San Francisco Charity Official’s Spending Examined

A San Francisco city supervisor has called for an inquiry into spending by the head of the city’s Catholic Charities affiliate.

The supervisor’s move came as directors of the organization were already investigating the expense-account charges of its chief executive officer, Frank Hudson. The investigation began after it was discovered that Mr. Hudson had spent more than $50,000 since August 1998 on meals and cosmetic surgery.

According to the charity’s records, Mr. Hudson used Catholic Charities money to pay for meals at expensive San Francisco restaurants and also for laser hair-removal treatments and injections of a chemical used to remove wrinkles around his eyes. He has acknowledged charging those expenses to the organization, and has said they were in line with Catholic Charities policies on entertainment and medical expenses.

Maurice Healy, spokesman for San Francisco Archbishop William Levada, who chairs the charity’s board, says a five-member committee of the directors is investigating Mr. Hudson’s spending.

The San Francisco city supervisor, Tom Ammiano, has asked the city attorney to investigate Mr. Hudson’s spending to see whether it represents misuse of any of the $12-million the charity received from the city this year, about half the group’s operating budget.