Wednesday, September 27, 2006

CRITICIZING THE DA

Local bloggers had the Talking Points early on - attack the messenger. Forget about Paul, say it is just the Eureka Reporter out to get Paul. It's just Arkley using his paper to get Paul. Yeah, that's it.

I wonder what they would say about the the OCWeekly's criticism of Orange County DA Tony Rackauckas, and his wife Kay Rackauckas.

The OCWeekly factually reported on The Orange County grand jury’s 100-page "Office of the District Attorney: An In-Depth Investigation" report that " accused DA Tony Rackauckas and Don Blankenship, the head of his criminal-investigation division, of cronyism, mismanagement and misuse of public resources." DA Puts ‘Pub’ Back in Public Funds!

Or this one: Missing Wives, Lousy Lies & Mob Ties Exhaustive grand-jury investigation confirms DA corruption noting that "On June 26, the Orange County grand jury rocked the local legal establishment when it declared that Rackauckas routinely abuses his awesome prosecutorial powers to protect friends and punish perceived enemies. According to the grand jury’s fact-filled, 100-page report, "Office of the District Attorney: An in-depth investigation," the DA is Nixonian in the darkest sense of the word: paranoid, petty, partisan, secretive, retaliatory and arrogant. And though this was a civil proceding, it’s easy to conclude that the jury’s findings demand a criminal investigation."..."

Or this "Rackauckas had no experience handling consumer-fraud prosecutions, but that didn’t stop him from rescuing Newport Beach billionaire George Argyros in his struggle with the DA’s prosecutors. Without explanation, Rackauckas met privately with Argyros’ attorneys and then overruled his staff’s position that his political benefactor had personally directed the massive fraud scheme against approximately 11,000 local Vietnamese and Latino apartment tenants. The shakedown allegedly netted Argyros more than $33 million during a three-year period. The grand jury ruled that the DA had "not paid proper attention to a possible appearance of impropriety" in the matter and should not have been privately negotiating with his powerful friend."

Or this: "Initially embarrassed by the report, Rackauckas’ arrogance and claims of invincibility seem to grow each passing day. In a June 27 memo to staff, the DA was upbeat, confident and "proud of this administration’s accomplishments."

Meanwhile, there are sure to be dedicated, law-abiding local prosecutors who are biting their tongues and have yet to come forward in public about Rackauckas’ abuse of authority. We know because the grand jury also issued an ominous warning: "Of great concern to the grand jury were those deputy district attorneys and even members of the [DA’s] management team that expressed fear of retaliation should the confidentiality of their testimony be violated."

Alarms should go off when good prosecutors fear their own boss."

Gee, it sounds so familiar.

"Alarms should go off when good prosecutors fear their own boss."

A mass exodus from that office similar to the one we have here.

Should the OCWeekly NOT have reported on any of this?

JUST CURIOUS.

Update: Related information:
[PDF] OC Grand Jury Report
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
aware that his wife, Kay Rackauckas, a deputy district attorney, ... Kay Rackauckas in turn would discuss District Attorney Office matters with the senior ...
www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/dainvestigation.pdf

14 comments:

  1. I depend on the ER for my local, Humboldt County news. The Times Standard has been soooooo biased in Paulie's behalf, and piss poor on general news. The TS goes after the Arkley because he owns the ER and the ER is kicking the TS ass all over. This is all very obvious.

    If it weren't for the ER this kind of information would never be brought to light. I for one believe there is lots more out there about the DA and some of his "friends" and cronies.

    Go ER go !!!!!

    And to think I worked for the TS as a kid!

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  2. Interesting stuff that Steve L. dug up ! The Bowman's kid, you know the one that got the sweetheart deal on all his cases, was a witness on the drive by murder at California and Del Norte back in 03 or 04. He has been to the Kiddie prison and claims to be a "norteno" associate or something like that. Norteno is a street gang. What a deserving guy for a sweetheart plea bargain.

    Good work Steve for digging that one up!

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  3. How did that guy pass the requisite background check for all Casino employees?

    Do you feel safe knowing he is "surveillance" and security?

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  4. I see it 9:54
    "Derek Bowman, 23, testified that he was in a vehicle behind Suarez’s vehicle when the shooting occurred and left Justin D. Andersen dead."
    Witnesses identify Suarez as shooter in 2003 drive-by
    "Bowman, a convicted criminal who has served time in the California Youth Authority, said he is associated with the Nortenos gang. He confirmed that he was granted immunity by the District Attorney’s Office in the trial, so that none of the information he provides in his testimony against Suarez can be used against him."
    And: Officer's testimony differs from that of some witnesses

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  5. "It's just Arkley using his paper to get Paul. Yeah, that's it."

    Glad you finally see it, Rose! Maybe there's hope for you after all.

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  6. You are just frustrated because you can't bully the Eureka Reporter anymore. Or the North Coast Journal. Or the Arcata Eye. Or the McKinleyville Press. You had a good run. You were sweet, cajoling and alternately threatening and bullying, and the coverage all went your way for a very long time. But you can't hide the truth, Richard. It shines like a light and it finds its way out from under the rock you try to hide it under. The rock is being lifted. It is a beautiful day.

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  7. Exactly how is it that Richard Salzman, one man, could have the power to "bully" four newpapers?

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  8. Salzman uses his, Gags, and Ken's mindless followers to do it for him. Or he just uses their names.

    I mean really what does Salzman do? He seems to have plenty of time to be the radical lefts advocate (or wannabe Fuhrer). Salzman doesn't seem to have a vested interest in Humboldt County but he sure wants to control things. Why doesn't Salzman run for something? The board of supervisors? He's so concerned about who the next EPD chief should be maybe he ought to put in for it (but of course he's not qualified for that). Since he owns no property in the county he could move to Eureka and run for city council, or Arcata?

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  9. Salzman belongs to the little-known tradition of the eminence gris. Therein is his strength. Besides, he couldn't run for public office if he wanted to. Lord Arkley is there, waiting to pounce. It's personal. His Lordship never forgets a grudge.

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  10. Dear 8:34 AM, "Eminence grise"? Yes Richard does "weild great power and influence and yes he does it secretly and unofficially", I will grant you that. The problem lies in the fact that he betrayed the citizens through deception. In other words, he's a liar period. And its catching up to him. Roy

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  11. He couldn't run for office if he wanted to because he is an admitted and proven liar and manipulator. And because he cannot play well with others.

    Whatever his falling out with Arkley, I suspect it had something to do with Richard's true colors.

    You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

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  12. Get down Roy !

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  13. "Exactly how is it that Richard Salzman, one man, could have the power to "bully" four newpapers"?

    "Salzman uses his, Gags, and Ken's mindless followers to do it for him. Or he just uses their names."


    How could "Gags and Ken's mindless followers" bully four newspapers? I suspect your choice of words, "bully", is a bit of an exaggeration. Like so much else you say.

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  14. "Whatever his falling out with Arkley..."

    Can you imagine 2 assholes like that in the same room?

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