Finding Aid to the Larry Bush papers, SFH 580
Finding aid prepared by Tami J. Suzuki.
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
2020
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Note
Finding aid for first record group was created in 2019. Revised in January 2020 to include additional materials.
Title: Larry Bush Papers
Date (inclusive): 1974-2003
Date (bulk): 1992-1995
Identifier/Call Number: SFH 580
Creator:
Bush, Larry
Physical Description:
15 cubic feet
(15 boxes)
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Abstract: Contains paper records documenting Larry Bush's work as a journalist and ethics watchdog, mainly following his time as an
aide to former Assemblyman and former Mayor Art Agnos.
Physical Location: The collection is stored off site.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English.
Access
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours. Collections that are stored offsite should
be requested 48 hours in advance.
Restricted Document
A single document is restricted. A review will take place in 2029.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscrips must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Larry Bush Papers, (SFH 580), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
Material in the first record group was donated by Larry Bush on June 8, 2013. Additional materials were donated by Larry Bush
on April 29, 1998 and July 20, 2006; and by Art Agnos on May 11, 2006 and Oct. 11, 2013.
Related Materials
See also San Francisco Ethics Commission minutes; SFH 46, Art Agnos Papers; SFH 471, San Francisco Common Cause Records; and
SF SUB COLL, San Francisco Ephemera Collection; and the library catalog.
Related Collection
Larry Bush Papers, 1977-1984, Collection Number 7316, Cornell University Library.
Processing Information
First record group processed by Tami J. Suzuki in 2019. Additional records processed by Tami J. Suzuki in 2020.
Biographical
Larry Bush, 1946- , is a journalist and former political aide and government administrator. He was the Washington D.C. correspondent
for
The Advocate, and the first openly-gay reporter accredited by the White House. He published articles in both gay and straight publications
including the
New York Times, Washington Post, Village Voice, and
Playboy, and also published the
Bush Report, which was concerned with gay political and cultural issues. He was also the Washington liaison for the National Gay Task
Force.
Bush served as a legislative aide to and speechwriter for Art Agnos, both on the Assemblyman's and Myor's staffs, (1984-1988
and 1988-1992, respectively). He continued to work with Agnos, at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, serving
as Public Affairs Officer for the Pacific/Hawaii region. He also edited
CitiReport, a San Francisco political newsletter which later operated as a blog (at www.citireport.com).
His efforts influenced the creation of the San Francisco Ethics Commission, the establishment of voluntary spending limits
for San Francisco candidates, electronic filing of campaign reports, and conflict of interest reporting for City Hall aides.
Scope and Contents
This collection has personal papers of Larry Bush, mostly after his work as an aide to former Assemblyman and former Mayor
Art Agnos. A few documents from his time as a journalist in Washington DC are included. Materials include
CitiReport files and publications, his San Francisco ethics research and reform work, and subject files on topics including the City
Budget under Mayor Frank Jordan, police interrogations, and a living wage.
Arrangement
Organized into two record groups: Processed Materials and Unprocessed Materials. Processed materials are organized into three
series: Series 1.
CitiReport; Series 2. Ethics; and Series 3. Research Files. Unprocessed Materials are organized into six series: Series 4. "Book;" Series
5.
CitiReport Production Files; Series 6. Notebooks and Videos; Series 7. Research Files; Series 8. Ethics; and Series 9. Bush Reporting
Service and Washington, D.C. Files. The second record group is roughly processed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Bush, Larry -- Archives.
Political ethics -- California -- San Francisco -- 20th century.
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Politics and government -- 20th century.
San Francisco Ethics Commission.
Processed Materials,
1974-2001
1992-1995
box 1
Series 1
CitiReport,
1992-1995
Scope and Contents
Has newsletters and some business files.
Newsletters,
1992-1995
Physical Description: 5 folders
Business Documents,
1991-1992
box 1
Series 2
Ethics Series 2
1990-1999
Scope and Contents
Has documents related to Bush's ethics reforms work in San Francisco. including
Commission Business,
1995-1999
Physical Description: 4 folders
Brown for Mayor, Willie,
1995
Campaign Contributions, Proposition G,
1996-1997
Campaign Finance Reform, Proposition N,
1999
Charter: Civil Service Provisions,
1991
Competitive Bidding,
1996
Complaints and Investigations
Violation Reportings
1992-1996
Physical Description: 2 folders
Democratic Central Committee Campaign Statement
1996
Frank Jordan Election Committee
1996
Police Officers Association
1996
California Voters Guide, Attention: Republicans
1996
California Voter Guide, Barnes and Whitehurst
1997-1998
Supervisors Teng and Leno
1998
San Franciscans for Sensible Government v. Ethics Commission
1999
Industrial Waste Ordinance,
1997
Lobbyist Registrations,
1996-1997
Campaign Contribution Limits, Proposition 208,
1996-1998
Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments,
1995-1997
Fair Political Practices Commission: Political Reform Act,
1997
Los Angeles,
1990-1996
Physical Description: 3 folders
Reporting Requirements and Restrictions on Lobbying
Republican Party: Raper Letter,
1997
Soft Money, Proposition 208,
1997-1998
New York,
1995-1996
Physical Description: 2 folders
Series 3
Research Files,
1974-2001
Scope and Contents
Mainly documents Bush's work after leaving Mayor Agnos' office, but includes a few files from his time in Washington DC.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically by subject.
Agnos' Record,
1990-2000
Physical Description: 2 folders
City Budget,
1993-1994
Physical Description: 2 folders
City: Technology Concerns,
1995
Immigration [Washington DC Work],
1979-1983
International [Washington DC work],
1974-1983
Interviews [Washington DC work]
National Association of Business Councils [Washington DC Work],
1982
News Clippings,
1992-1998
Police Interrogations,
1992
"What I Saw from Art Agnos' Office" Article
Wong, Walter,
2000-[2001?]
Unprocessed Materials,
1976-2003
1992-1995
Scope and Contents
Has some of Bush's files from his time as a journalist in Washington, D.C., as well files as a journalist and good government
advocate following his time as an aide to Assemblyman and Mayor Art Agnos. Includes
CitiReport files. (Bush edited the publication beginning in 1992.) Focuses on ethics in San Francisco government and campaign finance
reform.
Series 4
"Book,"
1980-2001
Scope and Contents
Original boxes were marked "Book." Files may have been set aside for a publication. Subjects include Agnos' Mayoral accomplishments,
polling, political issues, bond rating drop, and an ethics complaint against Mayor Frank Jordan's inaugural committee. Has
some articles authored by Bush as well as draft text for position pieces and article ideas and speeches.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically.
Affordable Housing Editorial and Speeches
Agnos Biographical,
1989-2001
Physical Description: 5 folders
Agnos Editorials and Letters to Editor,
January 1992-[199-]
Agnos Speeches,
1984-1998
Bay Counties Statistics,
1992-1993
Brown, Jr., Willie L.,
1996
Bush Articles, Columns and Editorials,
1989-1994
Physical Description: 3 folders
Bush Biographical,
1982-[?]
Bush Book Proposal,
The Revolt of the Commuter Class,
no date
Bush Personal Correspondence,
1964-[1992]
Bush Reporting Services,
1981-1985
Physical Description: 2 folders
Budget/Bond Rating Drop,
1994
Committee on Jobs,
1991-1996
Physical Description: 2 folders
Embarcadero Freeway,
1991-1994
Home Ownership,
1990-1996
Homeless Paper (Mayor's Office of Economic Planning),
April 1992
Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
1992-2000
Physical Description: 3 folders
Mayoral Choices Poll,
1994
Mayoral Staff (Agnos'),
1988-1991
Mission Bay Development,
1990-1996
Newspaper Clippings,
1982-2002
Physical Description: 2 folders
Police and Fire,
1990-2001
Proposals (Newspaper Story Ideas),
1983-2000
San Francisco Housing Authority, Report and Five-Year Work Plan,
May 1993
USS Missouri Homeporting,
1987-1993
Physical Description: 3 folders
box 3
Series 5
CitiReport Production Files,
May-December, 1992
Scope and Contents
Material for specific issues.
Arrangement
Organized chronologically, by issue.
box 4
Series 6
Notebooks and Videos,
[1992-1995?]
Scope and Contents
Contains handwritten notes on legal pads, and two videotapes.
Public Housing Ownership,
[199-]
CBS News Story on Berkeley and San Francisco Homelessness,
[1999]
Series 7
Research Files,
1992-1995
Scope and Contents
Covers people and subjects, likely for
CitiReport publication and
Examiner articles. Includes press releases, articles written by Bush, and financial statements of candidates and political committees.
Subjects include Economy, Fire Department Consent Decree, Gays, Key Votes, Lobbyists, Elections (under November Elections),
Police, Shanti, and Unions. Includes IRS 990 filings of organizations including Frends of San Francisco Public Library, Friends
of Recreation & Parks, San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Friends of San Francisco
Police, Friends of Health Department, and Friends of San Francisco Fire Department.
Arrangement
Organized into two sub-series, which are each alphabetically organized. Some files are labeled. Contains many unorganized
papers.
Series 8
Ethics,
1990-2003
1993-1997
Scope and Contents
Focuses on Bush's investigations into possible ethics violations, particularly on Frank Jordan; as well as coverage of San
Francisco Ethics Commission work. Includes finance statements of elected officials.
Arrangement
Not organized. Some files are labeled. Contains many unorganized papers.
box 10-11
Frank Jordan and Wendy Paskin,
1990-1995
Physical Description: 1.5 Cubic Feet
box 11
Other Subjects,
1990-1995
Actenberg Financial Statements, Roberta,
1990-1992
Alioto Financial Statements, Angela,
1994
box 12
Other Subjects,
1991-2003
Executive Director's Reports,
1995-1997
Opinions from City Attorney,
1992-1997
Electronic Filing (of Election-Related Financial Information)
Political Contractor Laws,
1996
Campaign Finance Reform, San Francisco Laws,
1995-1996
Ethics Commission Regulations,
1996-1997
Ammiano FPPC Request on Lobbyist Issues, Tom,
1996-1997
Fair Political Practices Commisdion Bulletins,
1993-1996
California Campaign Laws,
1996-1997
Kilroy's Directory of SF's Politically Active Groups,
1994
SF Ballot Propositions, 1961-1990,
1991
Bush Review of Ethics Commission minutes,
1995
1997/98 Commission Budget,
1995-1996
John Doe v Gavin Newsom for Mayor Campaign,
2003
Committee to Build the Boulevard,
1999
box 13
Other Subjects,
1995-2003
Scope and Contents
Mostly loose papers including complaints filed by Bush and documents for court cases including
Clint Reilly for Mayor vs. City and
San Franciscans for Sensible Government vs. City; campaign constultants' quarterly reports, Commission memoranda and reports from director. Subjects include lobbyist restrictions,
campaign finance and public financing of campaigns.
box 14
Other Subjects,
1991-1995
Scope and Contents
Has San Francisco Taxpayers Associations's financial documents and Quentin Kopp's Lawyer's letter regarding a
CitiRreport article about ethics in politics (1993-1994); Ted Fang's deposition for Citizens for a United San Francisco campaign violations
case; and a Ted Fang FPPC order, 1995. Includes People's Earth Day Accounting (funded by Redevelopment Agency), 1993-1994;
and South Bayshore Community Development Corporation's public records, for a Redevelopment Agency survey, 1994-1995. Many
loose papers on corruption, ethics, campaign finance, and public records requests, 1994-1995. Subjects include Police including
helicopter and 101 California shooting transcripts.
box 15
Other Subjects,
1990-1996
Scope and Contents
Loose papers including Bush letter to Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., declining an Ethics Commission apointment, 1996; and San
Francisco Fire Department Consent Decree court papers, 1990-1993.
box 15
Series 9
Bush Reporting Service and Washington, D.C.,
1976-1984
Physical Description: .67 Cubic Feet
Arrangement
Folders are labeled but not organized.
Scope and Contents
Research files from Bush's work and volunteerism in Washington D.C.