In an April 2024 episode of conservative talk show San Francisco Beat host Erica Sandberg introduced Marie Hurabiell as the leader of “an important group that connects neighborhoods and gets them together.” 

As head of Connected SF, Hurabiell has launched neighborhood groups in each one of the city’s 11 supervisorial districts. The aim, she says, is to bring together residents interested in “common sense” solutions to what ails San Francisco. For Hurabiell and her allies however, “common sense” is PR speak for right-wing policies.

Hurabiell’s story should sound familiar. She’s used it often. It’s been a handy explanation for  her involvement in various conservative causes from the recalls of three members of the San Francisco School Board and District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and a deeply flawed redistricting process.

In it, Hurabiell casts herself as a regular San Franciscan who became politically active to rescue her city from progressive office holders. No matter that there hasn’t been a progressive mayor since Art Agnos left City Hall more than three decades ago. Marie Hurabiell is not about to let facts get in the way of a good story.

In fact, there’s little that’s ordinary about Hurabiell. A registered Republican until 2022, she has always been a right-wing political operative. Active in the local branch of the Republican Party, Hurabiell was appointed to a coveted seat on the board of the Presidio Trust by former President Donald Trump. (Trump’s other appointee to the trust was right-wing radio host Michael Savage.) She’s run twice for a seat on the City College Board of Trustees, often used as a political springboard. Before her second campaign, Hurabiell changed her party affiliation six days before the filing deadline, an effort to conceal her true political leanings. Both efforts failed.

Since then, Hurabiell, who is nothing if not persistent, has returned to the political arena. This time, she is aiding Republican billionaire William Oberndorf in his effort to move San Francisco to the far right.

A review of  her Twitter/X account tells a far different story than the one Hurabiell has been peddling. Despite continually insisting on the label “moderate Democrat,” Hurabiell’s posts expose her as a Republican ideologue. In 2021, she Tweeted  — “CRT was a tactic used by the Hitler and the KKK” — referring to school board debates surrounding critical race theory. While this particular Tweet has since been deleted, she still retweets posts from ultra-right wing accounts like “End Wokeness” and shows tacit support for far-right movements in other countries like France.

Hurabiell’s tired origin story built out of common concern for the city conceals the truth behind her aims with the political organizations she currently operates: Promoting extreme right wing ideologies in San Francisco through extended dark money campaigns.

For a group that purports to represent “moderate Democrats,”many of Connected SF’s events and social media offer a platform for fringe right-wing theories and characters. For example, one Connected SF forum hosted Michael Shellenberger, candidate for Governor of California in 2018 and 2022, whose platform included ending gender affirming surgery and support for fracking in California. 

Hurabiell’s original political action group, SOAR — short for Save Our Amazing Richmond — has reshared posts from former District 3 candidate JConr Ortega, whose reactionary campaign, centered around the demonization of the unhoused, recently came to a close after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced from a former partner. 

Hurabiell is listed as a Take Action SF volunteer, but its March 2024 voter guide was distributed via a slate mailer that shares an address with Connected SF. This mailer encouraged a “No” vote on Proposition A, an affordable housing bond, and enthusiastic endorsements for Propositions E and F which, respectively, expand police power and require drug screening for recipients of city assistance. 

Hurabiell also works with Stop Crime SF, which has a history of hosting events that spread tough-on-crime propaganda. Their judge report card features unsourced attacks on sitting San Francisco Superior Court judges for not being tough enough on crime. They also co-hosted a judicial candidate forum with Republican mega donor Martha Conte where two Superior Court judges were booted from attendance so only candidates backed by Hurabiell and company could present to the room. Stop Crime SF recently made headlines after mayoral candidate Aaron Peskin withdrew from a debate hosted by the group, citing its ties to Oberndorf’s Neighbors for a Better San Francisco and its explicit endorsement of candidates Mark Farrell and Daniel Lurie.

Both Stop Crime SF and Connected SF list Neighbors for a Better San Francisco as a significant funder. Oberndorf’s investment in these groups has already seen significant returns: Connected SF was instrumental to the 2022 redistricting efforts. As an email linked with the group states, “Connected SF is leading the Redistricting drive to capture moderate majorities in Supervisor Districts which will ensure moderate centrist candidates are elected in the future.” 

Hurabiel, herself, appeared at a public hearing to make the claim, “There are certain people who are trying to manipulate minority communities in order to get what they want instead of what is best for those populations.” It seems that for Hurabiell, what’s best for minority communities are deeply gerrymandered districts that have diminished the power of progressive supervisors, LGBTQ groups and Black San Franciscans. 

In the run up to November’s election, phony grassroots groups like SOAR and Iconic D3 will pop up under the guise of uniting the concerns of San Francisco’s supposed moderate majority. Behind them are MAGA Republicans looking to fundamentally reshape San Francisco’s political identity.

If Hurabiell and Oberndorf have their way, San Franciscans may be surprised to see a city that has abandoned its historic support for the middle and working classes, and for robust public services that serve all residents.