San Francisco Supervisor Sherrill Condemns Anonymous Fake News Releases Circulating Twice

Phony news releases wrongly attributed to San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill have found their way into inboxes and onto doorsteps twice over the course of the last month. The first fictitious release, dated Feb. 10, was sent from a Gmail address unaffiliated with Sherrill's campaign or official City Hall office, and the supervisor condemned the anonymous mailings as something that “erodes confidence in our institutions.”

That Feb. 10 release purported to be a response from Sherrill to a California Post story that raised questions about why then-Mayor London Breed had selected him to fill the vacant board seat. Sherrill was appointed in 2024 by then-Mayor Breed and is up for election in June for the first time since that appointment; he faces a robust challenge from Lori Brooke, described as a community organizer and critic of plans to upzone parts of the district. Sherrill’s district includes affluent neighborhoods in the Marina and Pacific Heights, where door-to-door delivery of false statements could reach voters directly.

A separate statement provided to residents in reporting on the matter directed people to city leadership and referenced a different mayoral office. “If you have feedback or concerns or are seeking reimbursement for damages, though, please know this event was directed through Mayor Lurie's office,” the statement said, and encouraged residents “to contact the Mayor directly, and not my office,” adding that city departments would “address outstanding issues.” The excerpted statement did not identify who issued those lines, and the role of Mayor Lurie in the sequence — compared with Breed’s earlier appointment of Sherrill — is not clear from available material.

Key details remain unresolved: it is unclear who is behind either of the two mailings or whether the two statements are connected, and the full text of both fictitious releases has not been published. Reported information confirms only the Feb. 10 date for the first release; the date and delivery specifics for the second mailing were not provided. No formal law-enforcement action, subpoena, or administrative investigation has been disclosed in the reporting available so far.

The timing and content of the mailings carry political consequence because they targeted a newly appointed incumbent ahead of a June election. Sherrill’s warning that the anonymous mailings “erode confidence in our institutions” frames the immediate risk as institutional trust rather than a narrow campaign spat. Photos accompanying coverage were credited to Manuel Orbegozo and Lea Suzuki.

City offices, the campaign of Lori Brooke, and the sender of the Gmail message have not released additional authenticated copies of the releases; the origin and intent of the two incidents remain open questions as the district moves toward the June election and as residents seek clarity about potential reimbursements and official channels referenced in the circulating statements.