By WENDY STEWART
Beat Staff Writer

Marked by two high-profile resignations of key Mayoral staffers in as many days in the Gavin Newsom administration, increased speculation swirled at San Francisco City Hall Tuesday that there was continuing tension between the Mayor and his aides.

Political experts say that the turmoil, coupled with Newsom’s erratic behavior of late, is raising doubts about the effectiveness of the Mayor’s office.

“The sheer volume of the high-profile departures from Newsom’s office — and their timing — suggests that there might be some discontent, or at least a lack of leadership. in the mayor’s office,” Beat Political Director and political analyst Steven Luo said. “Given the perception of turmoil that exists, you would think that loyal staffers would put off announcing their departures for a few days to let the pressure on Newsom cool.”

On Tuesday, Newsom’s “crime czar,” the Office of Criminal Justice head and former US Attorney Kevin Ryan became the latest member of the former Gubernatorial candidate’s staff to submit a letter of resignation.

Ryan had served two years at his post and said that his departure was in the works long before Newsom’s late October announcement that he was quitting the California governor’s race.

On Monday, Mayoral Press Secretary Nathan Ballard submitted his letter of resignation to Newsom, saying publicly that he wanted to spend more time with family and return to his political consulting practice.

Four other staffers, including the Mayor’s right hand man, ex-Chief of Staff Eric Jaye, have departed the administration or taken other jobs with agencies.

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“Many of the staff members leaving may be looking for new homes in the offices of politicians who will be running in 2010 — but even that leaves a question as to how much effort Newsom and his staff were putting into running the city, as opposed to his gubernatorial campaign,” Luo said.

These departures come amidst speculation that the Mayor’s office is experiencing tension between Newsom and staffers.

After Newsom’s announcement that he was dropping out of the 2010 race for Governor, he secretly hopped on a plane for Hawaii without telling staff members about the trip. When questioned about his whereabouts, the Mayor’s press secretary Ballard appeared to not know, at first telling reporters that the Mayor was ill, then finally revealing that Newsom had jetted off to the Big Island on his own dime.

Newsom would return to San Francisco days later, cutting his trip short by three days after a series of scathing reports in local newspapers and on television questioned the Mayor’s trip.

Yet since his return to City Hall, the Mayor has spent much of his time dodging reporters and cameras — leaving his City Hall office through side doors and avoiding packs of reporters camped outside his door for the first few days of being back in San Francisco.

Daily agendas sent to local newsrooms have been strangely void of public appearances, and two weeks lapsed before a news camera caught him sneaking out of his City Hall office through the side door.

Even then, he said very little to reporters who confronted him about why he’s been so covert in his interactions with the press.

City Hall insiders said that his behavior suggests that the Mayor is upset with the media about their critical reporting of Newsom’s run for governor, including stories about his absence in San Francisco while campaigning for governor.

Thus they believe that the Mayor’s avoidance of reporters is political payback for the way he was covered during the campaign.

Others suggest that the media-savvy Mayor’s reluctance to talk to the press is a symptom of a larger issue: something affecting the Mayor’s public or professional life that extends beyond animosity towards reporters.

All of them agreed that more departures from the Mayor’s staff were expected soon.

Political observers note that the rumblings of City Hall resignations, low morale and the erratic, often unpredictable behavior from the Mayor can weaken the structure of the administration.

Luo says Newsom needs to publicly confront to problems facing his office and do his best to quell the uproar over his Hawaii trip, and answer lingering questions about the Gubernatorial race.

“Right now, the mayor’s office, and his political operation, look like a rudderless ship,” he said. “If Newsom’s serious about continuing his political career, he’s going to have to take the helm and steer.”

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