SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- One of San Francisco's most powerful Democratic political committees has issued a formal apology for endorsing a candidate accused of sexual misconduct. The San Francisco Democratic Party issued a statement Monday apologizing for endorsing District 8 Supervisor candidate Manny Yekutiel, despite allegations that he sexually assaulted another man.
The statement, authored by SF Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung, also said the party's official sexual misconduct policy "broke down" and "failed" to protect survivors, including Brad Chapin, a Democratic party activist who came forward earlier this summer with an allegation that Yekutiel had violently grabbed his genitals without consent at a party back in 2020.
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Despite the allegations, Yekutiel, owner of the eponymous Manny's Café in the Mission, went on to win the endorsements of the SF Democratic Party and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, among others. Yekutiel's campaign imploded last week after two other men -- Ryan Clark and his partner -- came forward with similar allegations against him.
"With hope and commitment, we officially launched a first-of-its-kind Code of Conduct and Policies for Sexual Assault and Harassment in December 2024," the SF Dems said in their statement Monday. "This policy faced its first major test during the recent District 8 Supervisor endorsement process and regrettably, our framework broke down and did not protect survivors."
"Manny Yekutiel has now stepped down from his campaign for Supervisor due to allegations of sexual misconduct, and the survivors who came forward deserve support for what they have endured from Yekutiel and this failed policy," the statement continued. "Most importantly, this policy failed the first survivor to come forward, Brad Chapin, who took the courageous and painful step not only to file a formal complaint, but to stand up and speak directly before our committee during the District 8 endorsement hearing."
Chapin spoke out at a contentious party meeting back in August when Yekutiel won the party's official endorsement, after the party said it could not ultimately substantiate Chapin's claims.
"This is a sham," he told those in attendance. "You should all be f****** ashamed of yourselves."
"I publicly and sincerely apologize to Mr. Chapin for how our process treated his complaint and for an endorsement decision that caused him further harm," Tung said in the party statement Monday. "As Party Chair, I also apologize for how this endorsement hurt Ryan Clark, his partner, and others."
Tung also officially endorsed Gary McCoy in the District 8 race and announced that the party will hold a special meeting on Oct. 11 to reconsider the party's District 8 endorsement.
