There was quite a stir in the O.C. blogosphere today as the O.C. Board of Supervisors allowed Deputy Sheriff Jack Anderson to remain as the acting Sheriff, in replacement of Mike Carona, who finally resigned.
Over at the Liberal OC blog, our former blogger, Sean Mill, went on the warpath against Supervisor Janet Nguyen in particular. I don’t think that was very fair. Matt “Jubal” Cunningham did a pretty good job of recapping Mill’s silliness over at the Red County Blog. Cunningham also did a good job of summarizing what went on in today’s meeting in this post.
I spoke to Supervisor Nguyen this evening and I quickly realized that there was a lot more going on than what Mill reported.
I cannot divulge most of our conversation, as it was primarily off the record. However, I can tell you that because there were only three Supervisors at today’s meeting, there was very little that could be done. Supervisor Pat Bates was in a car accident, which precluded her from participating in the meeting. Supervisor Bill Campbell was in Sacramento on official business.
The rest of the Supervisors wrangled about how to go about selecting a new Sheriff. But they never did confirm Anderson. Nor did they outright reject him. Instead, I am told that they will talk about this at their next meeting, on the 29th.
Of course Mill used the opportunity to beat up Supervisor Nguyen. Never mind the fact that if it were not for the O.C. Democrats, Carona would have lost his last race. Supervisor Nguyen has NEVER supported Carona. But former Supervisor Lou Correa did. So did OC County Clerk/Recorder Tom Daly. And OC Democratic Party Chair Frank Barbaro. And Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido. And even RSCCD Trustee John Hanna. They supported Carona even though they knew what a pig he was. And as a result he won whereas had they opposed him he almost certainly would have faced a run-off. And I think he would have eventually lost – to either Bill Hunt or Ralph Martin.
Instead, today we are stuck with Carona’s legacy, Jack Anderson. But not for long. I suspect he will be replaced on the 29th. Is that fair for Anderson? I don’t know. But the fact is, he is an ally of Carona. That alone is reason to distrust him, fair or not.
What can we do in the interim? For starters, I suggest that you email or call your Supervisor and ask him, or her, to please replace Anderson as Sheriff at the next Board of Supervisor’s meeting. And ask that they seriously consider appointing Commander Ralph Martin.
Key issues that you can bring up when you contact your Supervisor include:
- Ralph has over 34 years of law enforcement experience working in the largest Sheriff’s Department in the nation and has consistently demonstrated that he is an outstanding supervisor, manager, and executive.
- He is currently an area commander responsible for a patrol division with nearly the same number of employees as the entire Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
- He has impeccable character and is morally fit to assume the role of Sheriff.
- The OCSD needs someone from outside of the organization who can objectively assess operations and make fair and effective organizational and procedural change that will benefit both the employees of the agency and all residents of the County.
- He owes no allegiance to any OCSD employee group or individual employee which will enhance his ability to be objective.
An important question I need answered by someone with knowledge of the laws is this – can the Board appoint an interim Sheriff while they search for someone to serve out the rest of Carona’s term, or if they appoint someone as interim does that mean that person has the job for the rest of the term? In other words, do they get only one shot at this?
Not too suprising to see Pedroza give Janet a free pass. If anyone other than Janet or Michele does something that he does not like he simply locks and loads.
He again tries to provide a smokescreen for Janet by raising the issue of Democrats who endorsed Carona. They made a mistake, lets move on.
Art worked for and supported Rosie Avila and Lupe Moreno. Should those albatrosses hang from his neck for eternity?
The fact remains that Janet stood by and cheered as Carona’s handpicked boy took the position.
Will the voters, by special election, get to decide who fills the vacancy of Sheriff, instead of the Board of Supervisors?
Art, I hope you can explain something for me since you used to be a member of the OC GOP Central Comm….I understand Janet is up or early endorsement this Monday night at their meeting. How important is that endorsment? Which other candidates that she is running against are also Republicans? Is the endorsment a slam dunk? What percentage of the votes of the Central Comm. does she need to get the endorsement? Is Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamonte also up for early endorsement? What percentage of the Central Comm. members present will he need if his name is also pulled from the list for a vote? Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Keep up the great work you do!
Art said:
“They supported Carona even though they knew what a pig he was.”
I haven’t heard cops refered to as “pigs” since the 1960’s. In those days hippies would drive by a police car and give it the old “I smell bacon”!!! Thanks for a trip down memory lane Art.
Art, when are you going to grow up? This statement is absolutely ludicrous:
“But the fact is, he is an ally of Carona. That alone is reason to distrust him, fair or not.”
Don’t throw in “fair or not” after such a character assasination. Carona was Anderson’s elected boss, and absent personal knowledge of Carona’s activities, Anderson’s JOB is to support Carona and implement his leadership of the OCSD.
Anderson has a long and accomplished careeer behind him that speaks for itself – what do you have? What possible qualifications do you have to criticize him? None, just partisan blather.
Wait to see how Anderson performs and if he gets the support of the rank and file before you ASSUME he is dirty because he supported his elected boss – who has still not been convicted of anything.
Certainly, the indictment looks awful, and Carone should have resigned. But Carona was indicted – NOT Anderson.
Anderson is Sheriff for now. the way to heal the deaprtment and attract the best candidates is not to keep attacking an institution and its people for the alleged wrongs of its ELECTED leader.
Is it just me or do you think if you photo-shopped Jack Anderson’s bigote wouldn’t he look like a young Adolf Hitler?