Category Archives: Justice

The Sentinel: FBI Probing Prime Health Care For Alleged Bill “Upcoding”

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For the second time in the last three months, Dr. Prem Reddy and his signature enterprise, Prime Healthcare Services, find themselves militating to overcome the interference of a substantial law enforcement authority in the effort to maintain and expand Prime Healthcare as one of the largest health care providers in the state of California.

In the most recent case, the FBI has reportedly interested itself in Prime Healthcare’s billing practices with regard to services rendered to elderly patients. The FBI investigation follows an unsuccessful effort by the California Attorney General’s Office to block Prime Healthcare’s arrangement with Victor Valley Community Hospital to take on a managerial and operational role at that struggling hospital.

According to three well-placed sources, the FBI is interviewing current and former Prime Healthcare employees with regard to billing practices at Prime Healthcare Services.

Prime Healthcare, which was founded by Reddy in 1985, is today the largest operator of medical facilities in Southern California and it owns 14 hospitals in California and one hospital in Texas.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

iePolitics: A legal definition

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CALIFORNIA RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

California Rule of Professional Conduct 5-200, Trial Conduct, states in pertinent part that: in presenting a matter to a court, a member:

  1. Shall employ . . . such means only as are consistent with truth;
  2. Shall not seek to mislead the judge or jury by an artifice or false statement of fact or law;
  3. Shall not intentionally misquote authority to a court;
  4. Shall not knowingly cite invalid authority.

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WND.com: Feds go overboard to punish gun family

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Posted: December 08, 2011
10:00 pm Eastern

© 2011

 

A family of four – Rick Reese, his wife Terri, and their two sons, Ryin, 24, and Remington, 19 – was arrested in Las Cruces, N.M., on August 30, 2011. They have been held in four separate county and federal detention facilities without bond ever since.

Their alleged crime is that, over the course of several months, they sold between 15 and 30 guns to people they “knew, or should have known” were gun traffickers for Mexican drug gangs.

Shortly after they were arrested in Las Cruces, dozens of police vehicles, including four armored personnel carriers and two helicopters, full of armed officers and agents from an alphabet soup of state and local law enforcement agencies, swarmed over the Reese’s home and businesses. The entire firearm and ammunition inventory was taken from Rick Reese’s store, as well as his entire personal collection of firearms and all cash and valuables from his home safe. Even the 30 to 40 empty gun safes that were on display at the store were seized.

U.S. Attorney Ken Gonzales indicated that he is going to seek asset forfeiture of the Reese’s home and 25-acre property (including the shooting range on the property that he leased to various law enforcement agencies), all of the cash and valuables seized, their vehicles and a monetary judgment of at least $36,000 of whatever assets might be left.

In a prepared statement to the press, U.S. Attorney Gonzales stated, “This case serves to put firearms dealers on notice that they will be held accountable for any failure to comply with federal firearms laws.”

Read more: Feds go overboard to punish gun family http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=374881#ixzz1g4hrlGdf

iePolitics: “We finally have proof”

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I remember back in 1991 sitting in Judge Rex Victor’s chambers, using his computer to prepare some jury instructions for him.  He was handling a criminal calendar at the time.

Judge Victor was one of the few judges who always kept his chambers full of music and food and allowed attorneys to hang out in there.  Because the court administration felt that judges needed computers in their chambers more than secretaries needed computers in their offices, we all had at least one judge that either gave us their computer or let us use the computer and laser printer in their chambers rather than forcing us to use the typewriters in our offices.

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LATimes: Hard to see how Sheriff Baca escapes blame

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Either Baca didn’t know how bad things were right under his nose or he did know and did virtually nothing about it. If it’s the first, he’s incompetent. If it’s the second, he doesn’t deserve the job.

By Steve LopezOctober 16, 2011

Gordon Grbavac says he was eating dinner in L.A. County’s Twin Towers jail when two deputies approached and handcuffed his hands behind his back.

“They dragged me about 75 feet,” said the 44-year-old Baldwin Park construction company owner. He had been arrested several nights earlier, in August of 2009, after guns from his private collection were seized by police. (The case was later dismissed.)

Grbavac said the two deputies dragged him into an attorney’s consultation room and closed the door. Then one of the deputies said:

“We’re going to teach you what we do to fat asses like you.”

Then, said Grbavac, each deputy grabbed one of his arms. “They took my head and slammed it into a glass partition. There was blood all over the window and the floor…. They used my head as a battering ram.”

Grbavac said his head had been bashed six times, and he was dazed and fearing for his life when a supervisor entered the room and asked what happened.

“Your deputies assaulted me,” Grbavac said.

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LATimes: U.S. widens inquiry into abuse at L.A. County jails

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 Sheriff’s Department seeks to curtail the extent of subpoenas, which seek data on workers since 2009.
U.S. widens probe of jail abuseSheriff Lee Baca said he was “flabbergasted” by the scope of the federal request for documents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times / October 14, 2011)

Robert Faturechi and Jack Leonard, Los Angeles Times

October 15, 2011

Federal authorities have widened their misconduct investigation into the Los Angeles County jail system, demanding internal Sheriff’s Department documents detailing deputies’ use of force on inmates over several years, as well as other records.

Sheriff’s officials balked at the size and scope of the subpoenas when they were served several weeks ago and are negotiating with federal prosecutors to reduce the number of documents they must produce. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Yea! for my attorney

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Court rules in favor of former San Bernardino police chief

He sued for disability retirement
Posted: 09/26/2011 06:33:04 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO – Former Police Chief Garrett Zimmon may be entitled to a disability retirement after a recent state court ruling sided with him in his lengthy legal battle with the city.A three-judge panel of the state 4th District Court of Appeal in Riverside issued a 24-page ruling on Sept. 16 that reversed a pair of earlier court decisions in favor of the city and denied Zimmon a disability retirement.

Doctors diagnosed Zimmon with a cardiac arrhythmia with a history of recurrent atrial fibrillation, better known as a irregular heartbeat, according to the ruling. Zimmon attributed the condition to the cumulative trauma, stress and pressures of the job.

Zimmon’s last day as chief was March 10, 2006.

“He was pleased and gratified that the court of appeal has applied the law in the manner in which they did,” said Zimmon’s lawyer, Edward Faunce.

The city now has 40 calendar days to decide whether to pursue the issue further and petition the California Supreme Court or let the appellate court decision stand, lawyers said.

“The decision isn’t final until the unsuccessful party has an opportunity to seek further review,” said Arlene Prater of Best, Best and Krieger, a law firm contracted to represent the city.

Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/ci_18982598?IADID=Search-www.sbsun.com-www.sbsun.com#ixzz1ZIf9rBZ3

LATimes: Jail volunteers accuse deputies of abusing L.A. County prisoners

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Editor’s Note:  When I first ran part of this story last June, we had our share of SBSD’s finest defend the action of the cops.  I am sure we will have the same thing this time.  However, fortunately the FBI isn’t quite so impressed with those of you that defend one another because you are all “heros” that save lives.  We can only hope that our own local “heros” have their own FBI investigation.

Three volunteers at Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles say in sworn declarations that sheriff’s deputies abused inmates and that supervisors failed to take reports of the beatings seriously.

By Robert Faturechi, Los Angeles TimesSeptember 28, 2011

Men's Central Jail

An inmate talks on the phone at the L.A. County Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / October 12, 2006)

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies brutalized inmates on multiple occasions and their supervisors failed to take complaints of the abuse seriously, according to sworn declarations from two chaplains and a Hollywood producer who volunteered in the jails.

Two of the volunteers said they heard deputies yell “stop fighting” as deputies pummeled inmates who appeared to be doing nothing to fight back.

The allegations come on the heels of Los Angeles Times stories detailing FBI probes into deputy misconduct in the jails. The declarations are expected to be filed in court Wednesday as part of a report compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is a court-appointed monitor of jailhouse conditions.

It’s not uncommon for inmates to make allegations of abuse, but these sworn statements are noteworthy because all three are from independent civilians in the jails who say they came forward because they were troubled by what they saw. Two have included their names. The third, a chaplain whose identity was learned by The Times, opted to have his declaration filed anonymously at the last minute for fear of reprisal.

Sheriff Lee Baca did not return calls seeking comment.

In one declaration, Chaplain Paulino Juarez said he was ministering to an inmate at a cell inside Men’s Central Jail on Feb. 11, 2009, when he heard thumps and gasps. He went toward the sounds and saw three deputies pounding an inmate pressed against the wall. Juarez said he believed the inmate was handcuffed because he never raised his hands to protect his face from the deputies’ fists, instead shouting: “I am doing nothing wrong; please stop.”

To read the rest of the story, click here.

iePolitics: One of those seemingly “police state” stories

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I heard about this on KFI the other night.  It seems that had Gibson had paid Indian workers to treat the wood, they would have been fine and it would not have violated a trade agreement.  But because they imported the wood before it was treated and put American workers to work treating the wood, they were raided by the FBI, guns drawn and all.  So whose side is our government on?

Fed Raid Targets Guitars Made From Endangered Trees

Published August 26, 2011

| FoxNews.com

Gibson Guitar CEO_082511

The Tennessean

Gibson Guitar CEO Henry Juszkiewicz speaks about the raid by federal authorities, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011 at the plant on Massman Drive in Nashville, Tenn.

The Justice Department raided the Memphis and Nashville offices of a guitar manufacturing company this week, seizing several pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars as part of a crackdown on illegally harvested hardwoods from protected forests, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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iePolitics: An update on ET Snell

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I received notification today that ET Snell has been transferred out of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s jail system.  Some may remember our local clown made a threat to rape the city of Bell clerk.  It seems to me he accepted a plea deal for about three years.  He has been in custody almost a year.  We can only hope he has been transferred somewhere where he can get the help he needs.

LATimes: LAPD exonerates suspect in Bryan Stow beating, source says [Updated]

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Editor’s Note:  Here’s another.

Los Angeles police have arrested two men on suspicion of beating baseball fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium and have concluded the suspect they took into custody in May was not responsible, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told The Times on Thursday.

The developments mark a dramatic turnaround in the case. Until now, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and other police officials expressed confidence that Giovanni Ramirez, a parolee, was responsible for the beating.

But since Ramirez’s arrest in May, detectives struggled to build a case. Beck moved the case in June to the  elite Robbery-Homicide Division.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

NYTimes: Software Designer Reports Error in Anthony Trial

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Editor’s Note: I’m sure prosecutors in San Bernardino County are too honest to ever allow something like this to happen here.

Pool photo by Red Huber

 

MIAMI — Assertions by the prosecution that Casey Anthony conducted extensive computer searches on the word “chloroform” were based on inaccurate data, a software designer who testified at the trial said Monday.

Pool photo by Red Huber

Sgt. Kevin Stenger, a computer forensics expert, testifying

The designer, John Bradley, said Ms. Anthony had visited what the prosecution said was a crucial Web site only once, not 84 times, as prosecutors had asserted. He came to that conclusion after redesigning his software, and immediately alerted prosecutors and the police about the mistake, he said.

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WHEC.com: Case dismissed against woman arrested while videotaping police

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Posted at: 06/27/2011 1:37 PM | Updated at: 06/28/2011 2:44 AM
By: Ray Levato | WHEC.com

nullThe case against a Rochester woman arrested while videotaping police has been dismissed.

Early Monday afternoon, demonstrators rallied outside the Hall of Justice in support of Emily Good, the city woman who was arrested while videotaping police officers during a traffic stop on May 12th in front of her 19th Ward home. (Click here to watch the video)

Good kept recording police officers while standing in her front yard even though an officer ordered her several times go inside. She was charged with obstructing of governmental administration. Since then, the video from that night has made it onto news shows across the country.

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LATimes: FBI investigates alleged beating of inmate by L.A. County deputies

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An ACLU monitor says she saw two deputies beating and Tasering an inmate as he lay limp. The ACLU sought a federal probe, expressing doubts about the department’s ability to do an impartial investigation.

By Robert Faturechi, Los Angeles Times

June 14, 2011

The FBI is investigating allegations that two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies knocked an inmate unconscious, beat him for two minutes and then tried to cover up their conduct, authorities confirmed Monday.

The federal civil rights probe was prompted by the allegations of an American Civil Liberties Union representative who said she witnessed the assault while meeting with another inmate in the Twin Towers jail in January. Esther Lim, the ACLU’s observer in the jails, filed a court declaration stating that she was in another room when she heard a thud sound. Through a window, she said, she saw two deputies punching, kicking and Tasering an inmate.

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iePolitics: A facinating opinion from the Fourth Appellate District

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This opinion stems from an Orange County Grand Jury indictment regarding a misappropriation of funds accusation by the district attorney against the Capistrano Unified School District superintendent. There are several areas that mirror things that have occurred during our corruption scandals.  The opinion was filed May 31, 2011 and the justices go into great detail about the criminal grand jury system.  It is a long opinion but well worth the read.  Here is the link:  http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/G043778.PDF

iePolitics: Video: What happened to Hope Steffey?

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Editor’s Note:  I received an email today with updated information regarding the Hope Steffey case—the video we posted a while back showing male cops removing a female’s clothing.  I read the information but knew there was even more up-to-date information.  This story is from the local paper and is more in depth.  Since this was written, most of the lawsuits have been settled for undisclosed amounts with the county expecting to have to pay over $100,000, but we do not know how much over $100,000.  The Grand Jury cleared the sheriff’s department; however, now a number of other women have come forward complaining of similar treatment.

By Shane Hoover

Posted Sep 28, 2008 @ 05:31 PM
Last update Jul 13, 2009 @ 05:56 PM
CANTON —

The woman’s screams echoed in the isolation cell.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. What am I here for? What are you doing?” Hope Steffey yelled as male and female deputies pinned her to the cell floor and stripped away her clothes.

The deputies told her she was going on suicide precautions, and they documented the incident on video. But when a Cleveland TV station aired a portion of that video in February, more people had questions: Why did this happen? How did an alleged assault victim end up naked in a jail cell?
Criticism, outrage and even death threats against sheriff’s deputies poured in from around the country and overseas.

A state investigation and grand jury review found no criminal wrongdoing, but prompted more questions: Was the probe thorough? Was there another side to the story?

The incident occurred in October 2006, but those questions remain as Sheriff Tim Swanson runs for re-election.

A review of video and audio recordings and more than 600 pages of documents The Repository obtained through public records requests sheds more light on the case, now in civil litigation in federal court.

The case can be broken into three parts: Steffey’s arrest, her incarceration and the state’s subsequent investigation.

Steffey, 42, of Salem, and her attorneys deny that she was suicidal. They accuse sheriff’s deputies of assaulting her, illegally strip-searching her and leaving her naked for six hours in a cell. Her attorneys declined to be interviewed for this story, but their complaints are outlined in documents filed in U.S. District Court in which they say Steffey has lasting physical and emotional injuries.

The sheriff’s office says Steffey was combative and had to be placed on suicide and homicide precautions to prevent her from harming herself or others. Forcibly removing an inmate’s clothing and belongings in that situation doesn’t constitute a strip-search because the purpose is not to find evidence or contraband, Swanson argues.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

iePolitics: A cop lie?

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This story was sent to me tonight because it was aired on 48 Hours this evening and a local private investigator is featured.  The person watching it knew that I had been interviewed by Paul Ingels last year and was very impressed with what he did for this victim of the justice system.  Here is a video but the complete story can be found at the link above.  Paul also has some links to the story on his site.

 

I added Paul in under “Attorneys” for those of you who might need his services in the future.

iePolitics: Conspiracy theory No. 1

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I have my moments when I’m as ready for the aluminum foil hat as the next guy, and this may be one of those moments.  But as I watch this corruption scandal unfold, some things just don’t seem quite right.  One of them is the actions of Attorney Jim Reiss, who handled both the Rex Gutierrez case and the Cheryl Ristow case.

Reiss appeared to be a very good attorney during Gutierrez’ first trial although we all questioned going for a hung jury rather than an acquittal.  Something happened between trial number one and trial number two. Reiss went from being aggressive and meticulous to being sloppy and lazy.

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iePolitics: Five years ago today

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In about an hour it will be five years ago exactly that I received the call from Loma Linda University Medical Center advising me that my mom had been taken there by ambulance and asking me to make the decision to not resuscitate.  That was two months to the hour from the time she had suffered a stroke.  A few weeks earlier Kaiser wanted me to pull the plug on her ventilator even though she was conscious, writing us notes, and wanting feet and back rubbed.  I remember the nurse telling me they would knock her out and then pull the plug.  I refused, but because we knew she had critical valve stenosis, I did sign a DNR for when her heart finally gave out.  I was asleep when the call came in and confirmed that I did not want them to take extraordinary measures to resuscitate her.

It was two days after her death that the county picked to start their battle with me full force–yes they knew she died and Nancy Swanson knew it might be a time I could not fight back.  I was not allowed to take bereavement leave.  As a matter of fact I would not have been allowed to attend the funeral had it not been on my Friday off.  The county came after me full force and Bob Blough would not allow SBPEA to back me (I was still a member then).

Thinking back on these five years, it has been a tough fight. My mom was an EW with what was called DPSS-IM (now TAD) in the 70s.  She retired in the very early 80s, a couple of years after I became a county employee.  My mom had worked many jobs in her lifetime and owned a successful restaurant and catering business back East.  The only employer she ever spoke ill of was San Bernardino County.  I heard many stories growing up of stupid supervisors and managers in TAD, of incompetence, theft, poor customer service, and an overall dysfunctional department with exceptionally incompetent management.

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iePolitics: “One Tin Soldier”

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Editor’s Note:  Yesterday a couple of friends gave me a complete set of the Billy Jack movies on DVD.  They are my first ever DVDs.  Don’t ask, if you don’t know my story!!!  Anyway, those who know me well either know I’m a huge Billy Jack fan (it’s a 70s thing you would have had to live through) or are not surprised by it. This is the theme song for two of the movies and it has been in my brain all day.  For those who don’t know, the movie is quite political but I’m not sure the youngsters of today would  not get it.  I think you had to live before the Civil Rights Movement to appreciate the gains of the past forty years.  Sometimes I wonder how I turned out to be a Republican.

LATimes: Supreme Court shields prosecutors in wrongful convictions

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Though new DNA testing has shown hundreds of convicts to be innocent, the court has protected prosecutors from lawsuits and balked at letting prisoners reopen cases.

John ThompsonA jury awarded John Thompson $14 million in his lawsuit against prosecutors after he was freed from death row. The Supreme Court threw it out. Above, Thompson speaks at a New Orleans news conference. (Patrick Semansky, Associated Press / March 29, 2011
By David G. Savage, Washington BureauApril 3, 2011 

Reporting from Washington—

One innocent man, from Arizona, was sent back to prison for raping a child when the Supreme Court ruled he had no right to evidence that would later set him free.

Another innocent man, from Louisiana, was convicted of murder and came within weeks of being executed because prosecutors had hidden a blood test that later freed him.

The two men were linked at the Supreme Court last week by Justice Antonin Scalia, who argued that criminal defendants have no right to “potentially useful evidence” that “might” show they were innocent.

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Senator Bill Emmerson: Senator Emmerson Introduces Legislation to Reorganize the Courts of Appeal

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Senator Emmerson Introduces Legislation to Reorganize the Courts of Appeals SB 848 Reduces Bureaucracy, Increases Efficiency Sacramento – Senator Bill Emmerson (R-Hemet) introduced Senate Bill 848, an important measure that would reduce bureaucracy in our court system. This bill would reorganize the Courts of Appeal districts into seven districts, giving the Inland Empire the autonomy necessary to efficiently operate.

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InlandPolitics: The Insider: Feds calling shots in ARMC investigation

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www.inlandpolitics.com

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 – 9:28 a.m.

Is the District Attorney really calling the shots in the investigation involving activities at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC)?

The evidence is building, and it’s beginning to look more and more like the answer is “no”.

Confidential sources tell The Insider that federal agents were doing the questioning of hospital staff, not investigators for District Attorney Michael Ramos, as everyone is being led to believe.

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iePolitics: An interesting comment about justice in this county

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The following just appeared as a comment on Part 4 of my series, “Can Justice be Found in San Bernardino County?”  This attorney does not identify himself but does identify several cases which would make determining his identity easy.  It’s a long comment and I thought it deserved attention.

I applaud this web site. Please see the narrative below. Pay special attention to the rape of a minor, Raven Emily Welch, by both the San Bernardino Judiciary and Sherriff. It is in excusable. This case with the other cases discussed below is trnasparent and irrefutable evidence of corruption and treason that shakes the foundation of our constitution.

Despite experiencing almost non stop slander of the worst kind, which is treason, and corruption since I started practicing law in San Bernardino County, I have made the record single handedly for a massively corrupt judiciary. In addition, the influences of corruption and evil that is pervasive throughout San Bernardino County, the judicial system as a whole and our law enforcement seems boundless.

Since my arrival in the San Bernardino County District it has become clear to me that the corruption within the California judiciary, which includes powerful attorneys and law firms, as well as law enforcement, is at a crisis. These corrupt judicial officers and attorneys have no shame and have gone to great lengths to discredit me. Dishonest judges can be recognized from their absurd dishonest decisions. As discussed below my proof is in court transcripts which includes getting a Judge reversed under Substantial Evidence, in Fontes v. Mcarty, trial case number, RCVRS081934, and Court of Appeal number EO39755, which is rare and cries out of Judicial corruption.

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iePolitics: FPPC investigation into Ramos “ongoing”

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Some may remember the FPPC complaint I filed against San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos about six months ago.  I had not received status on the complaint since a few weeks after I filed it.  I finally called up there to see if perhaps the letter had been lost in the mail.  I was told they will not give me status on an on-going investigation and will advise me when they have completed it.  So you will know when I know.

InlandPolitics: The Insider: S.B. County federal investigaton base shifting

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  • Written by The Insider
  • Posted September 5, 2010 at 11:00 am

Sunday, September 5, 2010 – 10:45 am

Sources are telling The Insider that the primary responsibility for a federal investigation reportedly focused on various business and political activities involving figures within San Bernardino County has been shifted.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigative operation, has reportedly now shifted from the agency’s office in Riverside to Los Angeles, due to the close relationship between Riverside personnel and local county law enforcement agencies.

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iePolitics: Happy days are here again!

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All of you know I think the world of a couple of my attorneys.  Then there is the attorney from HELL, my worker’s compensation attorney.  Well, several past members of his firm have formed a firm of their own.  I contacted them and they are willing to sub in on my worker’s comp case.

Many of you have asked me for a referral for a worker’s comp attorney.  Ed had given me a link to a good referral service that I hadn’t posted yet.  However, now that Richard Alpers is with a firm, this is who I can recommend to anyone looking for someone who will actually be responsive to you.  Their website can be found at:  www.ranlegal.com.  Richard is in Redondo Beach so he isn’t one of the San Bernardino good ol’ boys who try to screw over county employees like some of the locals do.

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iePolitics: Too bad the FBI won’t make arrests in the Fourth District and beyond

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I guess I had what some might call an epiphany this week.  Many of our readers would say it is about time.

You see, for the first time since the corruption scandal started, I genuinely want to see Mark Kirk, Gary Ovitt, Greg Devereaux, and others led away in handcuffs, booked and serve some jail time.  Do I believe it will happen?  No, I don’t.  I still feel the Colonies Settlement is clean.

Everything else in the Fourth District office, however,  is not so clean.  But the problem is that neither Mikey and Moonbeam or the FBI will look at the real dirt.  Mikey and Moonbeam are too busy accepting campaign donations from SEBA and SBPEA.  The FBI isn’t interested in the kind of real corruption that goes on in this county.

In this instance, it is simply not the sort of thing the FBI will get involved with.  I’m not suggesting there will not be arrests made, just not arrests of the county’s most corrupt individuals, except possibly Mikey.

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iePolitics: The US Department of Justice has been busy today

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iePolitics: Attorneys

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I have had a number of inquiries lately regarding attorneys.  I’m afraid my Blackberry has been down most of  the time for the past couple of weeks.  I finally had it replaced two days ago, but I had to hand write out all the text messages and I know I am not going to get to them for a while.  So here is the information for my attorney:  www.public-pensions.com However, they are NOT handling my worker’s compensation case.  I will only give the name of that firm out to my worst enemies.

I know my attorney reads the blog every day, so hopefully he will email me a few names of worker’s comp attorneys who are willing to take on cases for San Bernardino County.  If so, I will post those links.  I’m sorry for not getting back to everyone sooner.

iePolitics: More information on FBI probe

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Additional information regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) probe into the San Bernardino County corruption scandal has been trickling into iePolitics.  It appears there are two general areas the Bureau is concentrating on: all investigations conducted by District Attorney Mike Ramos’ Public Integrity Unit (PIU) and the Superior Court bench.

Based upon questions being asked by agents, this investigation is wide-ranging.  iePolitics has been told that questions are being asked regarding various real estate deals; destruction of records by former Third District Supervisor Dennis Hansberger; disparity in handling the various FPPC complaints by Ramos against Penrod, Erwin, Biane, Devereaux, and others; the difference in the way in which 1099 charges against Jim Miller and Bea Cortes were handled; the POST scandal; possibly several of the issues at ARMC (regarding Supervisors Biane and Gonzales); and much more.

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Sam Berdoo: Senor Blogger Way Off Base With Sam Berdoo

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Let us be very clear.  Sam Berdoo attacked no one, is not angry, and holds no grudge.  All Sam did was post the articles and comments of other people.  This is a common practice on ie.politics and one I hope will continue.  No where can it be pointed out, that Sam Berdoo wrote any thing disparaging about Derry or the others.  All Sam has done is remind the populous about the relationships that exist within the all pervasive culture of corruption.

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Sam Berdoo: Jason Desjardins and the Court of Public Opinion, Part II

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The following selected online public comments were recently made on several articles published in the local newspapers.

John Valdivia Wrote:

( fed up wrote:  This stinks! Low life scum bag ought to get the heck out of town. Piece of trash! You Jason D give this town a black eye, an ugly stain beyond Penman and Wendy. And Chaz Kelly, oh my, what a backstabbing, two faced little leprechaun. )

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iePolitics: Environmentalists and the Environment – Part Three

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It is said that the love of money is the root of all evil and human behavior certainly suggests that the adoration of the almighty greenback brings about the demise of many a man.  When we come across a panhandler on the street, some of us will throw change his way while others will look in the opposite direction, assuming he is trying to get something for nothing.

The same goes for charities and non-profits.  Some of us take the good works these organizations tout at face value while others look at all who ask for money with skepticism.  And casting a critical and inquisitive eye towards non-profits is a wise decision.

Continue reading →

InlandPolitics: So what do Mike Ramos and Rex Gutierrez have in common?

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  • Written by The Insider
  • Posted July 6, 2010 at 8:38 am

Ramos

www.inlandpolitics.com

While Rancho Cucamonga City Councilman and former San Bernardino County Assessor’s Office Inter-Governmental Affairs Officer Rex Gutierrez was allegedly doing city work on county time and county work on city time, what was our favorite San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos doing?

Well he had his own version of “inter-governmental affairs” on his mind. Yep, that’s right. He was busy with affairs for sure. You know the kind—fornication, copulation, making whoopee—not with the wife he tells these women he is divorcing, but with his subordinates.

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iePolitics: The Significance Has Been Lost

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As I read various blog comments and accounts of Rancho Cucamonga City Councilman and former San Bernardino County Assessor employee Rex Gutierrez’ corruption trial and non-verdict, I realize the magnitude of what happened Wednesday is lost on most.  Let me explain.

The District Attorney pulled out all stops to keep this case from going to trial any sooner than necessary due to his re-election campaign and fear certain information might come out during the trial.   Gutierrez refused to waive time further.  The District Attorney used every procedural delay available and the trial did not commence until the last possible moment.  The District Attorney was hoping a smoking gun would materialize but it never did.  The District Attorney’s hand was forced. Continue reading →

iePolitics: The Restraining Order

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Here is the order:  Councilperson Cortes v. Moore Note:  There are two separate files when you open the document.  The first is the application and the second is the order.

A couple of things are noteworthy.  First, the order is for 100 yards and includes city hall, city functions, etc.  The defendant is a resident of  Grand Terrace and this order basically denies her right to participate in city government or even pay her trash bill in person.  If this order is made permanent, she would not be allowed to attend a 4th of July event if the city is sponsoring one, or a Christmas pageant, or a parade.

If you read the application, Cortes actually wanted the defendant restrained from using foul language or discussing politics. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Does Sleeping with Mike Ramos Help Win Ones Court Case?

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When I first heard of the restraining order City of Grand Terrace Councilwoman Bea Cortes obtained against a citizen in her city, I didn’t pay too much attention to it.  Yesterday, I had the chance to view the actual document.  I hope to post the document and supporting declaration before the end of the day, so all the “experts” here on the blog can read it and give their opinion, but I have never seen such a restrictive restraining order ever.  And it was Bea Cortes who started the altercation. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Can justice be found in San Bernardino County – Part 5

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The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.

~George Washington~

I intended for the final installment in this series to profile the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.  But how many times can I write about the incestuous relationships between District Attorney Mike Ramos, Conflict Panel attorneys, Public Defender Doreen Boxer and judges—relationships that often should be prohibited by conflict laws if not their own sense of integrity and morality?  Unfortunately, as we know “integrity and morality” are not important qualities to many of these individuals.

Today I was listening to closing arguments in the Rex Gutierrez case and it hit me as to why I feel so strongly about these corruption cases.  I decided to change my focus for this last article from the Sheriff’s Department to the pursuit of justice by the unjust.

Defense counsel are paid to do one thing and one thing only and that is to mitigate the circumstances in which criminal defendants finds themselves.  In a perfect world, the accused would admit guilt if they are in fact guilty and take their punishment like a man.  But then again, in a perfect world, actually crime would not exist and there would be no need for a justice system. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Can justice be found in San Bernadino County? – Part 4

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Four things belong to a judge: to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.

˜Socrates˜

In the first three parts we examined the District Attorney’s Office, the Conflict Panel, and the Public Defender’s Office.  It is now time to turn our attention to the Superior Court bench.

San Bernardino County has 72 judges currently assigned to it.  Almost every one of those judges who have been elected or appointed in the past eight years received the required blessing of the District Attorney’s office before being appointed or elected.  Other than the governor of the state of California, no one elected official has more influence over who sits as a judge on the bench in San Bernardino County than District Attorney Mike Ramos.  Some say that is how it should be—a good way to assure criminals are locked up for a long time. Continue reading →

Fred Karger: Californian’s Against Hate

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Editor’s Note:  This is a mailing list I ended up on I suspect due to the post I wrote about Chris Lancaster.  For the record, in addition to ET, Al Vogler, and Barb Stanton, Assembly District 59 candidates Chris Lancaster, Ken Hunter and Tim Donnelly all participated in one aspect or another of the very bigoted campaign against Anthony Riley and/or Corey Calaycay.  I’ve got the emails to prove it in case they try to deny it.  Anyway, I really don’t hate Mormons.  I have always had a lot of respect for them.  But I had a huge issue with both Chris Lancaster, who is a Mormon, and Tim Donnelly, who I don’t believe is Mormon, preaching God and then participating in such hateful work.


June 11, 2010                                                                                    619-592-2008

Statement by Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, re Guilty Finding by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) Case #08-735

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today the FPPC, in an unprecedented ruling against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, found the Salt Lake City based Church guilty on 13 counts of late campaign reporting.  The Mormon Church was fined $5538 in an agreement worked out ending the 19 month long investigation.  The Church was the primary backer of California’s Proposition 8, which ended gay marriage in California two years ago.   The Mormon Church initially admitted to spending only $2078 to pass Prop 8.  When I filed my sworn complaint on November 13, 2008, they instantly attacked me. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Really ET?

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So, you are trying to tell me that your bigoted, hate-filled tirades against public officials and candidates alike were all your own idea and Al Vogler and Barb Stanton have nothing to do with it?  The three of you were a part of stalking candidates, including their families and young children, and making outrageous claims.

So ET and Al, is it true you two are having a homosexual affair?  That is what we are hearing.  We hear that once you two were discovered together, you went on this rampage against anyone you thought might expose you.  Inquiring minds want to know.

Al, your daughter gets on here and claims that all elected official have to do is “come clean” about their sexual preference.  Well Al, I think it is time you come clean.  If members of the Board of Supervisors have to tell you what they do behind closed doors, then it is only fitting and proper that you tell us what you and Rita or you and ET do behind closed doors, don’t you think?

You don’t like it when the tables are turned on you, do you?  Give it some time, Al.  You, Barb and ET have gone too far this time around.  Your time is coming.  And we don’t stoop to the unethical and illegal behavior that the three of you do.  Truth will prevail, sooner than you think.

And here is a screen shot from YOUR website ET to prove your affiliation with Barb: Continue reading →

Senor Blogger: Another Connection To Upland Activity? No Karaoke In Rancho Cucamonga Bars

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Editor’s Note:  This is one of those stories that sounds more like an aluminum foil gathering’s conspiracy theory . . . that is until one examines it more closely.  Once one looks at all that are involved in this shut-down—from political donations and support of certain city officeholders to business beneficiaries of such an enforcement—it starts to sound like a much more viable theory.  In a few weeks after the FBI and IRS have made more of their investigation public, we’ll ask Senor Blogger to give us some specifics of who is donating to whom and who has political debts to be paid.

Could there be a “karaoke connection” to this week’s FBI/IRS raids in Upland?

Curious and coincidental it may seem—and it may be entirely coincidental—but just this past January, code enforcement officers unexpectedly descended on a number of nightlife establishments in Upland’s neighboring city of Rancho Cucamonga to kindly “inform” them that, according to Rancho Cucamonga municipal code, live entertainment, including amateur karaoke singers, requires a special entertainment license.

Although many readers may ponder why one would spend their evenings listening to terrible amateur singers belt out poorly performed tunes, karaoke nights at Rancho Cucamonga bars prove popular for owners and customers alike . . . Continue reading →

Fox News: California Primary Bucks the Trend

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By Christian Whiton

Published June 09, 2010

In Tuesday’s California primary elections, the state bucked the trend elsewhere where conservative candidates have been ascendant. The two big GOP nomination races, for governor and U.S. senator, were won easily by Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina. They both trounced more conservative rivals in elections marked by surprisingly low turnout in this year of the tea party. The primary reason: money.

Whitman flooded a primary opponent who sought to reduce California’s sky-high taxes on businesses and individuals. She committed an estimated $71 million of her own funds. Fiorina, who spent at estimated $5 million of a personal fortune, amassed 57 percent of the vote and easily defeated conservative state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, a west coast version of Florida’s Marco Rubio, and fiscally conservative former Congressman Tom Campbell. Continue reading →

iePolitics: The Race for Judge, Office No. 29

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This judicial contest isn’t quite as contentious as the other, unless one is a district attorney.  It seems district attorneys believe the only attorneys who should be appointed to the bench are district attorneys.  Long-time readers of the blog know the position I have taken on that subject.

Having spent six years as a Judicial Secretary, first with San Bernardino County Superior Court and then with the Consolidated Trial Courts of San Bernardino County, I worked for many new judges.  Our governor at the time was a “law and order” type of governor and had the tendency to appoint little other than district attorneys any time a vacancy occurred.  He set the bench back years with that policy. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Motion Denied

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Today San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Duke Rouse denied without prejudice the People’s motion to allow hearsay into evidence in the trial of Rex Gutierrez.  Gutierrez, who is charged with two counts of grand theft, one count of embezzlement, and one count of presenting a false claim.  At the last moment, the People attempted to claim that Rancho Cucamonga businessman Jeff Burum conspired with former Assessor Bill Postmus to hire Gutierrez so that Burum would have him available to him.  None of this was brought up during the preliminary hearing but instead appears to be a ploy to save this prosecution.  However, neither Postmus, Gutierrez or Burum have been charged with this “conspiracy.” Continue reading →