Chinatown Power Players Behind Ed Jew Smokescreen, Source Says

Peskin called the recall effort a "character defamation campaign." He says his opponents first attempted to make an issue of his home purchase in 2004 when he was running for re-election to the Board of Supervisors. Peskin says he's known since the beginning of the recall effort that Lee and Yee are "behind it for reasons of personal self-interest," but adds that he was interested to hear allegations that Ed Jew was involved in it too.

It's not about Ed Jew, according to recall committee member Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow (a longtime Chinatown gang leader who was profiled in the SF Weekly article "Enter the Dragon Head," Aug. 1, 2007). Chow says the focus of the recall is on standing up against Peskin, not earning a salary. "I don't get money to do it," Chow says. "I just do what I feel is right." Chow now suspects Reginald was more worried about making money than with the recall effort.

Reginald insists that this is now about "principle" rather than money and filed the lawsuit against Pius Lee alleging breach of contract in small claims court. He's asking for $7,500 — the maximum amount allowed in small claims. That case is one of 11 that Reginald has filed in small claims court since May 2006, a review of court records show.

Reginald had also filed a separate lawsuit against Supervisor Ed Jew, claiming he was also behind the Peskin recall campaign, but says he has since "decided against it" because Jew already has enough legal problems.