In an open letter to the community, Senator Christine Kehoe, former San Diego deputy mayor Toni Atkins and City Councilmember Todd Gloria said they took action to address community concerns over San Diego LGBT Pride but do not explain what it involved.

“We took the action of addressing the board after community concerns arose about the payment of $5,000 of Pride funds to a board member, apparently in violation of the board’s by-laws,” says the letter that appears as a guest commentary in this issue of the Gay & Lesbian Times (p.28).

“Moreover, the board membership had dwindled to only three members – too small a number to ensure checks and balances or even full discussion of issues to be determined by the board. …

“We believe the board had lost its sense of responsibility to the community and a fresh start was necessary.”

Senator Kehoe began her official involvement with Pride on Tuesday, Jan. 26, by announcing, on official government letter head, that the following candidates would serve on the Pride board: Jeri Dilno, Andrew Villa, Judi Schaim, Larry Ramey, Chris Shaw, Bob Leyh, Vertez Burks, Romer de los Santos and Anne Hewett.

Former chair Phillip Princetta, former Treasure Mike Karim and recently appointed board members Debra McEntee, Joe Mayer and Suanne Pauley officially appointed the aforementioned board members – with the exception of Santos and Hewett – two days before on Sunday, Jan. 24, according to board meeting minutes.

The board members are former Pride board members, San Diego Democratic Club members and campaign supporters of Kehoe, Atkins and Gloria.

On Wednesday, Jan. 27, Kehoe, Atkins and Gloria announced, via a press release from Kehoe’s office, that the Pride board agreed to “several measures to help restore the public trust in the Board and its actions.”

One of its measures included the removal of Princetta and Karim from the board by Feb. 28. Former Secretary Carl Worrell had already tendered his resignation on Sunday, Jan. 24 and Princetta and Karim resigned at a board meeting the following Wednesday.

“This will provide a fresh start for Pride and the continued planning for this year’s successful event,” Kehoe said in the Jan. 27 press release.

Former board chair Princetta says Kehoe, Gloria and Atkins’ recent involvement in the affairs of San Diego Pride’s board of directors stem from a Saturday, Jan. 23 meeting they had at the senator’s office in Banker’s Hill.

At the meeting, both Princetta and former secretary Worrell allege that Kehoe, with Gloria and Atkins in attendance, demanded the following:

• That Kehoe’s list of former Pride board members announced on the following Tuesday be appointed to the board.

• A copy of Princetta’s personal bank account records to prove that the former chair returned a $5,000 check he initially received from the board as compensation for his work last October and later said he returned.

• A freeze on San Diego Pride hiring new staff

• All business transactions be sent to both Gloria and Kehoe’s office

• And that Princetta, Worrell and Karim must step down from the board or that the organization would face receivership, a court action that places property under the control of a third party during litigation.

“She had the correct intention to help the organization, she came out of the right space, but she did overstep her boundaries in delivering that intention,” Princetta said. “I mean, she asked for my personal bank account records. Just that alone is an overstep of her boundaries,” he added.

In response to the issue of receivership and her selection of the board’s newest members, Kehoe said the following: “Receivership was not discussed,” and that the “candidates names came from several sources; individuals, former board member who volunteered themselves at a community meeting or had contacted the board directly.”

In the letter, Kehoe, Atkins and Gloria state “it became clear to us that many LGBT San Diegans had lost confidence in the board and its ability to manage our annual Pride Parade and weekend – the largest, most visible and most inclusive LGBT community event of the year. …

“Those San Diegans, our constituents, and thousands of visitors, deserve a publicly accountable board that has the community’s best interest in mind at all times.”

A lead attorney for a state political ethics organization who wouldn’t go on record said that elected officials at all levels of government engage themselves in the affairs of both for and nonprofit organizations all the time.

“Let’s say there was another organization that was putting out hate speech and she came out against that and said, ‘This organization was wrong’ and ‘This is what they should do,’ and she writes demand letters and says, ‘I want you to do this.’” the attorney said. “That is part of her job.”

“As far as using any campaign money or legislative staff, so long it’s related to a legislative or political or governmental purpose – that’s a pretty broad area – that’s what they’re allowed to do,” he added.

Several local attorneys who work with the GLBT community on a wide variety of issues were contacted for this story but they declined to comment or did not return our calls before this story went to publication.

Newly appointed Pride board Co-chair Larry Ramey said, “We’re really committed to restoring confidence of the community back into the board and the organization itself, working to make sure that future boards are diverse, large enough to encompass enough viewpoints and represent all the communities that Pride encompasses.”

In contrast, former Pride treasure Karim said, “My concern is that the new Pride board will operate out of fear and appeasement and, hence, will stunt the growth of the organization.”

“Perhaps the best days of San Diego Pride are behind us,” he added. “Only time will tell.”