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Fred Sainz Moves On

San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders' spokesman, Fred Sainz, is leaving city hall. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

Fred Sainz Moves On

San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders' spokesman, Fred Sainz, is leaving city hall. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

Sainz has been a familiar voice, speaking for the mayor on tricky issues like the Sunroad debacle. A master of positive spin, Sainz sometimes went overboard to protect the mayor from negative publicity. After a notorious incident in which Sanders used the "F" word to his election opponent, Steve Francis, Sainz initially denied it ever happened, only to be contradicted by the mayor, who openly admitted doing it. 

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Sainz:   I think in every single case in which he has said something that I wish he hadn't said, his instincts have been far superior to mine

Loyal to the last, Sainz  credits Sanders for helping to land him his next job as spokesman for a national gay  civil rights foundation in Denver.  Sainz says it was Sanders' emotional support of same sex marriage that attracted the attention of headhunters .
Taking over from Sainz  as Director of Communications for Mayor Sanders' second term will be Darren Pudgil. Pudgil, currently  Communications Director for San Diego Congressman Brian Bilbray, previously worked with County Supervisors for over a decade.

Alison St John, KPBS news.