousands of woke elites at high salaries, is directly benefiting financially from the current state of affairs. Your next article, perhaps?
Notice the other names that continue the evisceration of any semblance of law and decency - Lara Bazelon of the famed Bazelon sisters. As the hand maiden of now-recalled DA Chesa Boudin, she helped slander former prosecutors and set the stage for the rot that is expanding in cities where anti-DAs like Larry Krasner (Philly), Kim Fox (Chicago), George Gascon (Los Angeles), and Mike Schmidt (Portland) have all helped raise crime and reduce public safety.
The vast majority of elected prosecutors remain dedicated to protecting citizens and in counties like Sacramento, San Diego, the Bronx, and many other major cities have not succumbed to this insanity. But honest reporting on crime issues is vanishing along with real journalism, hence the ever greater reliance on Substack.
Fuck. A friend from high school, Tim Hitchman, overdosed and died in the Tenderloin the other month. We grew up and went to HS in San Luis Obispo, just down the coast. He was 52, a father (if you can call an addict that) and the son of a college professor.
I couldn't finish the article, as it just makes me so sad. My father was born in that city, my great grandmother on my mothers side was born there, it is just too personal to me.
I don’t blame the police for not embracing Breed’s “crackdown”. Arrests won’t result in prosecution and every interaction could result in a police brutality or discrimination charge (those are the only crimes the mayor and DA believe in prosecuting. aggressively and the only ones where the judges will throw the book at the accused).
The last time I came over the bridge I left in a fury at what the Mission looked like, and the TL, where I used to play, go to church at Glide, I heard how bad it was from a cop on Third Street and I didn't go down there for noodles like I wanted to.. What happened to the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp.? I read that the cops only brought Boudin 17% of the cases they picked up and charged. What did they do with the other 83%? 100% crime with a 17 % charging rate, what kind of conviction rate do you get out of that? Enough to get recalled. I was really impressed with the election of Mr. Boudin but it seems like the breaks were particularly bad, what with the pandemic. Most of the cops probably did not want to pick up the denizens of the TL and Wine Country, South of Market when they are down and stinky then, along with all that they did actually face the risk of dying from contact with someone who is infected. SFPD runs the TL streets any way they want and they always have. The Mission ,too. Most San Franciscans are OK with that usually. Go ask the people in the Castro how they organized and got the scene there together enough to withstand a plague, they might have some really good ideas and answers for the TL and their neighbors in the Mission. The cops were not helpful in the beginning, in the Castro but they caught on. They were made to, FINALLY. Covid may be letting up a little, but addiction isn't going anywhere, it stays the same, almost like HIV. Addicts in recovery can make great citizens too, if they take their medicine. It isn't fast, though. Takes patience understanding and guts all around. If the business ain't there, the cartels ain't either. The "dealers"? Desperate measures for desperate people, people with guts and not much to lose, if anything. What do you think is happening with their families back home in Guatemala? Any one watching them in case they need to pressure a guy on the corner? Ever been to Guatemala? Maybe one cop/soldier per thousand and half are crooked. Happy to collect in dollars, for the kids in the orphanage...worst prisons in the Americas, after us...weak ha ha ha...
Great work, Leighton. Accurately identified Cartel De Sinaloa as primary culprit. There is one specific group of 3 cartel families responsible for this network. Do you plan to continue investigating this NorCal hub?
We have exactly the same problem in Vancouver, Canada, thousands of homeless people in the area that was once called "Skid Row". When I was a kid, that area was rough but only had drunks living in cheap hotels but it was safe and was a thriving retail district. Like San Francisco, the average price of a house in Vancouver is well over a million dollars and there are construction cranes everywhere putting up ugly high rises. There is obviously enormous amounts of money coming in but it doesn't do anything to help the miserable in our society.
Sounds like a return to the opium dens. Not surprised that the rallying cry of “we can’t arrest our way out of this” — with turnstile justice for repeat and hardened defenders — could pave the way to this, as it seems to be a logical outcome. At least in the 60s and 70s when similar hands-off approaches were tried, there weren’t the levels of national precedents that there are now.
Wow, this is an incredible article. You've clearly delineated the logical and organized nature of what the major media and political elite have deliberately obfuscated with endless social justice gaslighting. Why TH are we not seeing this kind of plainspoken investigative journalism done elsewhere in San Francisco? Rhetorical question, as we all know why--because the enormous nonprofit ecosystem that employs thousands of woke elites at high salaries, is directly benefiting financially from the current state of affairs. Your next article, perhaps?
I wonder what percentage of sales on eBay or Amazon comes from this stuff? This sounds truly industrial scale. Great reporting!
Notice the other names that continue the evisceration of any semblance of law and decency - Lara Bazelon of the famed Bazelon sisters. As the hand maiden of now-recalled DA Chesa Boudin, she helped slander former prosecutors and set the stage for the rot that is expanding in cities where anti-DAs like Larry Krasner (Philly), Kim Fox (Chicago), George Gascon (Los Angeles), and Mike Schmidt (Portland) have all helped raise crime and reduce public safety.
The vast majority of elected prosecutors remain dedicated to protecting citizens and in counties like Sacramento, San Diego, the Bronx, and many other major cities have not succumbed to this insanity. But honest reporting on crime issues is vanishing along with real journalism, hence the ever greater reliance on Substack.
Excellent, in-depth research. I would also say the situation is very similar in Los Angeles.
Fuck. A friend from high school, Tim Hitchman, overdosed and died in the Tenderloin the other month. We grew up and went to HS in San Luis Obispo, just down the coast. He was 52, a father (if you can call an addict that) and the son of a college professor.
I couldn't finish the article, as it just makes me so sad. My father was born in that city, my great grandmother on my mothers side was born there, it is just too personal to me.
Same situation in Seattle but getting better with new city attorney and mayor and fed up voters.
Great piece, thanks.
I don’t blame the police for not embracing Breed’s “crackdown”. Arrests won’t result in prosecution and every interaction could result in a police brutality or discrimination charge (those are the only crimes the mayor and DA believe in prosecuting. aggressively and the only ones where the judges will throw the book at the accused).
The last time I came over the bridge I left in a fury at what the Mission looked like, and the TL, where I used to play, go to church at Glide, I heard how bad it was from a cop on Third Street and I didn't go down there for noodles like I wanted to.. What happened to the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp.? I read that the cops only brought Boudin 17% of the cases they picked up and charged. What did they do with the other 83%? 100% crime with a 17 % charging rate, what kind of conviction rate do you get out of that? Enough to get recalled. I was really impressed with the election of Mr. Boudin but it seems like the breaks were particularly bad, what with the pandemic. Most of the cops probably did not want to pick up the denizens of the TL and Wine Country, South of Market when they are down and stinky then, along with all that they did actually face the risk of dying from contact with someone who is infected. SFPD runs the TL streets any way they want and they always have. The Mission ,too. Most San Franciscans are OK with that usually. Go ask the people in the Castro how they organized and got the scene there together enough to withstand a plague, they might have some really good ideas and answers for the TL and their neighbors in the Mission. The cops were not helpful in the beginning, in the Castro but they caught on. They were made to, FINALLY. Covid may be letting up a little, but addiction isn't going anywhere, it stays the same, almost like HIV. Addicts in recovery can make great citizens too, if they take their medicine. It isn't fast, though. Takes patience understanding and guts all around. If the business ain't there, the cartels ain't either. The "dealers"? Desperate measures for desperate people, people with guts and not much to lose, if anything. What do you think is happening with their families back home in Guatemala? Any one watching them in case they need to pressure a guy on the corner? Ever been to Guatemala? Maybe one cop/soldier per thousand and half are crooked. Happy to collect in dollars, for the kids in the orphanage...worst prisons in the Americas, after us...weak ha ha ha...
Great work, Leighton. Accurately identified Cartel De Sinaloa as primary culprit. There is one specific group of 3 cartel families responsible for this network. Do you plan to continue investigating this NorCal hub?
Wow Leighton - thank you. Heartbreaking - and true. We must do more.
We have exactly the same problem in Vancouver, Canada, thousands of homeless people in the area that was once called "Skid Row". When I was a kid, that area was rough but only had drunks living in cheap hotels but it was safe and was a thriving retail district. Like San Francisco, the average price of a house in Vancouver is well over a million dollars and there are construction cranes everywhere putting up ugly high rises. There is obviously enormous amounts of money coming in but it doesn't do anything to help the miserable in our society.
Fantastic article. Thank you so much, Leighton.
I wonder if Bari Weiss would want to republish it for her columns........
Sounds like a return to the opium dens. Not surprised that the rallying cry of “we can’t arrest our way out of this” — with turnstile justice for repeat and hardened defenders — could pave the way to this, as it seems to be a logical outcome. At least in the 60s and 70s when similar hands-off approaches were tried, there weren’t the levels of national precedents that there are now.
This is some of the most shit copaganda I’ve seen man. At least try to hide your hatred of people.