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KCBS In Depth: Suspended SF Sheriff, Wife Claim Politics Behind Effort To Remove Him From Office

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The misconduct case against suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is tentatively scheduled to go before the Board of Supervisors the week of September 17th, although a decision on the fate of his job is not expected right away.

Mirkarimi and his wife, Eliana Lopez, are both acknowledging, in the meantime, that his possible removal from office did in fact stem from a domestic argument during which he bruised his wife's arm. As has been widely reported, Lopez subsequently allowed a neighbor to videotape her comments about the dispute.

They both have gone on record as saying domestic violence is a serious issue, though question whether that's the driving force behind efforts to remove him from office.

"I bested, in a fair and square race, one of my key opponents who outspent us two to one, who comes from a different power base that I am not affiliated with and I think they're still looking quite intensely in trying to reclaim the seat they thought they could have won but did not," Mirkarimi outlined his theory during an interview for KCBS' In Depth program.

KCBS In Depth: A Conversation with Ross Mirkarimi, Eliana Lopez :

Lopez also pointed a finger at domestic violence advocates, accusing them of taking advantage of her circumstance for their own purposes.

"I don't think they really care," she said.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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