Now that everyone can at last acknowledge that Sheriff Mike Carona is a very bad man, one has to ponder why so few Republicans stood up against him last year when his PR flack, Jon Fleischman, and his consigliere, Mike Schroeder, were conspiring to get the OC GOP endorsement for their man.
While I have had my differences with OC GOP Central Committee member Tim Whitacre was one of the few Central Committee members who stood up against Carona. As did I. There were others, but not as many as you would have expected.
I used to be a big fan of O.C. Supervisor Chris Norby and O.C. Treasurer John Moorlach. But they both endorsed Carona, and they would not listen to reason. Matt Harper was a longtime Y.R. who had done a lot of good things for the GOP, but he wouldn’t listen to reason either as he too endorsed Carona. He now works for O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen. One hopes he has learned from this bitter episode.
There were many other Republicans whom I previously had thought to be paragons of virtue who jumped on the Carona bandwagon. Amongst them were Westminster Councilman Kermit Marsh; Congressman Ed Royce; Assemblyman Todd Spitzer; then-Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher; Mission Viejo Councilman John Paul Ledesma; Westminster Councilwoman Margie Rice; and Garden Grove Mayor Bill Dalton, who as a former cop should have known better.
And then there were Republicans on the list of Carona endorsers who I always suspected were corrupt, greedy or otherwise compromised. Amongst them Assemblyman Van Tran, whose wife was previously indicted; Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle; OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh; Congressman Gary Miller; former OC GOP Chairman Tom Fuentes; Fullerton Mayor Pro-Tem Don Bankhead; and Irvine Councilwoman Christina Shea.
You can see a long list of O.C. politicians who endorsed Carona at this link. You will find a few Democrats there too. State Senator Lou Correa, whom I otherwise admire, also endorsed Carona. He did so, as far as I know, in exchange for a gun and a reserve deputy badge. He did so even though Carona started an ICE program at the county jail. I hope it was worth it Lou.
Tom Daly, the O.C. Clerk/Recorder, is another prominent Democrat who endorsed Carona. God only knows why he did it. But Daly wants to one day replace Norby on the O.C. Board of Supervisors. Well, folks ought to wonder about his judgment now.
Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, who himself is enveloped in corruption, also endorsed Carona. Well, here is another reason for Pulido’s fellow Democrats to NOT endorse him when he runs for reelection next year.
It should be noted that Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters, also a Democrat, also endorsed Carona. Walters once lost to Carona in tough campaign for Sheriff. Walters of all people should have known Carona was a crook.
So why did all these people endorse Carona? Could they possibly not have known how bad a guy Carona was? I find that incredible. The O.C. Weekly (R. Scott Moxley) and the L.A. Times beat on Carona regularly – and they deserve accolades for their excellent reportage. This blog also beat up Carona a lot, but our readership back then was not what it is today.
But Carona’s henchmen, Fleischman and Schroeder, knew how to appeal to politician’s inner greedy pigs and they did so very well. And the Red-faced County/OC Blog, which back then was the major blog in town, praised Carona endlessly and ignored negative stories about him. Now that blog is pretending to be surprised about the collapse of the Carona empire. Don’t believe that B.S. for a second!
The bottom line is that when it mattered, many O.C. politicians, including almost the entire OC GOP machine, jumped on board the Carona express. This is one of the reasons I eventually quit the OC GOP Central Committee and said goodbye to the Republican Party altogether.
After the Holocaust, what remained of the Jewish people embraced the mantra, “Never forget.” While the collapse of the Carona empire does not approach the wickedness of Adolf Hitler, I do think that the admonishment to “Never forget,” is appropriate. I for one will NEVER FORGET who endorsed Carona. Even though they KNEW better. Nor should you.
The rumors have swirled around Carona for years and now a Federal indictment is at the County’s doorstep. Carona needs to resign. While our system of justice certainly provides the presumption of innocence, it will be impossible for Carona to defend himself for the next 3 years and run an organization as complex as the Sheriff’s Department while mounting a defense. It is impossible and could cause irreparable harm to the organization. The distractions will be immense and the hard working line employees of the Department will suffer.
If Carona steps down, the Board should appoint a successor who can repair the damage done by this man and the minions he brought into the organization and created from within. Meaningful change in the Sheriff
Art:
This Bible passage, Luke 18: 9-14, reminds me of you:
He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity–greedy, dishonest, adulterous–or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In case you hadn’t figured it out, you are the Pharisee. Art Pharisee: it has the ring of truth to it.
anon 9:31 a.m.
With all due respect I take issue with you in your allegations.
“none of the baggage that any of the other potential nominees do.”
Kindly tell us what “baggage” Jack Anderson is carrying?
With all of the allegations of the indictment please be careful to back up your remarks about other candidates with proven facts.
Umm, he works for Corona and is a product of the system? Outside help is needed to clean up a dirty department.
Why did so many O.C. politicians endorse Carona…when they knew better?
I’ll tell you why. Because they are selfserving and greedy.
There is a COMPLETE lack of leadership on the BOS right now. They should uniformly INSIST that he resign.
WTF, a law enforcement official (the second biggest SD in the state, fifth in the nation) has been indicted on a dozen counts of graft, and Norby questions it????
This reminds me of the old election question:
“Do you want clean drinking water?”
No thanks I’ll take the shitty stuff.
What are the voters and officials thinking?
HE NEEDS TO GO NOW!
Why did so many O.C. politicians endorse Carona…when they knew better?
I’ll tell you why. Because they are selfserving and greedy.
There is a COMPLETE lack of leadership on the BOS right now. They should uniformly INSIST that he resign.
WTF, a law enforcement official (the second biggest SD in the state, fifth in the nation) has been indicted on a dozen counts of graft, and Norby questions it????
This reminds me of the old election question:
“Do you want clean drinking water?”
No thanks I’ll take the shitty stuff.
What are the voters and officials thinking?
HE NEEDS TO GO NOW!
From the Tin Star
Saturday, July 23, 2005
“Hunting for Cover From the Attorney General”
The race for Sheriff got as hot as our temperatures in the O.C. this week as Attorney General Bill Lockyear allowed certain reporters to view a report into his investigation of a 2003 incident in the City of San Clemente that involved Gregory Haidl. The AG stated the incident was mishandled through improper police procedures and thus created the impression of favoritism within the Sheriff’s Department. Lt. Bill Hunt is named as one of the Sheriff’s officials that acted improperly.
The first report came from KCAL-9/KCBS-2 Reporter Dave Lopez and aired on the Sunday night edition of Channel 9 news the evening of July 17. The report is not available on the website of either channel (at least that I could find) and in a previous post on the blog (here) I asked for comments on the story by Dave Lopez. Anonymous provided these comments on the report:
“Dave Lopez did one of his hit pieces. The story ran Sunday. The lead-in was George Jaramillo’s upcoming Grand Jury Testimony. Lopex [sic] then cited an AG report, that indicated Carona did not have any knowledge of Greg Haidle’s [sic] San Clemente Pot incident. The reported further stated, Lt. Hunt created an “air” of preferencial [sic] treatment and cover-up by directing the field officer to change his report and withholding information from the City Council after they requested details. Looks like the only one not mixed up in this is the guy from L.A.”
The second item was in today’s Orange County Register in a story by Martin Wisckol. The Buzz reporter was allowed to view the AG report even though it has not been released to the public. The story by Mr. Wisckol reviews the actions of the patrol deputies from the initial car stop, through the investigation at the scene and ultimately the release of the suspects. Neither report (Lopez/Wisckol) apparently indicated that the AG had any criticism of how the incident was handled by the San Clemente deputies. Good!
The perceptions of preferential treatment began afterward in how the incident was documented and in how the chain-of-command was notified, beginning with the patrol sergeant.
In regards to the documentation of the incident, the story in the Register quotes “The report that Lt. Hunt finally approved contributed to the perception that Gregory Haidl was afforded preferential treatment,” the attorney general’s report says. (Link here). Reporter Wisckol does a very nice job of tracking down the “usual suspects” in the Sheriff’s race for their comments on the documentation issue:
Poster #1 is a Martin hack. He posted the same thing as “Martin Supporter” at Red County. Here’s my response:
A MARTIN SUPPORTER,
You are a sorry sack of pontificating bull. Apparently, everyone one but you and your opportunist candidate, Ralph Martin,has seen the phone logs between Jaramillo and Carona and know the whole story to which you try to malign the good character of Bill Hunt.
Are you a spokesman for Martin? Because he knows the truth here as well and if he has instructed you to stoop to this level, that futher shows his true colors. As it is, his assertions that there are no qualified, ethical personnel in the OCSD is DEPLORABLE and UNFORGIVEABLE.
Your man, Martin, came up the ranks through the back stairway, serving as a “driver” for his Sheriff and as an Admin. deputy for a long time during his career. To the contrary, Bill Hunt volunteered for and has worked every position of merit in this department. He was one of the best street/narcotics/gang cops we ever had. Martin may have “commanded” a few different squads, but that is very different than being a “squad/gang detail” member, on the front line.
Prior to the elecion, no one knew Martin. After the election, he disappared while Bill Hunt continued to take it on the chin for not only OCSD but Orange County voters as well. Where was your boy then? Why didn’t he stand up as a “ethical” commander and cry foul over the way Hunt was being treated?
When additional scandals broke, why didn’t he scream loud and clear like Bill Hunt did?
Your man is unqualified to lead the proud and dedicated men & women of OCSD. Go back to L.A. and run for sheriff there – and tell him to get a better spokesman too.
Poster # 7 is the same Martin hack as poster #1. Again, he posted the same thing at Red County. Here’s my response to #7:
Martin Supporter breaks out something from Tarnished Star – now there’s an “objective” blog if ever there was one…what a joke!… You see, MS, we know the truth about the incident you try to inflame because we know the facts. What a slimy below-the-belt hit. Obviously, that’s Ralph Martin’s character…
This is further proof neither Martin Supporter or the opporutnist candidate, Ralph Martin – who outrageously claims there are no ethical Deputies in OCSD to stand up and be Sheriff – even knows where the light switches are in OCSD!!!
You boys think LA is so much better than OCSD, but yet now that the opportunist candidate sees a chance to fluff his resume and apply for the top spot here, he jumps at it. If Martin even cared about the place where he lives (OC), he should have applied for a latteral transfer years ago and prove to us here what kind of leadership skills he has – BEFORE he runs for the top spot. LA sucks and is gang-infested and crime-ridden and there’s plenty of problems in Martin’s own back yard up there! Clean up your own mess first before you come down here and tell us how bad we need YOU to “fix” us.
poster #1 is NOT the same as #7.
Poster #1 is a Martin Hack, but #7 is the Sgt. at Tin Star; always willing to beat up on Bill Hunt. You never give up, do you Sgt. Are you afraid Hunt will send you “Freeway Therapy”, like Corona has to so many. I can’t wait to retire and have some small talk with you, you skinny, whinny little man. I’ll introduce myself a bit later.
Anyway, Ralph is a nice man, but don’t kid yourself. What we don’t need is someone from the outside. The Sgt. will be right on his leg, trying to “recommend” the right people for the job. Martin knows no one is the department and has no idea who would be best for what position. That is extremely important, isn’t Sgt. Hunt knows everyone and has no agenda. He owes no one. Sgt. won’t come close to Hunt’s leg and he knows it. Blog on your own blog Sgt.
Art weren’t you on the GOP Executive Committee that voted to give Carona a second chance to be nominated for Sheriff by the OC GOP Central Committee?
Poster 11,
No. I was not on the committee at that time. Whitacre and I led the charge against that move in the Central Committee. I wrote about it extensively here on the OJ.
I recall slamming Schroeder for gaming the OC GOP bylaws at the time to come up with the ridiculous second chance.
Nice try, but no cigar.
Boy looks like we struck a cord….pretty frightened of outside eyeballs finding out exactly what’s been going on in the OC Sheriff’s Department aren’t we?
Let’s see, with Bill Hunt, he continues the good ole boy network, removes anyone who didn’t support him and promotes deputy level personnel to high ranking positions and then everything goes on as it has for the last 10 years…..yeah that will fix the problems…..
Me thinks you protest too much. You and your ilk are scared to death that your gravy train and shenanigans will come to a screeching halt…….
Just scream louder and throw out the insults at Martin…..the fact remains that he is the more experienced candidate who has PROVEN he can ethically run a huge operation and WILL make a better Sheriff regardless of where he came from or how loud or obnoxious you get……..
And as far as insulting….I guess the 60% of OC Chief’s of police that came from LA departments or the many OCSD Sgts and Lts who became chiefs and Sheriff’s in other jurisdictions are opportunists as well..
You’re so scared you are just pathetic……
As a “victim” (gosh I hate that word) of Jaramillo and Carona, I know first hand that this department is dirty and needs housecleaning. The trickle down theory is alive and well and it will take an outsider to clean up this department. I can only hope that the good deputies that have stood by their oath all along can rise to the top and point out those who need to move on…..