As you are no doubt aware, two articles were recently published by Open Vallejo and the SF Chronicle surrounding Mayoral candidate Hakeem Brown’s criminal history. While we were all aware of Hakeem’s prior conviction in 2002 and the time served for his offence, the articles allege a pattern of continued domestic violence, which if true, would serve as an egregious violation of the trust our members have placed in Councilmember Brown and swift action will be called for.
But we also pride ourselves, as leaders responsible for representing working Men and Women, for giving everyone a second chance. This is why we supported Hakeem in the first place. We also know that the allegations reported, whether in a community newspaper or online forum, tell only part of any story. We should also pride ourselves on giving everyone a chance to tell their side of the story before taking a position.
With that in mind, we called for a Zoom call last Thursday with the CLC Executive Board and key endorsers of his campaign, to allow Councilmember Brown the opportunity to answer to these very troubling allegations. We had a frank discussion, advising him that the lack of transparency surrounding the domestic violence incident in his conviction, coupled with the new allegations reported were very troubling and that the trust we put in him has been shaken.
Councilmember Brown was adamant that the incidents reported surrounding the 2012 incident were not true and that the charges were dismissed without merit. Hakeem affirms that his former wife was not pregnant during the time the allegations took place and stated he could not apologize for actions he did not commit. When asked what we should tell our Sister Siblings to alleviate their concerns, about what appears to be a pattern of abuse, he stated that he hoped everyone would look at the article, and separate fact from fiction in regards to his record. We asked that he provide us with a detailed, chronological explanation of the allegations made against him and show our members why their trust in him has not been violated. He has agreed to attend our official Delegates Meeting this Wednesday to talk directly to our members, after which we will decide what direction to take.
The mission of our Labor Council is to fight daily for the health and welfare of all working people, to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect, protect them from unscrupulous employers and push for legislation that protects the most vulnerable of our communities . We work with elected officials to pass legislation protecting the rights of all, no matter their race, creed, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
This includes making sure that every woman can be protected from sexual and physical abuse. These are our Mothers, Wives, Sisters and Siblings and any form of violence against anyone is reprehensible. We must, and will, demand that the perpetrators of these acts are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
We find ourselves torn between adhering to our values regarding crimes against women and that of our belief that everyone deserves a second chance. We already showed our willingness to forgive by endorsing Hakeem, knowing he had a criminal record. It is now incumbent on Councilmember Brown to show our members that there is no pattern of domestic violence as alleged, and why we should have continued trust in him.
This has been an especially challenging election season, from local to national races. I know we are all feeling the weight of divisive language, attacks, and bully tactics up and down the ballot. But I implore you all to dig deep and stay focused. We cannot on the one hand fight for equal treatment for all, and on the other be quick to cast someone off without gathering facts and allowing them the chance to defend themselves. This is what we stand for, a fair and just process.
We need elected officials that have 2020 vision, that stand up for everyone, not just the loudest. We found that in Hakeem, and his actions and voting record in the time we have known him speak to that. But whether we can continue to support him will be decided by the Delegates who represent our 52 affiliated Unions, using the process we have outlined in our Constitution and By-Laws.
