Add: But even as the supes yesterday whittled to five the finalists for the appointment, it’s become clear that the invisible candidate hovering over their decision is none other than disgraced Assemblywoman and Nieman Marcus shoplifter Mary Hayashi (D-Castro Valley). That’s because she’s got north of a half-million dollars in her campaign coffers, enough to dwarf that of any other candidate, and, hubris or not, wants the job. She's termed out in Sacramento in December. In other words, if Hayashi is to be stopped, better give the temp job to someone who’s viable. (Steven Tavares at East Bay Citizen posits that Hayashi’s ambition ultimately includes being elected to Congress.)
More: As for the finalists, only Newark Councilwoman Ana Apodaca was picked by all four supes. The others: former Union City councilman Richard Valle, Union City Mayor Mark Green, businesswoman Sheryl Grant and Steele, who was picked only by Supervisor Keith Carson.
