Tag Archives: corruption

iePolitics: In response to BillyJackAttack

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Since I haven’t been writing much, I thought I would respond to his/her comment as a post since I know others are thinking the same thing.  So here goes.

Well Billy, I think my first response is that whether we are discussing Colonies, the BOS, Greg Devereaux, the DA/AG/FBI, or any other person/entity in a long list of county concerns, there is very little black and white.   Since you used Jim as an example, I will too.  Has Jim done some things wrong? It is my belief the answer is yes.  Do I also believe he has been singled out and maliciously prosecuted?  That answer is yes too.  Almost $3 in bail is outrageous.  The trumped-up charges are also outrageous.  I will continue to say that probably forever.  At the same time, I do believe he has committed criminal wrongdoing.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I am not taking one side over the other; I simply believe in justice.  Justice would have been served perhaps with a FPPC fine or, in the case of the extortion if that proves to be true, a felony or two with probation and maybe some jail time if warranted–just like someone who is not Ramos’ political enemy.

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Examiner.com: Group to circulate petition to reduce supervisor pay, cap contributions

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[SAN BERNARDINO]: The Committee to Reform San Bernardino County Government is a grassroots group whose mission it is to bring about much-needed oversight of elected officials on behalf of the citizens of corruption-ridden San Bernardino County.  The county has been plagued with scandals since the 1990s, and numerous county officials have faced state and federal charges and is known as “California’s Most Corrupt County.”  Three initiatives have been written that will allow voters to change the county’s charter so that elected officials cannot gain financial benefits without voter approval and will provide additional “transparency” county officials claim they desire.

The proposed reforms include making members of the Board of Supervisors part time and reducing their pay to reflect the hours of service they provide to the public; capping campaign contributions; and for all San Bernardino County new hires, changing the pension system to a 401(k)-style retirement benefit.  The reforms mirror many of those already in place or being made elsewhere in California’s 58 counties.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

iePolitics: Curiouser and Curiouser – Part One

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What would you say if you elected someone to office to vote on projects, laws, etc., on your behalf and then after they voted on said items, you found out they had no clue what they voted on?  That is exactly what is happening on the Fifth Floor with our Board of Supervisors.

The most recent debacle with Dr. Gnanadev’s conflict of interest statement is only one of many examples where the members of our Board of Supervisors casts votes and have absolutely no clue on what or why they are voting.  How would you feel if it was your project, your street, your home, your life they were affecting?

And it is going to get worse.  It is going to get much worse.

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iePolitics: Guess what Ruthie has done now to embarrass the BOS

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Back in early June, iePolitics was tipped off that Dr. Dev Gnanadev, medical director for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), had real property in San Bernardino County and the beach area that he was not reporting on his FPPC Form 700.  We were also advised that he employed his wife in his medical billing business and required some of the doctors that contract with ARMC to use his medical billing service.  His wife’s income was also not reported on his FPPC Form 700.

We obtained copies of his last four 700s and determined there were discrepancies.  We also had the Assessor’s Office check his name for real property and found several possible properties he did not claim in this county.  Because the information he put on his Form 700 was done very sloppily, it was hard to tell exactly how much he under-reported but it was clear he had not reported everything he was required to report.

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SbGrapevine: Editorial: When will the BOS learn its lesson? – Part 1

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www.sbgrapevine.com

Emasculated.  Impotent.  Ineffectual.  Powerless.  Debilitated.  Cowardly.  Weak.

Anyone of these adjectives is an appropriate descriptor of the current five members of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors individually and as a not-so-well functioning governing board.  Never was it so obvious as it was on Tuesday.

More than a year and a half ago many astute observers began to realize the Board of Supervisors had a problem.  Several high-ranking staffers, including County Counsel Ruth Stringer, had become disloyal.  In reality, the situation worsened to far beyond disloyal.

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SbGrapevine: Lewis Wants to Bring Back Earmarks: 2012 Primary Challenge?

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Congressman Jerry Lewis’ $30,000 Portrait

“The Minority Maker,” as the Wall Street Journal dubbed him in a 2006 story, has been a controversial figure in San Bernardino County since his election to the House of Representatives in 1978.  From the affair with his secretary whom he eventually married after divorcing his wife to an ongoing federal probe, this moderate politician in conservative clothing has done more to run up the national debt than his Democratic counterparts in the adjoining district, George Brown and Joe Baca, combined.

Currently hailing from the Republican old money city of Redlands, Congressman Jerry Lewis has pulled the wool over many an eye with his “conservative” mantra but his voting record on fiscal matters has exposed his true agenda.  As a member and former chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Lewis has become known as Capitol Hill’s King of Payoffs.

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iePolitics: County’s top lawyers all on thin ice

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San Bernardino County’s three top lawyers may be “former” employees by year’s end.  San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos, Public Defender Doreen Boxer, and County Counsel Ruth Stringer all are in precarious positions at best.

Although mainstream media has refused to cover the antics of District Attorney Mike Ramos, iePolitics and InlandPolitics have covered them extensively.  We have been accused of libeling poor Mikey.  But the seeds he has sown are about to come back to haunt him and prove that we are the ones with truth on our side.

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iePolitics: So who is fornicating now?

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San Bernardino County’s law firm, Boxer, Ramos & Stringer (remember Mikey likes to be in the middle), is at it again.  We learned of their speciality months ago when chief legal Beagle Ruth Stringer determined that fornication is part of the “deliberative process” and taxpayer monies spent for said fornication is not the business of the taxpayers.  We are supposed to take it in the shorts, literally.

Well our favorite ménage à trois has defied logic and sound legal reasoning yet once more.  Until recently the county reluctantly released information regarding the costs of civil litigation against former Assessor Bill Postmus, et al.  The investigation was originally capped at $250,000 but former Enron prosecutor and special investigator John Hueston went through that amount quickly.

From all appearances, the cost of the investigation/persecution has already exceeded $1 million or is quickly approaching that mark with nothing to show for it and likely no hope of ever showing anything for it except for a conviction and judgment against Adam Aleman.  Aleman is the only one to plead guilty and not file an answer.

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ACT: What is an anti-corruption team?

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In addition to what you read in the mainstream media, at just about every local agency in the Inland Empire, including Riverside County inland cities, fraud, corruption, political favoritism and abuse are present within the system.  The hardest thing, many times, is not detecting and attempting to fight corruption, but getting somebody with any authority to listen to and expose it for what it is, the misuse of public monies.  It is so important right now that we do something about this ever-growing problem of fraud, waste and abuse of authority and public resources, as our society seems to be at a “crossroads” involving our views about government and its place within the lives of its citizens and residents.

The catalyst for this political misbehavior may at the same time lead to its timely demise.  With our current economic downturn, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between “scam artists” out in the general public and those that we have elected or have been appointed to represent our collective public interests.  This situation has come to a head, in large part, due to the limited public funding levels that have arisen in this economic downturn, resulting in dwindling personal incomes and the associated losses in available revenues used to fuel our governmental “machine.”

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InlandPolitics Commentary: Is “culture of cover-up” plaguing S.B. County government?

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  • Written by Senor Blogger
  • Posted May 23, 2010 at 1:39 pm

One things for certain.

San Bernardino County doesn’t want any bad news made public. And when it does go public by way of internal leaks, the course of action is to downplay or deny.

The current situation at San Bernardino County-owned and operated Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) is a prime example.

When allegations alleging a breakdown in quality of care began surfacing several months, hospital and county officials denied any problems existed. This was until outside investigations surfaced that found critical breakdowns in medical care and other areas.

Medicare and MediCal have threatened to terminate reimbursements to the facility. A threat that doesn’t materialize until after at least two prior warnings.

I can’t find any public disclosures of any prior warnings to the facility. Continue reading →

iePolitics: The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department – A Legacy of Malfeasance

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On Monday, March 22, 2010, we will start a new series of articles that will discuss corruption within the Sheriff’s Department—ranging from coverups and threats of retaliation to criminal activity from the bottom up  through the ranks to the office of Sheriff.

Even though the position of Sheriff is an elected position, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has a 60-year history of  handpicking their own leadership with all opponents facing an impossible battle.  There are reasons why it has been impossible for anyone but the chosen heir to make a serious attempt at election.  Continue reading →

InlandPolitics: Ramos investigation doesn’t add up – Part 2

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  • Written by Senor Blogger
  • Posted January 30, 2010 at 10:14 am

More questions continue to be raised regarding the recently released report into the conduct of District Attorney Michael Ramos and his department, involving a former mistress of Ramos.

I last focused on statements made to investigators by Ramos and the number of inconsistencies.

Now let’s look at the treatment of Investigative Technician Cheryl Ristow. Ristow had a 17-month long affair with Ramos in the 2003 to 2005 period of time.

Even though it would now appear it was more of a relationship of necessity and convenience for Ramos.

Wanna have sex? Just pick up the phone.

After all, Ramos is the DA.

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iePolitics: Corrupt, Small-Town Politics Raises Its Ugly Head in Menifee

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The Tea Party Revolution Candidate Fair 2010 was canceled, not only because of rain, but because Tom Fuhrman, the owner of Wooden Nickel Ranch was told to “Cease and Desist” this Saturday’s event by the City of Menifee.  Fuhrman, from Wooden Nickel Ranch, has been given permission from the Menifee City Council for a 5 year permit to hold events at the Ranch, but he received a letter this week stating to cease and desist this upcoming event. This is private property. He was also told the application is pending. There had been no indication of any problems recently. Why now and why so close to a pending event?

On Wednesday about 4:45 pm, one member assisting in organizing the event received a phone call from one of the candidate’s coordinators.  This person was told by the candidate’s coordinator that he received a phone call from a female at the Menifee city council warning them the event was going to be stopped by the City of Menifee on the day of the event.    He stated that they told him that the Ranch owner had a code violation on the property. Continue reading →