Did OC CEO Tom Mauk cover up Bustamante’s ravages for months? And what did Supervisor Campbell know?

 

Tres amigos: CEO Mauk; the priapic Bustamante; Supervisor Campbell.

Well, events have clearly overtaken my carefully prepared report on the brewing and seamy Carlos Bustamante scandal, and I look forward to hearing more gruesome details of the following charges against the priapic councilman tomorrow morning at the DA’s office (which I hope T-Rack acts out as he did the Kelly Thomas murder – this would be a lot more entertaining) :

  • Six felony counts of false imprisonment
  • Three felony counts of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense
  • One felony count of stalking
  • One felony count of attempted sexual battery by restraint
  • One felony count of grand theft by false pretense
  • One misdemeanor count of battery
  • One misdemeanor count of assault
  • One misdemeanor count of sexual battery
  • One misdemeanor count of attempted sexual battery
  • with a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing the offenses as a result of sexual compulsion and for the purpose of sexual gratification!

So I suppose this is a good time to pass on what I’ve been hearing for weeks from county insiders, but haven’t managed to quite verify:  Namely, that Carlos’ behavior was well-known and documented as long ago as the Spring of 2011, in a outside investigator’s report which CEO Tom Mauk HID IN A SAFE in the County Hall of Administration, until Internal Auditor Peter Hughes discovered it.

This secret report, they say, found that Carlos had likely committed “harassment and possibly criminal assault” and should be further investigated;  but NO other investigation ever took place until Mr. Hughes was spurred into action months later by anonymous letters.  So, it is alleged, Carlos was allowed to continue harassing his victims for at least 6-8 months due to inaction and protection from Mauk.

Remember, Carlos was at one time the great rising star of the Orange County GOP, with his arguable charms and good looks complementing the anomaly of an actual young Latino Republican.  From the beginning his patron and protector was Supervisor Bill Campbell, who – lest you forget – was tapped to run Carlos’ ill-fated supervisorial campaign by the local party guys.

And just as Mauk protected and sheltered Bustamante for so long, Campbell has been the protector of Mauk on the Board of Supervisors, wielding his avuncular magic over clueless Supes Janet Nguyen and Pat Bates for a safe, anti-reform majority, no matter HOW many fuckups the hapless, barely ambulatory CEO racks up.  (See our catalogue A Complete Maukery.)

Observers perceive a tight-knit Catholic clique in that large corner of the OC GOP universe – a self-protecting Catholic clique centered around lobbyist/consultant John Lewis, disgraced ex-blogger Matt Cunningham and his wife Laura who’s Campbell’s Chief of Staff, and including Campbell, Mauk and Bustamante – all Catholics, mostly graduated from Mater Dei or Servite.  And all upstanding, self-righteous “protectors” of “traditional marriage.”  *cough*  *puke*

Most concede that this is gonna be the end, finally, for CEO Mauk, and before you feel sorry for him consider how he let his dear Carlos go, when it was no longer tenable to keep him:  he was allowed to resign, with THREE MONTHS PAY, in exchange for a promise not to sue the County.  (Wait.  CARLOS SUE THE COUNTY!?!?)

This whole debacle is bound to cost us millions (yet again!!!) as the victims of Bustamante and Mauk, true and phony, come out of the woodworks.  One of my correspondents, after reading my “Complete Maukery,” concludes:

…THIS action is the most serious and morally corrupt one in terms of its possible criminality and its consequences and impact on innocent people. In the absence of any meaningful action by the Orange County Board, the DA should also open an inquiry into the CEO’s reasons and role in the burying this report. The original investigator’s report should be made public with names redacted. Its contents could clarify whether Mr. Mauk’s decision was somehow legitimate or simply a cover up. There can be no denying that his actions resulted in allowing the continuation of improper conduct and delayed the exposure of Mr. Bustamante’s activities for many more months. Such an inquiry might give some hope to the women who were subjected to his intimidation and abuse that justice is also being pursued against those at the top who tried to protect him as well.

Perhaps after all this, we citizens could then apologize to those who have been victimized due to the actions of Bustamante and Mauk.

I’ve heard a lot more, but that’s enough for now, just wanted you to hear all this here first!


About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.