A Letter From Liz

Dear Friend,

I am Liz Farrell, and my husband Mark is running for Mayor. I am a proud wife, mom, community leader, and writer. I care deeply about our City, which is why we – as a family – made the decision to enter the Mayor’s race.  

I have been around politics and political campaigns for a long time and I knew what we were getting into. I knew it would not be easy, as I know campaigns can get nasty. But I was not prepared for the level of dirty politics in this campaign. Daniel Lurie has spent millions of dollars of his inherited wealth on misleading and inaccurate television ads and mail pieces attacking our family. These attacks have been personal, unfounded and are politics at its worst. We wanted to stay focused on the positive vision and plans that are at the core of Mark’s campaign to help create a brighter future for our City.  

But, given the relentlessness of the negativity directed at our family, and the millions spent pushing it, I cannot stand by and remain silent any longer. As a wife and mother, I want my voice to be heard.

The attacks on our family do not reflect who Mark and I are as people, or our shared set of values. Mark and I have both been educated by the Jesuits, whose guiding principle is to encourage students to become men and women for others. Service and community are at the core of how we have been taught and who we are. Our parenting, our commitment to our schools and communities, our faith, and our involvement in public service are all rooted deeply in the values we hold dear. We are people of action, and we act with integrity and a genuinely held belief that we can make a difference in the lives of others.  That is how we are raising our children. That is why we entered this race. We felt called to serve and offer our time and talents to help a City we both love and call home, a safer and better place to live.

But the truth about who we are and what we stand for has been drowned out by millions of dollars in negative and painfully personal attacks. The privacy of our home has been violated by over-hungry journalists, and our credibility and ethics has been called into question – all without basis. It is as if the truth simply no longer matters to some of our opponents. This is why more good people choose not to run for political office. 

I have known Mark more than half my life. He has always done the right thing and works harder than any person I know. He has a strong and clear moral and ethical compass. He does not take advantage of people or seek personal gain at the expense of others. I implore you to discount the attacks against Mark for what they are – desperate political theater sponsored by candidates who lack Mark’s vision, experience, and proven track record.

We are proud to be raising our family in San Francisco. We have taken every opportunity to give back and serve our city. Mark has the strength, tenacity, and experience to make the tough choices that will fix our city. Together, I know we can make San Francisco the best city in the world to raise a family. I hope you will join us in our efforts to move San Francisco forward and to create a brighter future for our City.

Sincerely Yours,

Liz Briggs Farrell