iePolitics: So Jeff, are you enjoying yourself in Lake Arrowhead? – Originally published December 24, 2010

Editor’s Note:  It’s been a year since this was published.  Rex will be out soon.  At this point, of the Colonies Four, I do not know who is guilty of what.  I will say karma sure is a bitch.  I wonder if they realized when they sold Rex down the river to protect themselves they knew what they were bringing on themselves.  A year sure makes a difference, doesn’t it boys?  Any lessons learned?  I doubt it.  There is a very long trail of people some of you have used and then discarded like trash, isn’t there? Bet that karma is far from over.  Remember my crystal ball.  You should have listened the first time.  Merry Christmas.

While Rex is sitting in jail for a “conspiracy” he “committed” with you, you’re enjoying Christmas with your family at one of your other homes in Lake Arrowhead.  I’m sure he is enjoying his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while the Burums and Richards and other Colonies partners are enjoying what . . . prime rib, roasted goose, caviar, wine, and all the fixings.  Any Rolex’s under the Christmas tree?

iePolitics: Behind the scenes, Part Three

I think everyone has noticed I changed the blog format a few days ago.  This new theme is extremely versatile and you will see some significant changes overtime.  I added the cross masthead last night with the intent of leaving it up just for Easter and then replacing it.  But as I started to write this post, I decided to leave it up longer as I need a reminder of why we do what we do and that we need to be doing it for the right reasons.

This post is the third in the series about those things that occurred behind the scenes that made Bill’s guilty plea came about.  It’s about those who fight for justice, not for justice sake, but for selfish reasons; for self-preservation.

I started to see a change in Bill’s attitude after Rex’s first trial ended in a mistrial.  It was hard not to have a change in attitude because we knew the facts of the case, facts that never saw the light of day in the courtroom during either trial.  The mistrial should have been a “not guilty” verdict.

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Examiner.com: Former county assessor and chairman of the board agrees to plead guilty

In a surprise move this past Monday, former San Bernardino County Assessor and former Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Bill Postmus, agreed to plead guilty to two charges in the ongoing corruption investigation into a 2006 settlement  in which the county  paid $102 million to Colonies Partners to end a 4-year legal battle.  Also, as part of the plea deal, Postmus pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriation of funds in a separate investigation into the Assessor’s Office.

Bill Postmus started his career as an elected official in 2000 at the age of 29, becoming the youngest member of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors since the 1800s.  He was a rising star that some went so far as to say could wind up in the White House one day.  Under his leadership, both his district, the largest county supervisorial district in the contiguous 48 states, and the San Bernardino County Republican Party, prospered.

But part way into his second term, things began to change.  Scuttlebutt started to be heard as early as 2005 and increased exponentially once Postmus announced he was running for Assessor while he was chairman of the Board of Supervisors.  It was a move everyone questioned as Postmus was the most powerful politico in the county and the Assessor would not wield nearly as much influence.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

iePolitics: See County Fly

Coflyonthewall wrote:  How petty can you be? I read Mr. Erwins blog for daily facts about the county, state, and national news. yours for funny gossip and “whats happening around town”. Juicy, probably not true gossip. At least he’s not giving us hard luck stories and begging for money all the time. How many times have you shut down?? All the time Mr. Erwin manages his blog without hard luck stories. My, my, my. my, my! Also he prints, everthing thing. Lets see if you do!

I apologize for the delay but I have not had much in the way of internet access  in the past couple of days.  I think you deserve a reply for several reasons.

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iePolitics: Gutierrez transferred to Tehachapi

Rex Gutierrez has now been transferred to the next leg of his incarceration.  He is currently residing at Tehachapi.  He says the food is much better than at West Valley.  I’m sure all of his co-defendants and unnamed co-conspirators will want to visit him just like they all did at West Valley.  You need to let his wife know to tell him to send you a form so you can be cleared.

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iePolitics: More on Colonies–Is there any integrity left?

When I started to write the last entry on the Colonies corruption scandal, I had in my mind where I wanted to go with the post.   Unfortunately, that’s not where I ended up.  I thought I would try again.

The idea for this post had been floating around in the back of my mind for a week or so when somehow Bill and I got started talking about dying and the afterlife.  Bill made a comment to me “At least I know where I’m going when I die so I’m not afraid of death.”

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iePolitics: Colonies Partner’s wife draws line in the sand

I’m sure some may have read Sally Creb’s comment below.  Here is an excerpt:

Let’s hear some facts, how is my husband “linked in various ways” to the corruption in this County, anymore than you are? Because he is a “Burum associate”? You are right there, but more importantly, he is Jeff’s friend, and need I remind you, Jeff has not been charged or arrested for anything, unlike your associates. Based on your rationalization, and not knowing you, should I assume you are a drug addict or criminal by your association with Postmus?

This is the first time someone associated with one of the partners has publicly suggested that perhaps a corruption scandal figure is guilty of exactly what former Attorney General Jerry Brown and District Attorney Mike Ramos has accused them of.

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iePolitics: So why don’t we have a new District Attorney?

Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach was sworn in today, replacing the only district attorney in the state of California who could rival San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos in terms of political persecutions.  As a matter of fact, former-Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco seemed to have totally lost it in the final days of his term.  His behavior could only be called bizarre.

We are not ready to say Ramos is equally bizarre.  But he is still a predator, a predator who could be retired as of today had promises been kept.

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iePolitics: 2010: A year of deceit

As 2010 comes to a close, we can’t help but feel it was a year of disappointment in relationship to the County’s corruption scandal and much of that disappointment was based on deception.  We feel misled by those out to protect themselves at the expense of others.  Here are a few of things we were told that turned out just the opposite.

  • Credible candidate would run and be funded against Mike Ramos.
  • There would a press conference right after the June primary in relationship to a package turned over to federal authorities.  The package was said to have been compiled by private investigators for Jeff Burum showing District Attorney to be guilty of one solid felony.
  • Search warrants would be served on the District Attorney by the feds.
  • Steve Cooley would easily be elected as Attorney General and would review corruption cases.
  • Paul Biane would be re-elected. Continue reading

iePolitics: Twelve days down, 898 to go

While some of the John Does are glad Rex Gutierrez took his punishment without narc’ing them off and other corruption defendants believe he “deserved” it, we here at iePolitics refuse to forget him the way his former associates have.  Rex is currently incarcerated at West Valley Detention Center awaiting for room at state prison.

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iePolitics: Looks like the John Does could be in lots of trouble

I heard last week that the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office was claiming that the investigation into the Colonies Partners and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors could go on for another two years and that more arrests are expected.  My first response was that the statute of limitations has expired and didn’t think much more of it.

Today I had lunch with a top-notch criminal defense attorney who is well known to this blog.  I got a lesson in statute of limitations.

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Capitol Weekly: Enviros target Fish & Game commissioner

Editor’s Note:  This is John Doe No. 2

State Fish and Game Commissioner Dan Richards is also a developer with a history of clashing with environmental groups.

Now those groups are trying to play hardball to get him removed, alleging undisclosed conflicts of interests — and an intimate involvement in the saga of disgraced San Bernardino County assessor Bill Postmus. The environmentalists’ initial attack was dismissed in the courts, but they say others are coming.

Richards, meanwhile, has denied all wrongdoing.

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iePolitics: Lamberto transcripts turned over to BOS

Andrew’s got some ‘splaining to do.  Transcripts clearly showing San Bernardino County’s Director of Human Resources Andrew Lambert purposely mangled the truth while testifying at the Gutierrez trial two weeks ago have been turned over to the Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office.  In the meantime, iePolitics has received a considerable number of hits this morning from the FBI on the posts regarding Lamberto’s perjury.

Lamberto’s testimony could not only send an innocent man to prison, but may very well impact numerous others working for the Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office.  Mark Kirk in particular has been targeted by District Attorney investigators, and based on information from a confidential informant, we believe they have stepped up their investigation in the past week.  We have been told he is one of the individuals whose payroll records have been subjected to a search warrant/subpoena.

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InlandPolitics: The Insider: Was Jerry Brown lied to?

  • Written by The Insider
  • Posted August 29, 2010 at 2:46 pm

www.inlandpolitics.com

Sunday, August 29, 2010 – 2:40 pm

It’s finally crunch time in the multi-year corruption probe launched by San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos.

And one has to wonder what Ramos told Attorney General Jerry Brown in regards to his evidence?

There’s a bigger question starting to be asked by some close to the investigation.

Was Brown lied to?

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iePolitics: Corruption Defendant Got A Taste of Justice in San Bernardino County

I like “I told you so’s” even to my friends.  Former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus got an “I told you so” from me yesterday.

Up until yesterday, Superior Court Judge Micheal Dest seemed to be doing the “right thing” during the hearings for the corruption defendants, at least in comparison to Judge Duke Rouse, who has been doing anything but the “right thing.”  But I spent two years working for the little man and tried to tell Bill and Jim that Dest would do what is best for Dest politically. Continue reading

iePolitics: Not enough arrests for Ramos’ political career?

Sources close to the investigation have revealed that San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos wanted to have arrest warrants issued for all five John Does at the same time that warrants were issued for former Assessor Bill Postmus and former Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin.  It was Attorney General Jerry Brown who crushed Ramos’ plan to arrest Colonies Partners Jeff Burum and Dan Richards, consultant Patrick O’Reilly, Fourth District Chief of Staff Mark Kirk and Second District Supervisor Paul Biane.  It was also Brown who insisted that they not be personally named in the complaint.