
I’m looking at a letter I received today from the Monterey Police Department, saying the District Attorney has declined to file charges against me. When I told our I-Team producer, she frowned and said she was disappointed because she wanted to order “Free Dan Noyes” t-shirts. This is just the latest chapter in a very contentious ten months with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office and the Office of Emergency Services. Here’s the back story.
We aired an investigation this week on the 100-year anniversary of the great quake, revealing that San Francisco disaster officials have not completed their emergency plan for handling an earthquake. Hard to believe, considering the federal government’s dumped $84 million into San Francisco for disaster planning since 2001 … and that Mayor Newsom and OES Director Annemarie Conroy told us in September that all disaster plans would be finished by the end of last year.
We tried for several weeks to speak with Conroy for the story, but she refused to be interviewed. And, her staff was not very forthcoming with information and documents that should be available under the California Public Records Act. So, as a last resort, we went to Monterey where Conroy is attending the Naval Postgraduate School part-time for disaster management training – she has no previous experience, and caught up to her in a hotel parking lot. Conroy did answer some of our questions, and we included clips in our report. But, after that interview, Conroy called the Monterey Police and filed a report, claiming I “disturbed her peace”. Again, hard to believe. She’s a public official and she sees a reporter’s questions on an issue of great public importance as “disturbing her peace”. Conroy filed the police report March 8, and today, we found out no charges will be filed. We weren’t surprised.
We also had a similarly contentious meeting with Mayor Newsom. He has a standing order now that he won’t sit down for interviews with us, even though that would provide the best chance for a thoughtful discussion of these important issues. We have to catch up to him at public events and try to catch a few quick answers before he walks away. Our conversation Monday night was unusually heated, and we thought it was important for you to see the entire interview, so we’ve streamed it.
In the dozens of e-mail and phone calls we’ve received about the story, just a few criticized us for being too aggressive in our approach. These two e-mails are the only negative ones.
Mr. Woo of San Francisco writes, “Saw your Raw Video with the Mayor re: emergency preparedness for San Francisco. You as a Reporter still do not know how to listen, The Mayor repeated four times to you, listen, so he can give you an answer, but you have to keep on talking, you have to have the last say to everything. The Mayor was right for the first time! You are a JERK!!! When are you going to listen and respect people, even if you don't get the correct answer? You are an investigative reporter, if you don't get an answer, investigate it some more. Maybe OES Director is not well liked by her people, maybe OES Director is just like you, don't know when to listen, and always have to have the last word. GOD HELP US ALL!”
If you watch the raw video, the mayor did not directly address the question I asked about the earthquake plan being incomplete. It was clear to me I had little time with him, so I had to press Newsom to address the issue. You’re seeing sausage being made, but at the very end – yes, after calling me a jerk, he finally answered the question directly.
Zac from Bodega Bay somewhat agrees with Mr. Woo: “After just watching your report on San Francisco's emergency preparedness, I feel though, despite being a worthwhile and timely story, your approach towards Newsom and his staff was unnecessarily aggressive. San Francisco is a city with some enormous challenges in case of an emergency, and it appears that the city is making a concerted effort of getting a reasonable plan together. Give Newsom and others a break. They are miles ahead of our Federal government, as we saw in the case of Katrina. Please continue to follow this issue, but don't do sensationalist stuff like this again. There's no need to feed the fear and dissent. All the best, Zac.”
I would argue it’s better to have an accurate picture of the city’s emergency planning. There was nothing sensational about the report; just the facts. Most other viewers feel the same way.
Robert from San Francisco writes: “Please continue your outstanding efforts to report on the OES and Director Conroy. It is beyond egregious that our OES is completely unable to provide the necessary information or leadership required of this mission-critical position. I look forward to more follow-up on this story.”
Frank, San Francisco: “What can I do to get Newsom and Conroy off their duffs? This whole thing smells of cronyism. I want someone in that job that knows what they're doing!!!”
Bill, San Francisco: “Congratulations and thank you for your report on the situation at the S.F. Office of Emergency Services, and specifically the Director Annemarie Conroy. How can our mayor have such an inept and secretive person in such an important role? She acts like those politicians in Washington who have something to hide and cover up their ineptitude with double talk and evasive answers. How did she ever get this job????, who did or does she know????. After watching your report last night, I was upset that we citizens of San Francisco are relying on our government to prepare us for any type of disaster, and that a glaring mistake has been made in having Ms. Conroy in this important position. I hope that you and your staff will keep the pressure on this issue and bring about a change. I feel that your reporting and investigations are in the truest sense of what the media was intended to be, to report on what is really going on in any area that affects the people of this great city, please keep it up. And once again thank you.”
Marian from San Francisco writes, “Your pursuit of the true quake readiness in SF is truly heroic, (especially the chasing down of AM Conroy, tee hee).”
John, San Francisco: “Thank you for the I-Team investigation into our Earthquake Preparedness here in S.F., which I fear may be seriously lacking. … I was deeply shocked by your report this evening that Anne Marie Conroy and the Mayor had been dodging your questions. If they could not be prepared to answer these deadly serious questions for this major, highly predictable civic event of the Earthquake Centenary, what else are they not prepared for in the event of a major natural disaster ???”
Debbie, city undisclosed: “I have watched for a long time the rudeness that city hall shows toward Dan Noyes. Then today, there it was again. I can't believe the disrespect that they show him. I just want you to know that their rudeness just shows how immature they are. They really need to grow up, and answer everyone's questions. I have e-mailed the mayor, not that it will do any good. Dan, please keep up the good work.”
Norm, San Francisco: “Glad to see your continued efforts to get answers to some of the most important questions the city faces, especially today, April 18. I encourage you to probe for these answers in spite of what sounds like a wall of resistance. While I have the highest regard for and faith in our elected leaders, fire, police, DPW and other departments that will face the test during a major disaster, I eagerly await similar assurances that OES is up to the task. No city can be 100% prepared for the level of potential disaster experts predict, and therefore preparations and plans are always going to be a work in progress. But we need to know that the disaster strategies and organization that OES is responsible for are the very best they can be. Anything less will make what promises to be an unprecedented urban disaster even worse.”
Doug, San Francisco: “Thank you to all of those involved with the I-Team for broadcasting your story tonight on the shameful lack of disaster preparedness within our city. I further applaud you for putting the raw footage of your attempt to interview Mayor Newsom on your website. It is most disappointing that our mayor has failed to understand from historical figures like Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew that attacking a legitimate, inquiring press to cover up inadequacies and failures in one’s administration is shallow, dangerous, deceitful, and dishonest. Please continue to push for honest assessments by those who govern us along with the dissemination of accurate information to the public. … By making the raw footage of last night’s interview available, you might make our mayor more aware of his character traits that are ugly and unfit for a public servant. Certainly, the public has a right to know about this unseemly and undesirable side of our mayor.”
I appreciate the feedback from both sides.