Sources within the Department of Building Inspection have told Mission Local that director Tom Hui “literally stood over people’s shoulders” to force out the controversial 555 Fulton Street project “sooner than it should’ve been done.”

And, today, he may be facing the consequences.

Hui was ensnared in City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s probe of criminally charged ex-Public Works boss Mohammed Nuru: In an 11-page memo to Mayor London Breed, Herrera outlines a lengthy history of alleged misconduct by Hui. Sources within DBI described Hui and longtime city permit expediter Walter Wong as “joined at the hip,” and Herrera’s memo to the mayor in part lays this out.

Breed today sent a memo to Angus McCarthy, the president of the Building Inspection Commission, urging Hui’s dismissal.

Already, Mission Local has confirmed that FBI agents visited the Department of Building Inspection on Feb. 5 — after computer files regarding the 555 Fulton project disappeared off the department’s computer system for about a week and then, mysteriously, reappeared.

This project is the one that Nuru purportedly pulled strings to advance after he and permit expediter Walter Wong were gifted “some stone” and high-end liquor by its developer, Chinese billionaire Zhang Li.

Herrera on Feb. 27 fired off 14 subpoenas, focusing on Wong, Zhang and their affiliated companies. FBI agents in January raided Wong’s office.

Herrera’s March 10 memo describes Hui as recalcitrant to participate in the investigation, and notes he retained a criminal defense attorney. The memo summarizes the “preliminary findings” of the probe, which include:

Hui is DBI OFFICIAL 1 from the federal complaint against Nuru;

Hui provided “preferential treatment” to Wong and Zhang and accepted gifts and meals from them;

Hui is charged with “abusing his official position” to “influence city employment decisions related to his son and son’s girlfriend.”

Hui, who was appointed head of DBI by Mayor Ed Lee in 2013, admitted to City Attorney investigators that he, Nuru, Wong, Zhang and others attended several dinners to discuss the stalled 555 Fulton project — on at least one occasion receiving an email to his personal account from Wong.

He claimed his portion of the bill would’ve been about $30, an estimate the City Attorney describes as “self-serving.” Pressed by the City Attorney, Hui purportedly admitted “I should not have gone,” and “I cannot defend it.”

While Hui told the City Attorney he and Wong did not socialize, emails from 2013 reveal he sent Wong draft letters, allowing the permit expediter to, in essence, write city policy. Hui did this using his personal email account.

We have more than 5,000 regular readers – 600 of you donate – thank you! To the other 4,400, we need you. Donate today.

The City Attorney also unearthed emails between Wong and Hui querying about “detailed information” regarding properties owned by Judy Wu, who eventually paid the city a $2 million fine for a scheme in which she and her husband added multiple kitchens and bathrooms to their properties without permitting.

“Hui provided Wong with extraordinary access,” notes the City Attorney’s memo. This would not come as a surprise to longtime hands within the DBI, who told Mission Local that Wong in past years would walk behind the counter at the department and expedite matters himself.

The doors to the employee area were jokingly called “The Wong Doors.” DBI officials also claim that, years ago, Wong even had keys to the building and let himself in as he pleased.

The nexus between Wong, Nuru, and Hui is not hard to triangulate. Here, for example, is some permitting for 2012 work at Nuru’s home, handled by contractor Wong and plan-checked by Hui.

The City Attorney additionally uncovered an email chain in which Hui in 2011 requested Wong assist his son, Jason Hui, in scheduling an interview for a job at Public Works. Jason Hui got that job and later was hired by his own father at DBI. Hui was forced to undo this hire in 2016, and Jason Hui returned to Public Works.

Jason Hui also wrote to his father to secure aid in landing a job for his girlfriend. Tom Hui emailed Walter Wong about this, who looped in Nuru.

The girlfriend was hired by the Public Utilities Commission in 2014, subsequently transferred to the Municipal Transportation Agency, and remains there still.

Breed wasted little time placing Hui on suspension and taking steps for the Building Inspection Commission to formally dismiss him.

“Mr. Hui abused his position and authority and betrayed the public trust,” reads her memo to that body’s president. “…I ask that you place an item on your March 18, 2020 agenda, to remove Mr. Hui as the Director of Building Inspection.”

BIC President Angus McCarthy today responded that this item would indeed be scheduled for March 18.