Petrelis Files

Who Paid for DA Gascon's NY + LA Trips in 2011?

In April, I blogged about San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon's eight trips listed on public records since early 2011, questioning who paid for the travel since he has not filed legally required disclosures with the Ethics Commission.

I contacted the host of two of his speaking engagements in 2011, John Jay College, and their spokesperson Doreen Vinas-Pineda today shared this info with me:

I am following up on your email regarding George Gascón participation in John Jay College events. 

DA Gascón was a featured speaker at two symposiums hosted by the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at John Jay College. 

His air and hotel expenses were paid in connection with his appearance at a symposium at the college, located in New York City, in January of 2011. His hotel accommodations were paid in connection with his appearance at a separate symposium that took place in in Los Angeles, in May 2011. 

In both cases, no funds were paid to him directly. The funds to support his travel (and travel of all speakers) came from private nonprofit sponsors of the conference.

San Francisco's sunshine law requires elected officials to disclose gifts of travel before beginning the trip when the funder is an outside source, such as private nonprofit. Therefore, the email from John Jay College will be shared with the Ethics Commission for them to take into consideration in relation to my complaint against the DA regarding these trips.