Showing posts with label Baca's Endorsement of Mike Ramos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baca's Endorsement of Mike Ramos. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2012
Time to Offer Some Public Education on Identity Theft??
"Over 8 million people in the U.S. were victims of identity theft in 2010. Come find out what you can do to protect your personal information as well as avoid and recover from identity theft"--an announcement from the Santa Clara County DA re a public seminar on identity theft on March 15th of this year. Take a hint Mikey..... I recall the San Bernardino County's DA's office having fliers some years ago offering some guidance and suggestions. Maybe its time for San Bernardino to step up to the plate and do more?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Charter School Cases Delayed...Again...Ramos Just Now Turning Over 4 year old evidence? Wow!
Interesting article [Press Enterprise piece on August 21, 2011 @ /www.pe.com/columns/cassiemacduff/stories/PE_News_Local_D_cass20.3e6d82a.html]--keep in mind that when these guys got arrested, the assets were seized and none of them could hire outside lawyers. Were the charter school funds distributed as campaign funds as rumor had it? Where was the school district? Why wasn't the school district board auditing the use of the money? Why wasn't the County Superintendent of Schools (Fisher?) keeping an eye on the money? Why wasn't the State Superintendent keeping an eye on the money? How could you miss an almost exponential growth of a charter school campus system? Hard to miss and not ask what is happening to the State funds? Also there were rumors that a group supposedly met in the upstairs conference room of the Desert Community Bank in Victorville and campaign plans and funding decisions were often discussed. Does anyone really think that a charter school bought jet skiis for personal use? Was the price above list? Were the products returned for refunds and paper trails lost? Were the items traded out for cash which went into campaign activity? Or good ole fashion graft? Mismanagement of this case is at many levels. Why outside conflict counsel was not appointed and fees paid by the county to get to the information, prepare the case and find the assets before they dissipated is a question that will not get answered, but is at the core of the delay. That the defense in just now getting access to 2007 grand jury reports/evidence is a shocking and inexcusable delay. The prosecution should have given that discovery to the defense nearly 4 years ago. I remember Mike Ramos one time saying we are never going to "prosecute ourselves out of this corruption"--I agree that with such egregious delays, nothing will get done any time soon.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Prosecutions for Criticizing Ramos or Hoops Next??
Here's an article---nothing like criminalizing dissent----this kinda reminds me of the politically-motivated prosecutions that the DA's office has been accused of in San Bernardno County to make examples of those that dare criticize power figures in the DA's political party [week long prosecutions of a political opponent of a powerful republican mayor over an alleged taking of $2.00 campaign sign on election day or the alleged sexual groping by an hispanic that beat that same powerful entrenched republican mayor]. Maybe this is something to watch. Heck gang injunctions (another one was sought in the Colton area) at their core criminalize another first amendment right, the freedom of association on the presumed likelihood of criminal conduct resulting per se from gang members talking in public. If we are going to start down this road of censorship, we should prosecute to try and ban all the cop shows on TV that show cops having sex with their partners , drinking etc [e.g. Southland; Rookie Blue, etc-- how are these shows any different?]
Blogger Bob
.
Article: [link location: http://www.kirotv.com/news/28758502/detail.html or
http://www.kirotv.com/investigations/28758502/detail.html]:
"Cartoonist Targeted With Criminal Probe For Mocking Police
Chris Halsne
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter
Posted: 4:46 pm PDT August 3, 2011Updated: 7:55 am PDT August 5, 2011
RENTON, Wash. -- The Renton City Prosecutor wants to send a cartoonist to jail for mocking the police department in a series of animated Internet videos.
The "South-Park"-style animations parody everything from officers having sex on duty to certain personnel getting promoted without necessary qualifications. While the city wants to criminalize the cartoons, First Amendment rights advocates say the move is an "extreme abuse of power."
Only KIRO Team 7 Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne holds a key document that really lays bare the city’s intent. The document was quietly filed in King County Superior Court last week. It’s a search warrant accusing an anonymous cartoon creator, going by the name of Mr. Fiddlesticks, of cyberstalking (RCW 9.61.260). The Renton Police Department and the local prosecutor got a judge to sign off as a way to uncover the name of whoever is behind the parodies. Halsne talked with three nationally respected legal experts who believe the use of the cyberstalking statute is likely stomping on the constitution.
Email Your Tip To Chris Halsne
The series of web-based short cartoons feature a mustachioed street cop and a short-haired female bureaucrat. The dry, at times, witty banter between the two touches on some embarrassing insider secrets, some of which seem to match up with internal affairs investigations on file within Renton PD.
UNCUT: Job Tips Parody [Warning: Profanity]
UNCUT: Promotion Parody
UNCUT: Reprimand Parody
UNCUT: Lawyer Parody
UNCUT: Locker Room Parody
UNCUT: Jail Parody
Cartoon Character of Officer: "Is there any reason why an anonymous video, with no identifying information that ties it to the department or city is being taken more seriously than officers having sex on duty, arguing with outside agencies while in a drunken stupor off duty, sleeping while on duty, throwing someone off a bridge, and having inappropriate relationships with coworkers and committing adultery?"
Cartoon Character of Bureaucrat: "The reason is that internal dirt is internal. The department will crucify certain people and take care of others."
A criminal court document, uncovered by Team 7 Investigators, not only shows how badly the city of Renton wants to "out" the cartoonist (who goes by the name MrFiddlesticks), but states some of the fake character's lines discuss real life incidents.
For example, the search warrant says one cartoon statement "discussed a past incident that has already been investigated…..regarding a dating relationship (a female detective) had with a suspect." An embarrassing revelation; yes, but criminal?
We asked attorney Venkat Balasubramani to review several parody videos and the court documents. He's an expert in cyber-law and constitutional issues.
“The cyberstalking angle doesn't pass the laugh test," Balasubramani told KIRO-TV. "It's a serious stretch and I'd be surprised if somebody looked at it and realistically thought these acts actually fit the statute and we could make somebody criminally liable."
When we asked about the more likely scenario, Balasubramani said, "I think they were trying to get at the speaker and they looked around for a statute that shoehorned their conduct into and sent that to Google and said ‘turn over the information.”
Historically, Google and You-Tube are far more likely to cough up an anonymous animator's real name when there's a criminal case, as opposed to just an internal affairs investigation into some personnel issues.
KIRO Team 7 Investigators went to the City Attorney's office to ask the chief prosecutor, Shawn Arthur, his motivations to criminalize cartoon creators. Halsne was told to leave a handwritten note. We did not hear back from Arthur. A similar thing happened at the Renton police department. A spokesperson told Halsne that Chief Kevin Milosevich was unavailable.
Team 7 Investigators, however, did track down Penny Bartley. She’s a former Renton Police Public Information Officer and current jail administrator, which court records say is the female bureaucrat in some of the cartoons.
The mystery animator makes fun of her ankles and questions her resume, yet Bartley wouldn’t talk about the parodies, except to say the city prosecutor never contacted her regarding the filing of a criminal warrant.
Halsne: "The video is insulting to you. Can't you at least step out and talk about how that makes you feel?"
Bartley: "I'm not going to talk about that."
Halsne: "So you're not offended?"
Bartley: "I'm not going to comment on this Chris, I've said that."
KIRO-TV found two of the full parodies still hanging around the web (which are now posted on our site), but police said there were 6 or 7 additional cartoons created with animation software at www.xtranorma.com and posted under a pseudonyms. KIRO-TV has since obtained four more videos.
When KIRO 7 Eyewitness News asked for comment from the city, we were told that there is a point person in charge of comments, and that person is on vacation in Canada."
[end of article]
Blogger Bob
.
Article: [link location: http://www.kirotv.com/news/28758502/detail.html or
http://www.kirotv.com/investigations/28758502/detail.html]:
"Cartoonist Targeted With Criminal Probe For Mocking Police
Chris Halsne
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter
Posted: 4:46 pm PDT August 3, 2011Updated: 7:55 am PDT August 5, 2011
RENTON, Wash. -- The Renton City Prosecutor wants to send a cartoonist to jail for mocking the police department in a series of animated Internet videos.
The "South-Park"-style animations parody everything from officers having sex on duty to certain personnel getting promoted without necessary qualifications. While the city wants to criminalize the cartoons, First Amendment rights advocates say the move is an "extreme abuse of power."
Only KIRO Team 7 Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne holds a key document that really lays bare the city’s intent. The document was quietly filed in King County Superior Court last week. It’s a search warrant accusing an anonymous cartoon creator, going by the name of Mr. Fiddlesticks, of cyberstalking (RCW 9.61.260). The Renton Police Department and the local prosecutor got a judge to sign off as a way to uncover the name of whoever is behind the parodies. Halsne talked with three nationally respected legal experts who believe the use of the cyberstalking statute is likely stomping on the constitution.
Email Your Tip To Chris Halsne
The series of web-based short cartoons feature a mustachioed street cop and a short-haired female bureaucrat. The dry, at times, witty banter between the two touches on some embarrassing insider secrets, some of which seem to match up with internal affairs investigations on file within Renton PD.
UNCUT: Job Tips Parody [Warning: Profanity]
UNCUT: Promotion Parody
UNCUT: Reprimand Parody
UNCUT: Lawyer Parody
UNCUT: Locker Room Parody
UNCUT: Jail Parody
Cartoon Character of Officer: "Is there any reason why an anonymous video, with no identifying information that ties it to the department or city is being taken more seriously than officers having sex on duty, arguing with outside agencies while in a drunken stupor off duty, sleeping while on duty, throwing someone off a bridge, and having inappropriate relationships with coworkers and committing adultery?"
Cartoon Character of Bureaucrat: "The reason is that internal dirt is internal. The department will crucify certain people and take care of others."
A criminal court document, uncovered by Team 7 Investigators, not only shows how badly the city of Renton wants to "out" the cartoonist (who goes by the name MrFiddlesticks), but states some of the fake character's lines discuss real life incidents.
For example, the search warrant says one cartoon statement "discussed a past incident that has already been investigated…..regarding a dating relationship (a female detective) had with a suspect." An embarrassing revelation; yes, but criminal?
We asked attorney Venkat Balasubramani to review several parody videos and the court documents. He's an expert in cyber-law and constitutional issues.
“The cyberstalking angle doesn't pass the laugh test," Balasubramani told KIRO-TV. "It's a serious stretch and I'd be surprised if somebody looked at it and realistically thought these acts actually fit the statute and we could make somebody criminally liable."
When we asked about the more likely scenario, Balasubramani said, "I think they were trying to get at the speaker and they looked around for a statute that shoehorned their conduct into and sent that to Google and said ‘turn over the information.”
Historically, Google and You-Tube are far more likely to cough up an anonymous animator's real name when there's a criminal case, as opposed to just an internal affairs investigation into some personnel issues.
KIRO Team 7 Investigators went to the City Attorney's office to ask the chief prosecutor, Shawn Arthur, his motivations to criminalize cartoon creators. Halsne was told to leave a handwritten note. We did not hear back from Arthur. A similar thing happened at the Renton police department. A spokesperson told Halsne that Chief Kevin Milosevich was unavailable.
Team 7 Investigators, however, did track down Penny Bartley. She’s a former Renton Police Public Information Officer and current jail administrator, which court records say is the female bureaucrat in some of the cartoons.
The mystery animator makes fun of her ankles and questions her resume, yet Bartley wouldn’t talk about the parodies, except to say the city prosecutor never contacted her regarding the filing of a criminal warrant.
Halsne: "The video is insulting to you. Can't you at least step out and talk about how that makes you feel?"
Bartley: "I'm not going to talk about that."
Halsne: "So you're not offended?"
Bartley: "I'm not going to comment on this Chris, I've said that."
KIRO-TV found two of the full parodies still hanging around the web (which are now posted on our site), but police said there were 6 or 7 additional cartoons created with animation software at www.xtranorma.com and posted under a pseudonyms. KIRO-TV has since obtained four more videos.
When KIRO 7 Eyewitness News asked for comment from the city, we were told that there is a point person in charge of comments, and that person is on vacation in Canada."
[end of article]
Monday, June 20, 2011
MIKE RAMOS DOES NOT DISCUSS BUDGET SMART POLICY ALTERNATIVES--why's that??
The San Bernardino Sun's article:
"D.A.'s cases mount [by Mike Cruz, Staff Writer; Posted: 06/14/2011 08:09:19 PM PDT]
.
Years of budget cuts in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office have created a backlog of nearly 2,900 criminal cases.
.
The cases are awaiting review before getting filed in court - a scenario that may be
exacerbated by calls from county administrators for another $2.1 million in cuts.
.
Over the past three fiscal years, District Attorney Michael A. Ramos said Tuesday, that he has looked for ways to reduce spending, while absorbing the loss of 78 staff members. Of those staffers, 34 of them - or 17 percent - were frontline prosecutors.
.
Fewer attorneys in the District Attorney's Office means there are fewer people to review cases that come in from law enforcement agencies, and fewer people to determine whether those cases should result in criminal charges.
.
The backlog has grown to 2,894 cases, of which nearly 1,300 cases are for DUI offenses, Ramos said.
.
"I live with the fear that an unprosecuted DUI suspect will commit another such act and take a life on the roadway before we are able to check their dangerous behavior with a prosecution," Ramos wrote in a guest editorial for The Sun.
.
The District Attorney's Office set-up a triage system, whereby new cases are prioritized for review. Though the cases in the current backlog are "non-serious, non-violent" cases, they still represent suspected offenders who are not being held accountable, he explained.
.
The backlogged cases represent offenses such as burglary, ID theft, auto theft, possession of firearms by convicted felons, stalking and more. They are both misdemeanors and felonies.
.
The statute of limitations is six months for misdemeanors and it could run out before some cases get reviewed.
.
Prosecutors could not say how long it will take to reduce the backlog, nor how long cases sit in the backlog. Each case is different, said Assistant District Attorney Dennis Christy.
.
"We're doing our best to get to those cases, but it's a continuing struggle," Christy said.
.
The backlog is being handled in two ways.
.
First, supervisors will distribute cases to trial attorneys and have them review cases when they are out of court. But that takes time from those attorneys who should be preparing for trials, Christy said.
.
The other strategy, is having law enforcement agencies file some cases directly with the courts.
.
The District Attorney's Office filed nearly 67,000 cases from December 2009 to December 2010. To make matters worse, Ramos was told last week by the County Administrative Office that he must trim another $2.1 million from his budget, on top of the $3.8 million in cuts he already planned. That could mean the layoff of 12 more prosecutors, he said.
.
"Any more cuts is going to be like an amputation for us, beyond cutting to the bone," Ramos said. "I would have a serious concern for the citizens of this county."
.
News of so many DUI cases in the backlog was disheartening to Virginia Gautier, former executive director and now volunteer for the San Bernardino Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
.
Gautier said she knows Ramos' office is extremely busy.
.
"He needs help," said Gautier. "And MADD would love it if the public would get in there and say we need more deputy DAs."
.
Blogger Bob's suggestions on how to keep staff:
.
1. Increase air cooling temps levels in offices in the summer; turn down the thermostats in winter
2. Change area lighting to LED's to reduce power usage;
3. Reduce staff driving from one courthouse to another and permanently assign cases to local staff to encourage and facilitate career development
4. Develop an intern program from local law schools to help relieve the burden on professional staff
5. Quit political prosecutions (the Halstead case--a week of trial time for a $2.00 alleged political sign theft)
6. Allow properly permitted and licensed medical marijuana facilities to operate;
7. On DUI cases, use ignition lock breathalyzer sentence condition to reduce the likelihood of repeat violation
8. Stop the DA & DDA's from traveling to Sacramento and places beyond for conferences that can be attended remotely in some instances and or CD/DVD's can be ordered (in lieu of attending the conferences);
9. Develop a plan on how to reduce backlog--obviously business as usual has not worked
10. Had anyone ever given a checklist to law enforcement on each criminal charge of of what minimally needs to be included in a package that comes from law enforcement?
11. Consider taking a minimal pay & benefit cut to keep the team in place--it will help morale and promote efficiency, which will in turn help reduce backlog.
"D.A.'s cases mount [by Mike Cruz, Staff Writer; Posted: 06/14/2011 08:09:19 PM PDT]
.
Years of budget cuts in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office have created a backlog of nearly 2,900 criminal cases.
.
The cases are awaiting review before getting filed in court - a scenario that may be
exacerbated by calls from county administrators for another $2.1 million in cuts.
.
Over the past three fiscal years, District Attorney Michael A. Ramos said Tuesday, that he has looked for ways to reduce spending, while absorbing the loss of 78 staff members. Of those staffers, 34 of them - or 17 percent - were frontline prosecutors.
.
Fewer attorneys in the District Attorney's Office means there are fewer people to review cases that come in from law enforcement agencies, and fewer people to determine whether those cases should result in criminal charges.
.
The backlog has grown to 2,894 cases, of which nearly 1,300 cases are for DUI offenses, Ramos said.
.
"I live with the fear that an unprosecuted DUI suspect will commit another such act and take a life on the roadway before we are able to check their dangerous behavior with a prosecution," Ramos wrote in a guest editorial for The Sun.
.
The District Attorney's Office set-up a triage system, whereby new cases are prioritized for review. Though the cases in the current backlog are "non-serious, non-violent" cases, they still represent suspected offenders who are not being held accountable, he explained.
.
The backlogged cases represent offenses such as burglary, ID theft, auto theft, possession of firearms by convicted felons, stalking and more. They are both misdemeanors and felonies.
.
The statute of limitations is six months for misdemeanors and it could run out before some cases get reviewed.
.
Prosecutors could not say how long it will take to reduce the backlog, nor how long cases sit in the backlog. Each case is different, said Assistant District Attorney Dennis Christy.
.
"We're doing our best to get to those cases, but it's a continuing struggle," Christy said.
.
The backlog is being handled in two ways.
.
First, supervisors will distribute cases to trial attorneys and have them review cases when they are out of court. But that takes time from those attorneys who should be preparing for trials, Christy said.
.
The other strategy, is having law enforcement agencies file some cases directly with the courts.
.
The District Attorney's Office filed nearly 67,000 cases from December 2009 to December 2010. To make matters worse, Ramos was told last week by the County Administrative Office that he must trim another $2.1 million from his budget, on top of the $3.8 million in cuts he already planned. That could mean the layoff of 12 more prosecutors, he said.
.
"Any more cuts is going to be like an amputation for us, beyond cutting to the bone," Ramos said. "I would have a serious concern for the citizens of this county."
.
News of so many DUI cases in the backlog was disheartening to Virginia Gautier, former executive director and now volunteer for the San Bernardino Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
.
Gautier said she knows Ramos' office is extremely busy.
.
"He needs help," said Gautier. "And MADD would love it if the public would get in there and say we need more deputy DAs."
.
Blogger Bob's suggestions on how to keep staff:
.
1. Increase air cooling temps levels in offices in the summer; turn down the thermostats in winter
2. Change area lighting to LED's to reduce power usage;
3. Reduce staff driving from one courthouse to another and permanently assign cases to local staff to encourage and facilitate career development
4. Develop an intern program from local law schools to help relieve the burden on professional staff
5. Quit political prosecutions (the Halstead case--a week of trial time for a $2.00 alleged political sign theft)
6. Allow properly permitted and licensed medical marijuana facilities to operate;
7. On DUI cases, use ignition lock breathalyzer sentence condition to reduce the likelihood of repeat violation
8. Stop the DA & DDA's from traveling to Sacramento and places beyond for conferences that can be attended remotely in some instances and or CD/DVD's can be ordered (in lieu of attending the conferences);
9. Develop a plan on how to reduce backlog--obviously business as usual has not worked
10. Had anyone ever given a checklist to law enforcement on each criminal charge of of what minimally needs to be included in a package that comes from law enforcement?
11. Consider taking a minimal pay & benefit cut to keep the team in place--it will help morale and promote efficiency, which will in turn help reduce backlog.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
NEW AG's (Kamala Harris) INAUGURAL SPEECH
http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n2021_final_speech.pdf -- (hmm Mikey is mentioned)--a thought: Proverbs 29:2 (Living Bible) "With good men in authority, the people rejoice; but with the wicked in power, they groan". Blogger Bob: "Groan".
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Mortgage Servicers Predatory Conduct - Is Mike Ramos Asleep at the switch??
Abuses by "mortgage servicers", which are the companies that collect the mortgage payments, impose late fees, negotiate loan modifications and initiate foreclosures, are rampant.
.
Around the nation (and our county) the stories are, and point to a pattern of behavior by servicers that is out-and-out illegal.
.
Sheila Blair, the head of the FDIC, and other federal regulators are pushing to get mortgage servicing standards written into risk retention guidelines set to be released in the near future.
.
One of the most frustrating parts of the financial reform game is how powerless most of us really are, most of the time, especially when the prosecutorial agencies are ignoring the millions of dollar in injury to pursue small time political figure abuses.
.
What is sad, is that County prosecutors like Mike Ramos in San Bernardino County have NOT protected consumers under existing California law [e.g.California Business & Profession Code § 17200 et seq]. That entire section of the California Business & Profession Code prohibits false, deceptive and unfair trade practices and gives the prosecutor the power to seek an injunction to stop the abuses. While there are "special units" at the San Bernardino County DA's office and at the Attorney General's office, this issue is not even being touched (instead they are focusing on alleged fraud in the lending process)--the result, consumers are paying fines and penalties they don't owe, some are being dragged into foreclosure processes and in some instances not just losing their homes, but having their credit ruined for years to come, costing them more money to buy household appliances, cars and needed consumer purchases.
.
Support Blair's effort to tell the government it's time to rein in mortgage servicers is a given, but call and demand your AG (attorney general) and the DA's office (Mike Ramos) start investigating the mortgage services for unfair, deceptive and or fraudulent conduct (like charging penalties not authorized in the contract signed by the consumer, being harassed by collector calls for mortgage payments not yet owed or for fees/penalties incorrectly calculated, refusing to meet and in good faith do work outs the consumers are entitled to be considered for under other state laws, being forced out of their homes by companies not authorized to do business in California--to name a few).
.
P.S. For more info a good article to look at: huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/21/mortgage-crisis_n_799593.html
.
Around the nation (and our county) the stories are, and point to a pattern of behavior by servicers that is out-and-out illegal.
.
Sheila Blair, the head of the FDIC, and other federal regulators are pushing to get mortgage servicing standards written into risk retention guidelines set to be released in the near future.
.
One of the most frustrating parts of the financial reform game is how powerless most of us really are, most of the time, especially when the prosecutorial agencies are ignoring the millions of dollar in injury to pursue small time political figure abuses.
.
What is sad, is that County prosecutors like Mike Ramos in San Bernardino County have NOT protected consumers under existing California law [e.g.California Business & Profession Code § 17200 et seq]. That entire section of the California Business & Profession Code prohibits false, deceptive and unfair trade practices and gives the prosecutor the power to seek an injunction to stop the abuses. While there are "special units" at the San Bernardino County DA's office and at the Attorney General's office, this issue is not even being touched (instead they are focusing on alleged fraud in the lending process)--the result, consumers are paying fines and penalties they don't owe, some are being dragged into foreclosure processes and in some instances not just losing their homes, but having their credit ruined for years to come, costing them more money to buy household appliances, cars and needed consumer purchases.
.
Support Blair's effort to tell the government it's time to rein in mortgage servicers is a given, but call and demand your AG (attorney general) and the DA's office (Mike Ramos) start investigating the mortgage services for unfair, deceptive and or fraudulent conduct (like charging penalties not authorized in the contract signed by the consumer, being harassed by collector calls for mortgage payments not yet owed or for fees/penalties incorrectly calculated, refusing to meet and in good faith do work outs the consumers are entitled to be considered for under other state laws, being forced out of their homes by companies not authorized to do business in California--to name a few).
.
P.S. For more info a good article to look at: huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/21/mortgage-crisis_n_799593.html
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
District Attorney Mike Ramos Announces Endorsements--use it as a check off list for the ongoing investigations
Remember this cast of characters in the coming months:
.
District Attorney Mike Ramos Announces Endorsements
.
District Attorney Mike Ramos Announces Endorsements
RAMOS' $2,500 FINE AGREED TO BY THE FPPC IGNORES THE BIGGER STORY OF PERSONAL USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS?
In Natasha Lindstrom's article "SB County DA fails to properly disclose credit card charges" $8,619.00 was charged for
(1) Embassy Suites
(2) US Airways
(3) JW Marriott Hotel
(4) Oak Quarry Golf Club (green fees??)
(5) Institute for Advancement of Criminal Justice (continuing education??)
(6) Regency Hotel
(7) Tartan Restaurant of Redlands
(8) Double Tree Hotel
(9) Farm Artisan Foods
.....
First, wasn't Ramos unopposed at this financial reporting period (from 7/1/2009 through 12/31/09) so why is he taking trips, going to golf courses and multiple hotels on campaign funds?
Second, what does a seminar for his "education" on criminal justice have to do with running for office?
Third, were these hotel expenses for night stays or for conference rooms for fund raising ?(were they single occupancy?);
Fourth, US Airways to where? for what?
..
As is always the case with Ramos--more questions than answers and the media absolutely avoiding the obvious questions that they should be demanding answers to!
(1) Embassy Suites
(2) US Airways
(3) JW Marriott Hotel
(4) Oak Quarry Golf Club (green fees??)
(5) Institute for Advancement of Criminal Justice (continuing education??)
(6) Regency Hotel
(7) Tartan Restaurant of Redlands
(8) Double Tree Hotel
(9) Farm Artisan Foods
.....
First, wasn't Ramos unopposed at this financial reporting period (from 7/1/2009 through 12/31/09) so why is he taking trips, going to golf courses and multiple hotels on campaign funds?
Second, what does a seminar for his "education" on criminal justice have to do with running for office?
Third, were these hotel expenses for night stays or for conference rooms for fund raising ?(were they single occupancy?);
Fourth, US Airways to where? for what?
..
As is always the case with Ramos--more questions than answers and the media absolutely avoiding the obvious questions that they should be demanding answers to!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The AG's Office is involved in a $1,100 case involving a San Bernardino Employee??
The San Bernardino Sun's article's banner:
"Ex-victim advocate Wagner denies embezzlement charges
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/08/2010 05:46:51 PM PDT"
The Sun's story:
"SAN BERNARDINO - A former victim advocate in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has denied charges that she embezzled more than $1,100 worth of public funds.
Vickie Marie Wagner pleaded not guilty to seven felony counts before Judge Donna Gunnell Garza at an arraignment Thursday in San Bernardino Superior Court, according to court records.
State prosecutors charged Wagner on Sept. 7 with two counts of misappropriation of public funds, two counts of presenting a false or forged instrument, and one count each of keeping a false account, offering false evidence and falsifying evidence.
A supervisor in crime victims' services, Wagner returns to court Oct. 18. A preliminary hearing to determine the sufficiency of the evidence against her was scheduled for Oct. 20.
Wagner, of Apple Valley, is not custody and was released on her own recognizance, court records state. She was an 18-year county employee when she separated from the county July 21.
County prosecutors initially handled the investigation after a supervisor in the District Attorney's Office noted suspicious activity between May 1 and May 31, state officials said.
The missing money came from the state Victim's Compensation Fund, the California Attorney General's Office confirmed. Of the $1,100 alleged in the case, Wagner allegedly kept $900 and $200 went to the friend of her daughter.
'She wrote a county check to cash and took the check to the bank and cashed it,' Christine Gasparac, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, said earlier."
Blogger Bob's comments:
(1) What in the world is the AG's office doing picking up an $1,100 embezzlement case against a support staff member? Is the AG's office in beginning of the process of a take-over on case prosecutions involving internal (alleged) discrepancies? That may be the bigger story. Surely any conflict of interest could have been dealt with by assigning the file to some DDA and for this file designating a supervisor that reports to no one else in the DA's office except maybe HR and Ramos.
(2) Seven felony counts? Really sounds like more of the overkill we have regrettably seen too much of.
"Ex-victim advocate Wagner denies embezzlement charges
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/08/2010 05:46:51 PM PDT"
The Sun's story:
"SAN BERNARDINO - A former victim advocate in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has denied charges that she embezzled more than $1,100 worth of public funds.
Vickie Marie Wagner pleaded not guilty to seven felony counts before Judge Donna Gunnell Garza at an arraignment Thursday in San Bernardino Superior Court, according to court records.
State prosecutors charged Wagner on Sept. 7 with two counts of misappropriation of public funds, two counts of presenting a false or forged instrument, and one count each of keeping a false account, offering false evidence and falsifying evidence.
A supervisor in crime victims' services, Wagner returns to court Oct. 18. A preliminary hearing to determine the sufficiency of the evidence against her was scheduled for Oct. 20.
Wagner, of Apple Valley, is not custody and was released on her own recognizance, court records state. She was an 18-year county employee when she separated from the county July 21.
County prosecutors initially handled the investigation after a supervisor in the District Attorney's Office noted suspicious activity between May 1 and May 31, state officials said.
The missing money came from the state Victim's Compensation Fund, the California Attorney General's Office confirmed. Of the $1,100 alleged in the case, Wagner allegedly kept $900 and $200 went to the friend of her daughter.
'She wrote a county check to cash and took the check to the bank and cashed it,' Christine Gasparac, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, said earlier."
Blogger Bob's comments:
(1) What in the world is the AG's office doing picking up an $1,100 embezzlement case against a support staff member? Is the AG's office in beginning of the process of a take-over on case prosecutions involving internal (alleged) discrepancies? That may be the bigger story. Surely any conflict of interest could have been dealt with by assigning the file to some DDA and for this file designating a supervisor that reports to no one else in the DA's office except maybe HR and Ramos.
(2) Seven felony counts? Really sounds like more of the overkill we have regrettably seen too much of.
Monday, October 4, 2010
CHC Chairman Joe Baca (D-CA), one of Mike Ramos' big buds is named one of the 10 Worst Members of Congress by Esquire Magazine! Way to go Working Joe!
CHC Chairman Joe Baca (D-CA) is named one of the 10 Worst Members of Congress by Esquire Magazine! Way to go Working Joe!
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Blogger Bob's comments: Only in San Bernardino County would an embattled incumbent DA(Mike Ramos) have sought the support of working Joe Baca - doesn't our local media do a heck of job hiding people from the voting public?
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Blogger Bob's comments: Only in San Bernardino County would an embattled incumbent DA(Mike Ramos) have sought the support of working Joe Baca - doesn't our local media do a heck of job hiding people from the voting public?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
What is Congressman Joe Baca Sr up to?
I was "visited" by someone at my office unannounced earlier this week who seems to float in and out of Joe Baca, Sr's circle (who I had seen before) and was reminded there are a lot of Joe's relatives in Barstow I would not recognize around me (that look like me). The message Joe? Saw Mike Townsend at an NAACP meeting where Kamala Harris spoke last Saturday who is now back with Joe Baca's office? I guess the alleged rift between them has been bridged. Interesting. It would be a lot easier for Joe to call me like I have asked him to to give me whatever explanation he wants.
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