Gazeta Lodz - Harry Britt’s Political Legacy Contrasts Sharply With Scott Wiener’s Record

The political legacy of Harry Britt, the last openly gay man to run for Congress from San Francisco, stands in stark contrast to the record of Scott Wiener, who became the first openly gay man to represent the city in Washington, D.C. While recent media coverage has drawn parallels between the two politicians, suggesting that Wiener is continuing a mission launched by Britt nearly 40 years ago, those who knew Britt and studied his legislative history argue that such comparisons ignore profound ideological differences.

Britt served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for many years before launching his 1987 congressional campaign. He challenged Nancy Pelosi, then a rising figure in local politics, in a race that highlighted the tensions within the city’s Democratic establishment. Although Britt had a strong local record and was supported by progressive factions, he lost to Pelosi, who benefited from significant financial backing and a coordinated attack by The San Francisco Chronicle, which characterized him as a "homosexual socialist." Britt died in 2020.

Recent reporting by the SF Standard has framed Wiener’s congressional tenure as the completion of Britt’s work. Headlines and promotional emails have described Britt as a "gay pioneer who paved the way" for Wiener. However, individuals close to Britt’s political circle assert that these narratives would have been alienating to the late supervisor.

"I can tell you with no hesitation that Harry Britt would never have endorsed, supported, or voted for Scott Wiener for Congress," said one former colleague who worked alongside Britt during the 1980s. "He would never want to be remembered as someone who paved the way for Wiener."

The divergence in their political philosophies is rooted in Britt’s identity as a socialist and his unwavering alignment with labor unions, working-class communities, and tenant rights advocates. Britt was known for his skepticism toward wealthy gay landlords and affluent LGBTQ+ individuals, a group Harvey Milk once referred to as the "A-Gays." In contrast, Wiener, who served as San Francisco’s deputy city attorney before entering Congress, is associated with policies that prioritize market-rate development and deregulation.

One of Britt’s most significant legislative achievements was sponsoring the measure that established civilian oversight of the San Francisco Police Department. This stands in direct opposition to Wiener’s tenure as deputy city attorney, during which he aggressively defended police rights against civil liability for false arrests. "Scott, in my view, is the opposite of Harry Britt in many important ways," said one observer familiar with both men’s records.

Tom Ammiano, a former state Assemblymember and contemporary of Britt, noted that Britt viewed queer rights as inseparable from broader struggles for economic justice. During the 1970s, the Bay Area Gay Liberation movement framed LGBTQ+ rights within a larger agenda that included tenant protections, low-income support, union rights, and solidarity with Black, Latino, and Asian communities. Ammiano observed that as Gay Pride evolved, it increasingly adopted a neoliberal corporate agenda, provided it included LGBTQ+ inclusion. "Harry was a Gay Liberation person," Ammiano said. "He saw the intersection of the struggles."

Britt’s legacy is described by supporters as one that paved the way for democratic socialists, labor organizers, and those challenging late-stage capitalism—groups that do not include Wiener. This ideological gap explains why former colleagues from Britt’s era, including Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Connie Chan, supported Chan’s bid against Wiener in recent local elections.

Beyond the historical comparison, San Francisco faces immediate governance challenges under Mayor Lurie, who now exercises complete control over city departments and commissions. The latest point-in-time count reveals a 17 percent increase in the unhoused population over the past two years, with the number of unhoused children rising by 27 percent. Critics argue that the mayor’s approach to solving homelessness through relocation and enforcement is insufficient, pointing to evidence that his Family Zoning Plan may exacerbate housing shortages in the short term. Concurrently, reports indicate the mayor is considering cutting up to 20 percent of the city’s permanent supportive housing and shelter beds.

In response to the housing crisis, the Haight Asbury Neighborhood Council will host advocates Jennifer Friedenbach and Joe Wilson to discuss community responses. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at 1833 Page St., with online participation available via Zoom.

On other legislative fronts, the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee will consider a measure by Supervisor Chyanne Chen on Monday that would allow hotel workers and their unions to sue commercial hotels that fail to meet cleaning and safety standards. The legislation aims to enforce the 2020 Healthy Buildings Ordinance, which mandates daily guest room cleaning. Local 2, representing tourism workers, argues that private right of action is necessary to combat operators who evade enforcement by cutting staff, such as eliminating daily housekeeping. Union representatives emphasize that tourism generated $604 million in tax revenue and supported nearly 62,000 jobs in 2024, making hotel safety critical for industry recovery.

Mayor Lurie is expected to appear at the full Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday for Question Time. Supervisor Jackie Fielder has submitted questions regarding conditions on Mission Street near school zones, where plans are underway to add community ambassadors. Supervisor Chen’s question addresses the Crocker Amazon Park Capital Improvement Project, which involves restoring ballfields with a grant from the San Francisco Giants. The grant requires replacing grass with artificial turf and removing 60 trees, a plan that has drawn opposition from neighborhood residents concerned about environmental impact.

The conflict at Crocker Amazon Park illustrates broader tensions regarding philanthropy-driven city planning, where external funding often comes with specific mandates that may not align with community preferences. As the mayor’s administration navigates these complex issues, the historical distinctions between past and present political leadership in San Francisco remain a point of active debate among former colleagues and policy experts.

G.Jozwiak--GL