Thursday, May 08, 2014

The KHUM DA Debate

Or, the Reporters' "ME ME ME" Forum. (Reporters asked the questions tonight)

Serious issues, like are you going to talk to US? Prosecute US, or support Gag orders.... and what about that art at HSU? Little to no indication that they care or understand the problems in the DA's Office.

The Candidates valiantly answered the questions, of course they care about free speech.

Look, the controversy over some piece of art at HSU may be near and dear to the Lumberjack reporter's heart, but it doesn't have a thing to do with the DA's Office.

As for PRESS RELEASES and press relations - there were some good points made - it's not that the questions are BAD questions, they are just so self-centered it's disappointing. With all the problems in the DA's office, insufficient communication with reporters is way down on the list.

Allan Dollison correctly pointed out the flurry of press releases that went out to support Gallegos' re-election and the dearth since. There were some good points made, but other answers mostly missed the boat when it comes to the press.

The DA is the liaison to the press. NOT the Deputy DA's.

It's the DA's job. the DA is expected to be knowledgeable about the cases, know how to deal with the media, and DO it - not pass it off to prosecutors who have no desire to interact with the media, and no knowledge how to do so. You get people popping off, and you're gonna get yourself sued, and/or lose cases. The Deputy DA's should not be talking to the media bout the cases. I've been pointing this out for years, as Paul abdicated his responsibility.

Sigh.

On the plus side, since it wasn't a call in forum, we didn't get Sara the Dog's standing question "What do you most admire about Paul Gallegos?" Which is too bad really because that was really backfiring, as the poor candidates struggled to come up with something, it became increasingly apparent that Paul's fan club has closed its doors.

Did you listen? Your takeaway?

42 comments:

  1. "I'm going to hire someone to write press releases"

    Ms. Firpo said that when elected DA she was going to hire someone

    to write press releases.

    There you go. She's got all that management experience, and she's got if figured out. What Humboldt needs is to spend what little money the supervisors can scrape up and hire someone

    to write press releases.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dollison was the only one to say that he would spend the money on Attorneys not people to write press releases. Since Fleming needs to hire only two lawyers she will have the money to hire someone to write her 3x5 cards. Rose, it is obvious that Dollison is the only one who seems to get what is critically needed in the office....More attorneys!

      Delete
    2. Dollison is not the only candidate to say he would hire more attorneys and if you attend a few or one debate, you can spin all you want.

      The office did have someone who handled public relations. Hiring someone to write press releases is something every candidate could chose to do.

      That office has attorneys and investigators who work and others who drink coffee and walk around Old Town.

      Maybe if they did their job, current staff could assist with press releases instead of picking up their slack. There are intern positions, private funding.

      But you have to think beyond the government funds all mentality.

      Delete
  2. I really wish Gallegos was in this race, just so we could all witness Rose's endless temper tantrums. Lets hope this next DA irks her just as much!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The DA's Office is certainly in need of more Deputy DA's. And the County needs money to pay for those DDA's.

    Campaign promises to hire more DDA's sound good but don't mean much if there is not money to pay for them. Unlike the Federal government the County cannot print money.

    Everyone seems to agree that the DA's office is currently a mess and has been for some time. Gallegos had control of the DA's Office for over 11 years.

    Rose's coverage and comments about Gallegos have been accurate and on point.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Where was your concern about Gallegos all these years anon? Rose has been putting out information for a while.

    You just jumped on board. To boost your candidate?

    ReplyDelete
  5. How about this? Why not do your own research?

    Go to the State Bar Website lawyer search and run all four DA candidates. Then pick any 20 local lawyers, either at random or names you know or have seen in the news.

    Then see how many have had disiplinary action against them. I did. Other than Dollison I only found one! That one failed to bar dues. It would appear that it takes a lot for the State bar Association to disipline a lawyer.

    check it out



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found Ken Bareilles. Multiple times. A long time ago, and then recently for a felony conviction. That is the same person who is Klein's largest contributor other than his Girlfriend. So Klein has no problem taking money and support from those not opposing him.

      Delete
    2. Touche.

      Delete
  6. So I listened on the radio. Does anyone know why Klein could barely be heard? He sounded like he was in a closet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All candidates could be heard clearly. I listened on the radio. Maybe the hearing problem is you.

      Delete
  7. Arnie with a few exceptions shouldn't bother. He attacks Elan and Allan and says the same lines in every debate.

    Maggie was amusing, defensive about contributions, passing the buck to the Supervisors when she and her office gave shitty advice.

    Elan did well. So did Allan.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What was the best question of the night?

    ReplyDelete
  9. elan did well. yes, I liked two of her answers especially.

    First-- "You don't need an experienced prosecutor or an office manager, you need a politician". Refreshing honesty, if an abrupt about-turn from "I will take the politics out of the office"
    Second-- "I will hire a person to write press releases". One assumes this was brilliant satire. No one could really be dumb enough to mean that. could they?

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is a joke that firpo believes that experience does not matter. This is the top job in law enforcement. We already had that with Gallegos and look how that worked out. Enough is enough, we need some one with experience and that is honest and ethical. Period.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dollison can say he will hire 50 attorneys, but the reality is the county does not have any more money to allocate to the DA office. If he wants more attorneys he is going to have to lay off some of the investigators, take away their county cars, stop paying for their gas to drive from home to work.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hiring a person to do press releases is a waste of tax payers money. Gallegos hired someone named Lynette but ended up using her for other things. What a waste of money. Interestingly, Lynette is also firpos bff.

    ReplyDelete
  13. All the above anons have their heads so up Maggie's ass, they cannot see the truth.

    All you will get with Maggie is her government employees and friends that see black and white.

    If you want property rights and civil rights railroaded, elect Maggie Fleming.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fleming has the open support of retired judges, current and former prosecutors, current DA's, law enforcement, citizens, victims, current and former court personnel, and public defenders.

    She has even more experience as a prosecutor than Klein. Klein spent much of his career as a defense or civil attorney.

    Voting for Maggie Fleming makes perfect sense.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dollison may sound truthful, but facts don't lie. He is unethical and we can not have that for the DA position anymore. Klein did not attack dollison, he merely told the public the truth about dollison since dollison is trying to sugar coat his misdeeds to us. I am glad Mr Klein is honest with this important information.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Klein was hated in the DA's office. Women prosecutors in particular despised him. Many of them filed formal complaints against him. The staff hated him even moreso. His only friend that gave him the time of day was Dollison, so this is just politics. Klein is history after June 3.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Finally truth from someone who knows the real Arnie Klein.

      Delete
  17. Only two candidates have made backroom deals with lawyers and present and former DA employees and other supporters in the legal world that benefit from their candidate being elected and need to keep harping on the only law experience matters.

    That is why they will not answer the questions on LOCO or address them at all.

    Maggie Fleming and Arnie Klein.

    Only two candidates have solutions besides doling your hand out to government for more money, alternatives that work in a post realignment environment and experience in the real world where people, not lawyers, matter.

    Voters can decide whether Allan Dollison's two decade old state bar record matters.

    Voters can decide on their own if they want a candidate who has management experience can fix the office she currently works in; or someone who left for a better situation at County Counsel or someone ran to retire and is now back enticed by the DA's salary.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a crock about Arnie Klein b being hated in the DA office. That is further from the truth. I work there and know for a fact that no formal complaints were ever filed against. Nice try dollison camp. What really should have happened is Klein file a complaint against them for antisemitic discrimination. The office has been historically Caucasian staffed. There was no diversity in that office until Gallegos came in. And the investigators were the worst offenders of sexist remarks and harassment starting with Jim Dawson and mike hislop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does Arnie Klein do anything besides play the victim?

      Delete
  19. Looks like dollison and firpo are teaming up to sling mud at the other two candidates. Word is that firpo has promised dollison a job back at the DA office if he endorses her for the November elections. That is one heck of unethical team!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You mean like the Fleming Klein alliance?

      Someone is projecting.

      Delete
  20. It does seem like Firpo and Dollison have like all of the sudden become BFF's.

    It does make you wonder.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Maggie and Arnie are really desperate.

      Arnie had no chance. Maggie must be waking up to reality she isn't queen.

      Delete
  21. Wow, comments from anon 1:22 PM, 1:23 PM, and 1:25 PM !!

    Obviouusly the same person

    that seems pretty desperate


    But Happy Mothers Day to all mothers, even anon 1:22 PM's mother

    ReplyDelete
  22. 10:09, 8:17 and 9:07 wow same low-life drivel from the same campaign(s).

    Only scum like you would take a potshot at any mother. Voters, elect Maggie or Arnie and what you get is the bottom of the barrel, something 9:07 is familiar with on a personal level.

    ReplyDelete
  23. And Arnie has made a secret deal with Maggie to come back and work in the office. Maggie will also be bringing back her protege Randy Mailman, who committed prosecutorial misconduct, but other than that was best friends with Arnie Klein. The two of them will be tag-teaming cases.

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a crock of BS 11:23 PM, shame on you.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks to some desperate posters this has gotten as ugly as the humboldt herald. Dear herald folks GO AWAY.

    ReplyDelete
  26. There are no secret deals.

    These are all former co-workers, and friends to one degree or another.

    There's no reason to degenerate the campaign.

    Would Firpo hire Allan? Would Allan keep Firpo on? Would Maggie? Who would Arnie hire? Who would they fire? Would they clean house?

    The simple fact is - they all know they need to rebuild the prosecutor team. That means hiring, not firing. Maybe it does mean reaching out to those who left the office and are still in the area. But very few of those who are now making more money in private practice are likely to even consider it. They have better working conditions outside the office

    And it's not just knowing you need to hire, it's being able to DO it, and more than that, being able to work with them once you hire them.

    Building a team means hiring people who are better than you, smarter and more accomplished, and not being threatened by that. It means truly mentoring the people who are up and coming.

    But that, quite frankly, hasn't seemed to matter to the voters of this county - why would this time be any different?

    ReplyDelete
  27. No way is Randy Mailman coming back. What a load of nonsense.

    ReplyDelete
  28. And we should take your word anon, why?

    ReplyDelete
  29. So it is official, Gallegos is going to present firpo to the folks in briceland. Let's find out why he believes her mere 4-5 years experience as a prosecutor qualities her to lead the office. What a joke.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your point?. It's been widely reported on here for 6 months that Gallegos is supporting Firpo. Arnie and Maggie bring it up every forum. Where have you been?

      Delete
  30. Old news. Must be new to the blogs.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are closed for the time-being.