HIGHLAND: Family of teen shot by deputy disputes Sheriff’s Department account (UPDATE).
This is a Sheriff's Department in need of some new leadership and focus not so much because of this one incident, but because of so many others. If this is another example of the cowboy mentality of shoot first and ask questions later, this is tragic for sure. What is fairly well known but not talked about, is the stress level of uniforms is far too high and may be a contributing factor to use of lethal force where there are alternatives. While internal affairs will do their thing to make the call on the shooting, the real need is to find ways to reach out to stressed out officers and give them the help they need without condemnation or being marked as weak.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
A Change in Direction, but not oversight
As a long time activist for the democratic party, I was asked by numerous local leaders to run for Congress in an effort to make it into the Prop 14 created (top two primary) runoff election in November and win the seat.
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Current 8th District Congressman Cook has been a disappointment for working families, seniors and vets, but with that said, Cook might not be one of the top two in November due to many conservatives being unhappy with him as well.
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Cook's obstructive votes have done little to seek and build the consensus needed to find government waste and roll that money into real domestic economic stimulus, job development programs & policies, job retraining & placement and needed transitional assistance. We need to work at healing our country's wounds. Cook and his backers aren't hurting because they have the rest of us to pay for their comfortable salaries & benefits. The people in this district need to remind Cook and his backers that we elect people to find solutions that help all of us and not just Cook & his special interest masters.
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My prior announcement of my intention to run for San Bernardino County District Attorney has been tabled due to not only the request of local leaders that I try and add to the voices for rational & productive leadership in Congress, but due to my realization that the systemic problems in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office may well require federal intervention to address, which regrettably may or may not come (and which Bob can with the rest of San Bernardino county only hope and pray for).
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With that said, a lot of work to do.
.
Current 8th District Congressman Cook has been a disappointment for working families, seniors and vets, but with that said, Cook might not be one of the top two in November due to many conservatives being unhappy with him as well.
.
Cook's obstructive votes have done little to seek and build the consensus needed to find government waste and roll that money into real domestic economic stimulus, job development programs & policies, job retraining & placement and needed transitional assistance. We need to work at healing our country's wounds. Cook and his backers aren't hurting because they have the rest of us to pay for their comfortable salaries & benefits. The people in this district need to remind Cook and his backers that we elect people to find solutions that help all of us and not just Cook & his special interest masters.
.
My prior announcement of my intention to run for San Bernardino County District Attorney has been tabled due to not only the request of local leaders that I try and add to the voices for rational & productive leadership in Congress, but due to my realization that the systemic problems in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office may well require federal intervention to address, which regrettably may or may not come (and which Bob can with the rest of San Bernardino county only hope and pray for).
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With that said, a lot of work to do.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Does the Colonies Case Decision Recognize Key Players like DA Mike Ramos might be if not a Material Witness, a potential Co-conspirator??
One of the many articles written by the local press [See: http://www.highdesert.com/articles/return-44292-vvdailypress-san-bribery.html -- article on the Colonies case], shows how the watchdog role of the press [See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lionel-rolfe/whats-wrong-with-todays-j_b_4516013.html?utm_hp_ref=los-angeles&ir=Los+Angeles for recent discussion] is a dead concept in this County and part of the reason we have local government in San Bernardino County running out of control--no one is asking the tough questions.
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With federal racketeering charges timely added to the complaint (which is not the first time I have referenced that additional approach), the appeal would have likely been unnecessary in the Colonies corruption case and golly gee, had "conspiracy" after the bribe been pled by the DA's office (re alleged cover up efforts), the Supreme Court would likely not have had to step in.
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What makes this realization so key, is that Mike Ramos has been accused of using his office's powers and or his influence to intimidate/coerce public figures in the County, which is what he is accusing Burum (a former ally of DA Mike Ramos) of doing [e.g. people thinking about running against Mike Ramos like former DA Dennis Stout backing out and stating on the record in 2010 that his clients were being threatened if he (Stout) ran and more recently, there are the allegations of Frank Guzman, who ran against Ramos in 2010 who had to face a frivolous lawsuit (filed by allegedly an ally of Mike Ramos) roughly a month before the June 2010 election (an action tossed out by the court "after" the election), going after Supervisor Neil Derry for a failure to disclose payments in a campaign report on the eve of an election challenge by a long time supporter and friend, San Manuel tribal leader James Ramos, while Mike Ramos skated on his failure to report payments to his ex-wife--just to name a few].
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Through all of the bribery acts, who is a constant figure throughout and is STILL in office?
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With federal racketeering charges timely added to the complaint (which is not the first time I have referenced that additional approach), the appeal would have likely been unnecessary in the Colonies corruption case and golly gee, had "conspiracy" after the bribe been pled by the DA's office (re alleged cover up efforts), the Supreme Court would likely not have had to step in.
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What the Court in People v Biane, et al (the Colonies corruption case) said [and the following appears to be the trigger analysis]: "[h]ere, as in Calhoun,supra, 46 Cal.2d at page 30,the indictment alleges that Burum and Erwin participated in a conspiracy that was more elaborate than the mere agreement that a particular bribe be accepted, but involved and depended on the conduct of numerous parties to ensure that at least three supervisors be influenced to approve the $102 million litigation settlement".
What makes this realization so key, is that Mike Ramos has been accused of using his office's powers and or his influence to intimidate/coerce public figures in the County, which is what he is accusing Burum (a former ally of DA Mike Ramos) of doing [e.g. people thinking about running against Mike Ramos like former DA Dennis Stout backing out and stating on the record in 2010 that his clients were being threatened if he (Stout) ran and more recently, there are the allegations of Frank Guzman, who ran against Ramos in 2010 who had to face a frivolous lawsuit (filed by allegedly an ally of Mike Ramos) roughly a month before the June 2010 election (an action tossed out by the court "after" the election), going after Supervisor Neil Derry for a failure to disclose payments in a campaign report on the eve of an election challenge by a long time supporter and friend, San Manuel tribal leader James Ramos, while Mike Ramos skated on his failure to report payments to his ex-wife--just to name a few].
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Through all of the bribery acts, who is a constant figure throughout and is STILL in office?
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75% of SEBA's MEMBERSHIP DID NOT ENDORSE JOHN McMAHON for SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF!! What's up with this unliked guy?
In a press release from SEBA [document says "PLACE ON BRIEFING BOARD - SEBA NEWS FLASH] dated December 3, 2013, it supposedly reports "SHERIFF ENDORSEMENT ELECTION RESULTS" that 95% of the membership voted to endorse McMahon..
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With 2,210 ballots mailed out and 29.6% returned (or 654 "voters"), that conclusion is a reach. It would be more consistent to say that McMahon got a no confidence vote of roughly 75% of the membership.
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Rumors are floating about how even Mike Ramos (the DA that endorsed him) think McMahon is dumb, so with Mike Ramos behind the scenes maybe not liking him and 75% of the eligible voters in SEBA NOT voting for McMahon, who is pushing this guy?
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With 2,210 ballots mailed out and 29.6% returned (or 654 "voters"), that conclusion is a reach. It would be more consistent to say that McMahon got a no confidence vote of roughly 75% of the membership.
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Rumors are floating about how even Mike Ramos (the DA that endorsed him) think McMahon is dumb, so with Mike Ramos behind the scenes maybe not liking him and 75% of the eligible voters in SEBA NOT voting for McMahon, who is pushing this guy?
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