SAN FRANCISCO (10/5)- In a controversial move, Myrna V. Lim has accused the local  San Francisco Chronicle, of ignoring the Mission-Excelsior District.  In a press statement made by the candidate, Lim stated, “I have been receiving phone calls and emails from my supporters in District 11 expressing disappointment in your coverage of our Supervisor race”.  Furthermore, accusations of sexism and ethnic insensitivity were launched as she noted, “I am the only Asian and one of two women in a field of eight candidates, yet your reporter, Wyatt Buchanan, deliberately excluded me from his story. His insinuation that I had not garnered enough in contributions and endorsements to be considered by your paper is simply false, and casts great doubt about your journalistic objectivity and integrity for both my supporters and myself…  When I ran against incumbent Gerardo Sandoval in 2004, I garnered 42% of the votes. This year I am proud to be the leading candidate according to several polls.  My support reflects the multi-cultural diversity of District 11: 46% Filipino and Chinese, 25% Latino, 15% Caucasian, 8% African American”

The article stated that misperceptions of the district were perpetuated by the newspaper, stating, “Your articles featured four men who are City Hall political insiders, thereby manipulating public perception, creating the illusion that those were the only candidates worth considering.  I have raised more than $50,000 and attach a list of my supporters, so I should have been included even according to your stated standards.  I am not relying on the taxpayers to publicly finance my campaign…”

 Stating her biography, Lim said, “I am the only candidate who actually grew up in the district, and has served the district all my adult life.  My father, Rafael Lim, a former District Attorney in the Philippines, moved to the Excelsior in 1969, and worked as a janitor for two years in order to bring his family to America for a better life.  We bought our house in the District in 1976.  My family operated the old Granada Theatre and the old Apollo Theatre.  My brothers went to Balboa High School.  My family attends masses at the Epiphany, Corpus Christi and St. Emydius Churches.  My niece attends first grade at Epiphany School. One of my nieces graduated from the Leadership School on Seneca Street.  Most of my friends and supporters are natives of District 11, include Walter Franco who has been operating the Ricca Café on Mission Street and Onondaga Street for 40 years.  Some of my friends are retired teachers from Balboa High School”.

 Candidate Lim, who has attracted the endorsements of Major General Antonio Taguba, Abu Ghraib Report, Iraq; San Francisco Police Officers Association; National Women’s Political Caucus; and Filipino American Caucus, California Democratic Party said to the editorial staff of the newspaper, “Despite your editorials to the contrary, your blatant discrimination serves to perpetuate the status quo at City Hall, to the detriment of the good people in my district who deserve better…”