Who should run for DA?

Who's qualified? Who can fix a broken office? Does it require dope-grower support? Will the trial attorneys finally be brave enough to buck the machine? Or are you stuck with Paul for the next 20 years?

Leave your suggestions in the comments.

‘Surly Cur’ Salzman

◼ The true insult and betrayal of his pernicious conduct is that all of us are now stuck with what the son of a bitch has done to our county and, as Ms. De Rooy’s letter so well demonstrates, will shamelessly continue to do. - Paul Hagen responds to Sylvia De Rooy's Letter

In response to Sylvia De Rooy’s letter (Mailbox, March 29) beginning “Shame on you Richard Salzman” for doing what he promised her he wouldn’t do on “a question of ethics,” it strikes me, sadly, that Ms. De Rooy’s outrage is unfortunately misplaced. As all the higher attributes of human decency are founded upon being truthful, decent people — like Sylvia — who are lied to rightfully feel a sense of ethical betrayal. The problem with Sylvia’s having “expected better of you, Richard,” is that we are absolutely not dealing with either an ethical or a decent person here....

Bravo, sir.

Background:
◼ Web of Lies - Richard Salzman and other e-mail phonies - The Journal

◼ Anoint Adams - Richard Salzman/The Journal

◼ Don't Anoint Susan - Sylvia De Rooy/Letter to Editor/The Journal

◼ ‘Surly Cur’ Salzman - Paul Hagen/Letter to Editor/The Journal

Urgent call for sheetrockers

to repair the walls in R.Trent Salzman's house.

Honest words: ...Based on my direct personal experiences, my knowledge of Paul Gallegos’ utter lack of what I consider true ethics, courage and honesty, as well as his now-proven political campaign-trash tactics, I believe these things fundamentally disqualify his being a progressive. Or a district attorney...

Three private law firms initiated the Skilled Healthcare case and again did most of the work, but in his ads Gallegos takes full credit. His ads are neither true nor ethical...

While being dishonest is more than bad enough, vilification, smearing, and divisive politics are worse. This is Gallegos’ fourth campaign and in each of the others he has done these things and won...

"If you really want the truth about Gallegos’ professional ethics, inquire of him why the other affected DA’s and the Attorney General all refused to join in his Skilled Healthcare settlement due to their ‘ethical concerns’ over his use of secret settlement monies and more. Ask Gallegos himself to explain directly, honestly and openly the formal rebuke he has received from the California District Attorneys Association for his unprofessional use of DA authority in settling that case. Go ahead, ask him to explain honestly and directly. He won’t. That would require real courage and the capacity to tell the truth regardless. He has neither..."

So, why DID the other affected DA’s and the Attorney General all refused to join in his Skilled Healthcare settlement due to their ‘ethical concerns’ over his use of secret settlement monies and more?

◼ Arcata Eye - Paul Hagen: Gallegos Is No Alternative – October 26, 2010

A pleading question: Humboldt County district attorney candidates discuss plea bargains

◼ A pleading question: Humboldt County district attorney candidates discuss plea bargains

An excellent article on the issues.

◼ Three candidates vie for Humboldt County District Attorney
◼ Humboldt County DA candidates talk administration
◼ A growing problem? Humboldt County DA candidates weigh in on marijuana enforcement

Humboldt County DA candidates talk administration

◼ Humboldt County DA candidates talk administration

For whatever reason the TS site is still showing yesterday's news, but here's the Willits News link.

The TS on the three running for DA

◼ Three candidates vie for Humboldt County District Attorney

PAUL HAGEN ENDORSED BY AFSCME LOCAL 1684

District Attorney candidate Paul Hagen has been endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1684.

“The Executive Board of AFSCME Local 1684, The Humboldt County Public Employee’s Association is pleased to announce the endorsement of Paul Hagen for District Attorney,” said the union in a written statement. “After consideration in a race which has strong candidates, it was felt that Paul fit best with the ideas and beliefs of the working families. His stance for a fair and equal playing field and willingness to consider the rights of the employee and management made him a good choice. We expect fair treatment from his office under his leadership.”

AFSCME Local 1684 is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and AFSCME District Council 57. The union represents more than 600 public employees in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

“Earning the endorsement of AFSCME is a great honor for me,” said Hagen. “My deceased dad was in the UAW for 32 years. The good wages and benefits he received while I grew up gave our family a solid middle class life, and my mom still receives those benefits. I understand the value of union representation and remain grateful for what they do.”

Hagen served as a prosecutor for more than eleven years in four North Coast District Attorney offices and has successfully prosecuted a wide variety of criminal and civil cases.

More information about Paul Hagen is available at www.hagenforda.com.

--
Rob Amerman, Campaign Manager
Paul Hagen for Humboldt County District Attorney 2010
Headquarters: 416 2nd Street Old Town Eureka
Mail: P.O. Box 1213 Eureka, CA 95502
707-832-8056
www.HAGENforDA.com

◼ lat SoHumParlance II

The ACLU DA Forum

◼ YOUTUBE videos and original post at http://www.johncosborn.com/?p=1141 John thanks Mason Long (thanks again), for recording the debate.
broken into segments due to YouTube limitations:

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The ACLU site: ◼ http://redwoodaclu.blogspot.com/
◼ Allison Jackson
---on Facebook
◼ Paul Hagen
---on Facebook
◼ Kathleen Bryson
---on Facebook
◼ Paul Gallegos
---on Facebook

Paul Hagen's Campaign Kickoff (part 1/3)

◼ Pt. 1
◼ Pt. 2
◼ Pt. 3
humboldtsentinel

Disclosapalooza -

◼ The Journal has campaign filings posted -
Weirdness abounds in the District Attorney race. Incumbent Paul Gallegos is the fundraising champion in this period, with $27,093 taken in — however, $20,000 of that was from a loan from a David Gallegos of Weston, Fla. David G. also chipped in a $5,000 donation. Gallegos also appears to be outsourcing his campaign — the physical address for his campaign committee is a West Hollywood office apparently belonging to a political consultancy called “ml Associates.” Meanwhile, the da candidate with the least name recognition — former prosecutor Kathleen Bryson — has, according to her disclosure forms, apparently accomplished the very unusual trick of raising $8,450 in increments of less than $100 while taking in only $300 in donations above that amount. Bryson has also loaned her campaign $5,000. Fellow challengers Paul Hagen ($10,347 raised) and Allison Jackson ($13,674) are close to neck and neck, though Hagen got there with the help of $7,400 in loans from himself and his campaign treasurer, Eureka conservationist Maggie Herbelin.
◼ link to Journal article upcoming
◼ Money flows into local races in Humboldt County

◼ http://www.mlassociates.org/
MLA's expertise in accounting has helped political and non-profit clients overcome obstacles to success...
◼ http://www.mlassociates.org/aboutus.html
ML Associates is a trusted professional organization which provides high quality professional financial services to non-profit and political organizations and tax preparation services for individuals, businesses and non-profits. We currently manage over $1M in client assets and are a proud member of the California Political Treasurers’ Association,...

ML Associates was founded in 2004 by Steven Mele. Mr. Mele served as the Financial Officer for several for-profit small to medium sized companies from 1996 to 2001 when he began providing independent non-profit accounting and political treasury services.
◼ http://www.mlassociates.org/contactus.php
Office Location:
8265 Sunset Blvd., Suite 204
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Mailing Address:
8581 Santa Monica Blvd., #504
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone: 323-654-2387
Fax: 323-395-0519

◼ Money Speaks, Humboldt County Elections
◼ The $$$ Blitz: Propping Up Candidates

Paul Hagen’s Campaign Announcement

◼ Paul Hagen’s Campaign Announcement

District Attorney Candidate Paul Hagen held a press conference and reception Friday, March 12 at the Eureka Woman’s Club.

“I love Humboldt County and I want to use my proven ability and experience to protect Humboldt County’s future,” said Hagen. “I have a vision for how the DA’s office can serve the people and I look forward to sharing this vision with the citizens of our diverse communities.”

Hagen has worked as a deputy district attorney in four DA’s offices and has worked under seven elected DAs. He has put together environmental task forces and prosecuted crimes in Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, and Lake Counties.

“If I’m elected, I’ll set clear priorities for the DA’s office and provide support to staff to they have the direction and tools they need to deliver justice,” said Hagen. “We can make our Humboldt County communities safer by vigorously prosecuting crimes of violence, crimes against vulnerable people, and crimes against the public

(read the rest)

Paul Hagen kicks off campaign

◼ Paul Hagen kicks off campaign for Humboldt County district attorney; challenger aims to 'protect Humboldt's future'
Flanked by members of the environmental community, Paul Hagen officially kicked off his campaign for Humboldt County district attorney at a press conference Friday, promising to bring the values of fairness, justice, community and safety to the office.
”As your district attorney, I will give the very best of my life's energies to serving the people,” Hagen said. “The end result is that I will deliver fair application of our laws, and I will deliver effective, even-handed justice.”...

Hagen, who touted his experience working under seven different district attorneys and forming cross-jurisdictional task forces, was introduced at the conference by 3rd District Humboldt County Supervisor Mark Lovelace, Arcata City Councilman Mark Wheetley and Cheryl Seidner, a Wiyot tribal leader who worked with Hagen on the Humboldt Bay Center for Sustainable Living....

Is Hagen being told to stand down?

◼ Check out heraldo.

Hagen: ‘The bloom is off the rose’ for incumbent

◼ The McKinleyville Press ◼ The Arcata Eye - Paul Hagen: The bloom is off the rose for the incumbent – February 10, 2010 ◼ The Independent

Paul Hagen has worked for several different district attorneys – including Incumbent DA Paul Gallegos – as an environmental prosecutor, and he says pervasive dissatisfaction with Gallegos’ management has led to his bid to replace him.

“The current District Attorney’s Office needs far better leadership for its staff and far better representation of the interests of the people of the county,” Hagen said.

Adding that “the bloom is off the rose” for Gallegos, Hagen highlighted staffing issues.

“There’s been an enormous drain of talent out of the office since the incumbent took over,” he said. “People have been fired, people have been driven out, people have left. You can say whatever you want to about (former DA) Terry Farmer and his policies, but over a 20-year period, he put together a very good team of prosecutors.”

Now, Hagen added, the office has “a lot of first-year hires, a lot of people without a lot of experience and people with very questionable backgrounds.”

There are also some qualified recent hires, he said, but Gallegos “doesn’t train them well, he doesn’t track their cases well and he doesn’t ensure that they coordinate with the various police agencies well.”

A high amount of plea bargains, over-charging of cases, lowball settlements and “a fair amount of chaos in the court system where deputy DAs really don’t know what they’re handling” has led to a “situation where, quite frankly, justice is not being well-served,” Hagen continued.

Hagen has experience in environmental law. He worked as an environmental analyst for Pillsbury Madison and Sutro, one of the nation’s largest law firms, from 1989 to 1995. He then worked for the Mendocino County DA’s Office as an environmental prosecutor for more than four years.

In 1998, he was hired to do environmental prosecution for Humboldt, Lake and Del Norte counties on a part-time basis by the California District Attorneys Association.

It became a full-time job in 1999, when he moved to Arcata, where he still lives and serves as a member of the Arcata Planning Commission.

He switched to private practice in the summer of 2006 with the Eureka-based Bragg, Perlman, Russ, Stunich and Eads firm, whose clients include the City of Trinidad, the Shelter Cove Resort Improvement District and the California Teachers Association.

Hagen’s mention of plea bargains prompted a question on what an appropriate amount is. He said charging is an important aspect of the situation and “whatever is charged needs to bear some relationship to what is settled,” something he believes is often lacking now.

One police chief told him that a man charged with rape had gotten a plea deal for trespassing. “He found that obscene – that was the word he used,” said Hagen.

“So what’s going on is that the young attorneys aren’t being trained well, they’re not being given good marching orders and there are no clear policies for them to follow,” he continued.

Hagen believes “the first order” of the DA is to be an administrator and to work with county government, police agencies and the public.

“And when it comes to the public, you can’t over-promise and under-deliver,” he said. “You have to make yourself available and if you say you’re going to do something you have to do it or make yourself available to explain why you haven’t – and that’s not being done.

Taking on prosecution is something a DA does to “help pull the load” but Hagen believes high-profile trials shouldn’t be done by a DA unless absolutely necessary.


“The question is, is the elected DA going into the courtroom for purely administrative purposes, to help out the staff, or is he doing it for purely political purposes, to try to get press or curry favor with the public?” he asked.

When one is DA, “your forte absolutely should not be being a trial lawyer,” Hagen continued. Asked if he thinks Gallegos has taken on cases for political reasons, he answered, “Without question.”

He named the filing of the Pacific Lumber lawsuit, the prosecution of former Fortuna Councilmember Debi August, the over-prosecution of former Blue Lake Police Chief Dave Gundersen and the case against two Eureka police officials in the Cheri Moore shooting as examples.

Hagen said that it’s not known how strong the evidence was in the Eureka Police case because it was “bungled” and dismissed.

“Humboldt County once again made national news for having a bizarre prosecution come out of the DA’s Office,” he continued.

On prosecution priorities, Hagen said people are most concerned about violent crimes and property crimes.

There is less consensus about some types of crimes, and in Humboldt, there’s a cultural acceptance of marijuana but also an emerging call for enforcement against it.

Asked what his approach to that would be, Hagen acknowledged that Gallegos “brought the DA’s Office more in line, I believe, with the mentality and beliefs of the community” but “there’s clearly a degree of permissiveness there.”

It’s led to an excessive amount of grows in residential neighborhoods, home invasion robberies and shootings, said Hagen, adding that Proposition 215’s permissiveness has contributed to those impacts.

He referred to the City of Arcata’s enforcement approach, which relies on land use and zoning authority, as a sound one.

But the degree to which those zoning codes can be enforced has yet to be tested, and Hagen believes the ultimate solution is to legalize marijuana and regulate it.

Meth is a “very vicious drug” that can lead to serious crime, and Hagen thinks people agree that tackling the “very large meth problem here” is an enforcement priority.

Environmental prosecution is Hagen’s specialty, and he says “there been very little of it that I can see” since his own exit from the DA’s Office.

There was some media attention and a lot of speculation about the reason why he left. Asked about it, he said he was fired by the California District Attorneys Association and signed a settlement agreement which stipulated that he not talk about it.

But he added, “There can be consequences to speaking truth to power.”

Asked for more detail, he replied, “If you’re doing your job right, you need to tell the boss what the boss needs to hear whether the boss wants to hear it or not … If your boss doesn’t want to hear bad news or doesn’t want to hear advice, people who haven’t got the guts and the strength to do it won’t do it and they will keep their jobs, and those who do their jobs correctly despite the consequences will often suffer the consequences.

“And that’s what speaking truth to power is all about,” he continued. “And that’s what I did, and that’s what happened.”

By Daniel Mintz - Press Staff Writer

Two nice articles

on Paul Hagen and Kathleen Bryson by Daniel Mintz - in the McKinleyville Press, the Eye and the Independent. Get a copy.

One thing is for sure - the Grand Jury report is not only vindicated, it shows quite clearly that Gallegos STILL cannot manage the office. It most certainly is broken.

They'll be posted here on Tuesday the 16th.

Paul Hagen is in

◼ Paul Hagen Announces JN
◼ Paul Hagen makes it official

◼ Second candidate announced in Humboldt DA race TS
◼ Paul Hagen makes it official heraldo
◼ And then there were four Eric Kirk

"Hogwash, Mr. Gallegos"

TS - Letter to the Editor

On July 11, District Attorney Paul Gallegos appeared before Humboldt County's Code Enforcement Task Force and shared what the press reported as “his frustrations about” a “mutant” structure where he has no authority over code officers, yet all the responsibility for their actions in the field” (Eureka Reporter, 7-12), and he isn't “comfortable with deputizing code enforcement investigators if they are not his employees” (Times-Standard, 7-12). As is often the case with Mr. Gallegos, the truth is otherwise.

For over seven years I was employed by the California District Attorneys Association as a “circuit prosecutor,” in which I was deputized by elected district attorneys in three counties, including by Gallegos. As my legal authority flowed from these elected DA's to me, at all times I answered in my actions as a deputy DA directly to them. On numerous occasions I pointed out this fact to my supervisors in Sacramento, who sometimes felt that they, as my employer, could direct me in my exercise of the DA's authority.

Mr. Gallegos seeks to have it both ways. He has deputized these peace officers, who act under his authority as code enforcement officers, yet claims he cannot control them as his deputies. This is hogwash. The solution is obvious: Insist that these deputies operate subject to his oversight or remove their authority.

It remains unfortunate that our chief law enforcement officer refuses to take responsibility for his actions, placing blame elsewhere. Citizens should rightly expect leadership and honesty, not platitudes and excuses.

Paul Hagen
Eureka
***

Update: July 22, 2008 Well! That drew a response from the long dormant Salzman Communications Director, once again struggling to defend Paul Gallegos. What don't you know? The Emperor's clothes are spun of the finest silk! With 24 karat gold embroidery on the hem, and the finest jewels on the bodice. Can't you see it? If you can't, according to the chief deceptor Michael Twombly, you must be a "disgruntled" ex-employee. One who was FIRED thanks to Gallegos. Michael Twombly must be the last rat on this sinking ship. Looks like he's trying to thwart anyone running against his boy.

Hagen should do his homework - Letter to the Editor

Mr. Hagen's screed about the District Attorney's problems with Humboldt's code officers (Hogwash, Mr. Gallegos) a is little but a disgruntled ex-employee's self-serving run-up to challenging Gallegos in the next DA election.

Mr. Hagen's circuit prosecutor position with the DA's Association in years past is not comparable to the “mutant structure” in which Gallegos has no legal authority over code enforcers, but as DA has official responsibility for their irresponsible, dangerous and provocative activities.

This is an obviously intolerable position for any district attorney and needs to be fixed.

In fact, Gallegos states that that deputies must either operate responsibly under his authority or lose their deputy status under the DA's office.

This seems pretty reasonable.

Mr. Hagen needs to do his homework before throwing his hogwash hat in the ring.

Michael Twombly
Bayside

Scared, Mr. Twombly. So quick to jump to the defense. Of the utterly indefensible.

In case you missed it

Failed Gallegos lawsuit one more obstacle for community to overcome

Dear Editor,

On April 24, the California Supreme Court put an end to District Attorney Gallegos’ lawsuit against the Pacific Lumber Company. This, after five years of litigation including: 1) having the suit thrown out by the trial court for failure to meet minimum standards to be allowed to go to trial; and 2) a unanimous decision by the appeals court explaining at length why the suit could have no merit as filed. It was a political prosecution and citizens should look at the nature and cost of this exercise.

Gallegos touted himself as courageous in this fight — but no, this quality was lacking as seen in his decision to duck charging the Arkley/Glass matter, sending it to the attorney general instead. The fight was also billed as one against corruption, but the courts resoundingly disagreed.

The most obvious cost is the scores of thousands of dollars in salaries and other expenses paid for by taxpayers. More subtle is the opportunity cost of having these prosecutorial resources not spent on other things — for instance, sexual, child or elder abuse cases, innovative programs to fight drug abuse, or consumer fraud. These forms of corruption are more insidious, and strike at everyone.

The greatest cost, however, was the reckless shredding of the fabric of the Humboldt County community. The greater the power, the greater the need for humility and restraint in its exercise. With PALCO now prostrate in bankruptcy, the lingering bitterness engendered by the Gallegos lawsuit will be one more obstacle for our community to overcome.

Paul Hagen
Eureka

Paul Hagen's "My Word" in TS today

worth reading - Why DA's Palco suit was ill-advised

Former environmental prosecutor Paul Hagen explains the flaws in Gallegos' Palco suit, the reason why it failed to make it into court, what was wrong with the reasoning behind Gallegos' Appeal of that rejection, the subsequent rejection of his Appeal (made a published Opinion), and the CA Supreme Court's final nail in the Palco suit coffin, a final rejection.

The Appeals Court found that the state has failed to prove, on its third try, a reasonable possibility that the (complaint)'s defect can be cured by amendment.”

Hagen's own credentials dwarf Gallegos' - and he notes: I would like to make it clear that I in no way approve of Palco's behavior. I personally prosecuted them twice criminally (obtaining literally every last penny available as penalties under the 15 counts I charged collectively) and once civilly (against Scopac, actually), receiving $80,000 in a settlement, $35,000 of which I sent to schools in the Van Duzen watershed.

And I found Palco's behavior in the recall election astounding and shameful, an incredibly bad set of decisions to fund petition signers and more in an effort to drive out an elected official.

That said, Gallegos' decision to prosecute Palco was a political one, make no mistake. Political prosecutions are never a good idea.

Within days of taking office, Gallegos directed his chief investigator to conduct an investigation. When his investigators reported they could not find evidence of a crime, the suit was filed civilly instead. The day before it was filed, a member of a local watchdog organization sat in the DA's library and read the complaint.

Paul Hagen is one of the rare few with the courage to speak out. It cost him his job.

ER Failed Gallegos lawsuit one more obstacle for community to overcome 5/3/08

Goodbye Jeffrey "yougofree.com" Schwartz

Today was Schwartz's last day in the Humboldt County DA's Office. This is a good thing. 'Bout goddam time.

Remember, Under Gallegos the DA's Office has "lost:"
DDA Zach Bird
DDA Jose Mendez
DDA Ed Borg
DDA Worth Dikeman
DDA Frank Dunnick
DDA Eamon Fitzgerald
DDA Heather Gimle
DDA Paul Hagen
DDA Nicole Hansen
DDA Shane Hauschild
DDA Andrew Isaac
DDA Allison Jackson
DDA Harry Kassakian
DDA Elizabeth Norton
DDA Murat Ozgur
Patrick Pekin
DDA Amanda Penny
DDA Gloria Albin-Sheets
Jennifer Strona
DDA Andy Truitt
DDA Nandor Vadas
DDA Rob Wade
Bill Rodstrom
PLUS:
Investigator Chris Andrews
Investigator Chris Cook
Investigator Jim Dawson (retired)
Paul's secretary Gail Dias
Office Manager Linda Modell
Investigator Eric Olson
Investigator Kathy Philp (retired)
Investigator Dave Dave Rybarczyk
Investigator Dave Walker
FROM CAST:
Child Interview Specialist Laura Todd
Senior Legal Secretary Melissa Arnold
Alternate Child Interviewer Jennifer Maguire

And, of course: Schwartz and Stoen.

Question, still, is "Who's left?"

Answer:
Maggie Fleming, Max Cardoza, Wes Keat, Stacey Eads (on leave),
Allan Dollison, Arnie Klein, Jeff Schwartz,
Mary McCarthy, Davina Smith and Randy Mailman (the newest hire)

Two deputies leave DA's Office 3/8/2007
Update: 6/12/2007
County Counsel Kim Kerr - Longtime employee of the county takes job in Ione

8/12/07
Like Stoen leaving, this is good news... "yougofree.com" Jeffrey Scwhartz is leaving the DA's Office, going in to private practice (No surprise since he has had his "practice" listed in the phone book for the better part of a year, while acting as a prosecutor, which should be a big no-no.) 8/31/07, yougofree.com is gone.

1/2008 Davina Smith moves to the County Counsel's Office.

9/25/08 Deputy District Attorney Kelly Neel, who has been handling the (Belant) case, will be leaving the office for another job at the County Counsel Office, Gallegos said.

1/5/10 Kathleen Bryson, hired and reputedly fired by Gallegos, is now running against him... ◼ Local attorney throws hat in the ring for DA