Petrelis Files

If you read Howard Kurtz's Washington Post front-page January 17 article about reporters donating to politicians and the policies news media outlets maintain about such giving, you know that the paper prohibits its reporters from making donations.

Kurtz reported that "Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. said he would discuss the matter with the reporters' editors. 'You can't make political contributions at all,' he said, citing the paper's policy." (Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26386-2004Jan17?language=printer)

If that's the policy, then what the heck is Post reporter Evelyn Nieves doing giving $500 to Ross Mirkarimi, Green Party candidate for San Francisco's Board of Supervisors for District 8, the Haight Ashbury neighborhood?

According to public records at the San Francisco Ethics Commission, Nieves made her contribution back in June and listed her employer as the Post.

Here's the data from commission:

Transaction Type: RCPT (Contribution)
Name of Filer: Ross Mirkarimi For Supervisor
ID Number : 1265795

Committee Treasurer Candidate Name
Regina Dick-Endrizzi N/A

Contributor's Name
Evelyn Nieves
San Francisco , CA
94117 0000

Contributor's Occupation/Employer
Washington Post
Reporter
Self employed

Type of Receipt Report Filed on
Monetary Contribution
Form 460 Schedule A
Semi-annual - 06/30/2004

Date Received
06/01/2004

(Source: http://www.sfgov.org/site/ethics_index.asp)

As you can imagine, the Mirkarimi campaign is quite proud of Nieves's support for him, which is why his web site lists her as an endorser. (Source: http://www.rossforsupervisor.org/endorse.php)

Nieves may want to familiarize herself with the Post's policies about political giving, or at least read about those policies in Kurtz's article in January.