When Art Pedroza’s crew created this image back in 2008, it probably didn’t have quite the same impact.
So — this email came out at 9:54 a.m. today:
County Executive Office
Memorandum
May 16, 2014
To: Orange County Employees
From: Chairman Shawn Nelson, Supervisor, 4th District
Michael B. Giancola, County Executive Officer
Subject: Bustamante Case
On Monday, a preliminary hearing will begin in the criminal case against former OC
Public Works executive Carlos Bustamante. Mr. Bustamante is charged with 12 felony
counts for alleged conduct between 2003 and 2011 when he worked for the County,
including sexual assault, false imprisonment and stalking.
Preliminary hearings are held in criminal cases to determine if there is enough evidence
to justify taking the defendant to trial on the charges. You will very likely be reading
and hearing reports about the hearing, including comments and opinions about the
County, its policies and procedures, and specific County employees, either past or
current. We expect that all of the victims will be testifying.
There have been multiple changes in County government since Mr. Bustamante was
arrested nearly two years ago. Simply put, the environment under which Mr.
Bustamante operated while he was employed here no longer exists. For example:
• New processes have been established to ensure that reporting and investigation
of misconduct is vigorously pursued.
• Human Resource Services has been centralized under the CEO’s office to
increase accountability and provide an independent review of complaints.
• An oversight committee of three department heads now tracks, monitors and
ensures that job-discrimination complaints are properly processed.
• New in-person discrimination awareness training is required for managers and
supervisors. More training will be provided for all employees later this year.
• Our new OC Public Works director has reorganized the department and is
making positive strides toward rebuilding one of the finest professional
organizations in the state.
Our priority throughout this process has been to support those identified as victims and
provide full assistance to the District Attorney’s investigation. We are committed to
providing a safe, healthy and fulfilling place to work free from fear or harassment for
all employees.
We are extremely proud of every one of you who faithfully and diligently serve the
many needs of our community. When any one of our employees is harmed, it harms us
all. The actions of a single individual does not, and should not, define County
government.
Amid any news coverage generated by the upcoming court proceeding, please keep in
mind all of the good works accomplished by County employees every day.
Thank you for all that you do for the County of Orange.
I, for one, will be very interested in learning about what the District Attorney’s office did — or didn’t do — in the years 2003-2011 leading up to this case. It is true that “There have been multiple changes in County government since Mr. Bustamante was arrested nearly two years ago,” but perhaps the most important one has stayed the same. The same District Attorney who either didn’t respond to complaints from these victims or to whose office these victims did not feel comfortable complaining remains in office.
(Maybe don’t turn in those absentee ballots just yet, huh?)
This is your Weekend Open Thread. Talk about that, or anything else you’d like, within reasonable bounds of decorum and discretion.
What is a guy to do, when appropriate female employee is micro minis and crotch less panties?
@Greg Diamond: “I, for one, will be very interested in learning about what the District Attorney’s office did — or didn’t do — in the years 2003-2011 leading up to this case. ”
Well, clearly this was known, Pedroza blogged about it for a year or two before his arrest. But, like most blog content it was disregarded and ignored. Perhaps because as you like to say, “anonymous commenters” were the source. The trouble is in retrospect that didn’t make it any less true.
I can’t wait to see the political fallout, if it ever comes out. Which I suspect it never will.
The tenor of that letter is clear: no problem here. However, it was Bates, Nguyen and Campbell that protected the culture of corruption under Tom Mauk, and that included not only promoting Bustamante, but shielding his behavior.
I remember Bates’ chief of Staff, Don Hughes, joked to me personally about Bustamante. Apparently everybody on the 5th floor who’d been there any length of time knew all about Busty.
Congratulations to GSR for the publication of his first book! He chose a subject based on my native country. His book is being offered in a Fund Drive for KPFK Pacifica radio.
VENCEREMOS by Gabriel San Roman – BOOK
A short cultural history, ‘Venceremos’ charts the development of the movement from the years before Allende’s victorious campaign to the brutal U.S.-backed military coup on September 11, 1973, that overthrew his presidency and imposed the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Featuring interviews from key figures and lyrical analysis, ‘Venceremos’ gives insight into how the New Chilean Song Movement’s revolutionary anthems came to be.
http://catalog.kpfk.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=KPC&Category_Code=up
Since this is the OPEN thread, I’ll stretch the “strand” a little bit.
Carlos had a colleague on the Santa Ana City Council for a time: Jose Solorio. Of course Solorio (the only sucessful SACC member to ever breakout out and up) is in a heated battle for the 34th district state senate seat.
This is where it gets interesting, Jose is running against Janet Nguyen, a termed out county supervisor, she is also by all appearnces “damaged goods” because of accusations of scandal and graft and frankly for being a powerful, head strong asian woman. To be clear, Ms. Nguyen has not done herself anyfavors and is a lousy candidate.
BUT, this is where Jose fucked up. Janet is a Saigon native, her and her life was SAVED by the US MILITARY, she is a devout REPUBLICAN and presumably a pro military politician. Like most if not all of the southeast asian imigrants I know (her parents age), she has a GREAT respect, gratitude for the military and those that served.
So fast forward to this week, where Solorio began a push for YES on 41 a veterans issues initiave.
He stands proud in the glossy photos, the facebook posts and is spreading the word that Jose Solorio stands with veterans. Here’s the problem: he’s doing so a little, well a lot too much, check out his signs(VN: please insert): “JOSE SOLORIO/VOTE FOR VET’S”. No doubt this strategy came from a campaign advisor (I know which one), but it is both disengenuous and frankly an insult to those that have served honorably.
Considering that the majority of guys (and gals) that went to Iraq/Afganistan and other places these past years, were young men of latin descent, from the lower socio-economic communiies, I find this move disgusting, cheap and worthy of voting for the evil republican. I bet most veterans would agree.
So I call on Francisco “Paco” Barragan, The supporters of the OC Veterans cemetary to ask themselves is this OK?
At the risk of what? losing a shitty Senate seat, we will spit in the face of people that actually served honorably.
Figuratively speaking the boat, Janet sailed over on is no different from the river Jose swam across. But, Jose took a big step in trying to trick voters into thinking he was a veteran. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING.
If Nguyen was smart, she’d call him on it Fast and loud.
– Posters Note: two bottles of spanish rioja will turn any mortal man in to a Greg Diamond. REMEMBER: You can be right or you can be liked.
I do think that is a strange campaign sign, like he’s equating his senate campaign with the veterans bill. Does Janet oppose Prop 41? Maybe that would explain it. So your main problem is that you think Jose is trying to pretend he’s a veteran? I wouldn’t go THAT far.
I’d need to see the flyers to develop an opinion. If — if! — he is trying to pass himself off as a vet, then it’s disgusting. If, as I suspect, it’s just Jose trying to wrap himself in the flag, then it’s Jose being Jose.
I’m much more concerned about some of the things being said in Irvine about the Vets Cemetery itself — which will curl your hair, presuming that you are not maneless as well as nameless.
The moon and stars are aligned here Greg. I whole heartedly agree.
“…she is a devout REPUBLICAN…”
No, the only thing she is devout about is herself and getting her way, like a spoiled, petulant child. Also she is not termed out ’til 2016 – at which point she will have to try for something else (I doubt if she’ll be named OCGOP Local Elected of the year again) or become just a noxious memory.
Brings back memories of when I supported Pedroza for SA city council against Bustamante – fellow Republicans thought I was nuts – I knew Busty was a creep.
Wasn’t it, of all people, Cunningham who overheard, confirmed, and was disgusted by, Carlos’ “waterbra” remark? If I remember correctly. One of Jubal’s few honorable moments.
For those who don’t remember – it’s when Sandra Hutchens was first appointed to the Sheriff gig, and Bustamante was commiserating with his friend Paul Walters who had been hoping for it, something like: “Maybe if you had worn a water-bra.” (Meaning that Carlos considered Sandra an affirmative-action woman hire.)
“One of Jubal’s few honorable moments.”
Few. And very far between.
It’s instructive when considering the current crop of supervisors that Bustamante got to resign with three month’s pay and a pat on the back. Now they pretend to be all offended.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/05/james-okeefe-punks-hollywood-greens.php