Tag Archives: Mike Carona

Orange County

Got Ethics, Anyone?

This just in from The Liberal OC… Chris Prevatt has had it with all the scandals, all the corruption, and all the sleaze that’s taken hold of just about every level of local government in Orange County:

In the case of Orange County, it is interesting how many instances of corruption or ethical lapses are prevalent in our government institutions. Whether it is Sheriff Mike Corona [link] and his “Coronies,” the Capistrano Unified [link] and Santa Ana Unified School District administrators, or senior managers in the Orange County Health Care Agency, it seems we cannot avoid the scandals and incompetence of these overly paid buffoons.

I received word the other day that the Health Care Agency was partially successful in their appeal of the $143,000 penalty they were issued for failing to properly manage a federal HIV/AIDS grant sub-contractor. The Orange County Register covered the story in a detailed investigative report “Misplaced Faith” released in March 2006.

It never ceases to amaze me how the powers that be here in OC are so willing to waste all of our taxpayer dollars on these dirty crooks… So what can be done about all of this? Follow me after the flip for more…

So what can be done about all of this? Chris offers some advice for the County on the Health Care Agency’s AIDS Scandal, of which he (unfortunately) has seen and experienced firsthand:

The Board of Supervisors needs to pay attention to the underlying problem that has been revealed. Specifically, County managers were willing to commit fraud, lie to federal grant managers, cover-up misconduct, and permit retaliation against the employee who spoke out about management misconduct in order to conceal the truth. More than eleven years after the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, the culture of Here no evil; See no evil; and Speak no evil, is alive and well in the halls of Orange County administration.

And what about Sheriff Carona and his never-ending slew of scandals? Why doesn’t this man have enough decency to resign? Why can’t the Board of Supervisors stand up and hold him accountable for once? Why aren’t more people outraged about this?

And what about the recent school district scandals? Why couldn’t the Capistrano Unified School District put the students, parents, teachers, and other faculty ahead of their own desire to waste taxpayer money on themselves? Why has Santa Ana Unified been allowed to get away with complete fraud for so long? Why have they been able to overcrowd our kids’ classrooms, and then claim to the state that they’re complying with state class size requirements? Why haven’t these folks been held accountable?

And why won’t the District Attorney do something about all of this? Oh wait, I almost forgot… He’s a part of it, too. Dammit, where are the ethics in the halls of government in this county? Does anyone have some?

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Blog Roundup

Odds and Ends

3 Comments

The Clock is ticking, there’s tons of stuff going on, and I’m sick. Yuck.  But what can you do?  So, teasers: POLLS  on the props, Clinton across California, Charlie Brown stands up to Doolittle, Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken lots of special interest money, and The OC GOP is F’d, seriously, f’d up.

And more…see the extended.

  • Debra Bowen has some new radio ads
  • The Clinton campaign chronicles
    • The SF Chronicle notes that Bill’s support is incredibly valuable to the Prop 87 campaign.
    • SNTP has pics of Bill Clinton’s GOTV rally in Stockton.
    • The Stockton Record said over 1,000 people waited in the rain to see the Big Dog.
  • BlackBoxVoting has uncovered a way to vote multiple times. Oh yeah, these machines are in use in California, and McPherson doesn’t think the voting machines are a problem. Sure, Bruce, sure.
  • Arnold has now raised over $113 million.   Wow, for somebody who can’t be bought, the special interests have sure put a big down payment on purchasing Arnold.
  • Field Poll (PDF)   released their data on Props 85, 86, 87, and 90: 3.5% MoE
    • Prop 85 is slightly ahead, but within the MoE: 46% Yes, 43% No,  11% undecided
    • Prop 86 is tied: 45% Yes, 45% No, 10% Undecided
    • Prop 87 is slightly behind: 40% Yes, 44% No, 16% Undecided
    • Prop 90 is slightly behind: 35% Yes, 42% No, 23% undecided.
    • Hopefully some of those undecideds on 90 will be swayed by Arnold’s rejection of Prop 90.
  • Also, the new Datamar poll (PDF) is out.  Again, take this one with a BIG grain of salt. Heck, they insist repeatedly that the DiFi race is closer than the governor’s race.  Sorry, but something is wrong with your LV model. Seriously wrong
    • Gov: Arnold leads Phil 53-36
    • Senator: DiFi leads Dick “Pray for Me” Mountjoy 53-38
    • Bonds:
      • 1A (I know not a bond, but a bad budgeting amendment) leads 57-27
      • 1B(Transportation) and 1E (Disaster Preparedness) are comfortably ahead, 1C (Housing) and 1D (Schools) are struggling.
    • Other Props:
      • 83 (Jessica’s Law), 84(Parks and Water Bonds) comfortably ahead, 88 (Parcel tax), 89 (Clean Money) are behind
      • 85 (Parental Notification), 86 (Health Care), 87 (Alternative energy) are too close to call
      • Prop 90 has a small lead, down a lot form Datamar’s last poll. (46 Yes – 41 No)  Still folks, this one is still too close.  However, this is likely before Arnold’s rejection of Prop 90.
  • The Clean Money Election Folks are having a bus tour around the state.  This is a real opportunity, no matter what the crazy Datamar poll says. Clean Money will increase the strength of people-powered politicians.  In the new system, rich people won’t have more power than anybody else.  Clean money works (see Arizona and Maine). Schedule here.
  • CA-04: Brown said that the war was wrong in 2004 , and somehow that’s attack on the troops? Direct quote from a Doolittle commercial: “When troops are under fire, there is no difference between supporting the troops and supporting their mission.” Really, so people at home should never question our leaders when they go to war?  Sure, Doolittle sends his proxy to do that.  You see, Doolittle can’t really attack a 26-year veteran, as he didn’t serve at all.  The notion that Brown is somehow unpatriotic for questioning our leaders is preposterous.  Real patriotism is using our democracy to find the best policy.  We need to protect our troops from leaders like Cheney and Doolittle who avoided service yet criticize others who have served.
  • The Hoover poll (via CA Majority Report) shows all Dems ahead, except Phil and Cruz.  However, there are some super scary numbers in there about the props. 90 appears to be far ahead, but the question on these polls becomes really important, and I’m not convinced of any of these numbers.  I really don’t think anybody has an idea of where the props are.
  • How very GOP of Mike Carona: He’s demoting his primary challenger, Bill Hunt, for criticizing him during the election and talking to the media.  Oh, and Carona also demoted two other deputies that supported Hunt. So, that’s not protected speech how?
  • The OC GOP doesn’t like Arabs…or Cynthia McKinney. (LAT)