On the final page of the 28-page settlement agreement between the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, The County of San Bernardino, and the Colonies Partners, L.P. is a Mediator’s Statement.

Inquiring minds are wondering if someone mentioned this minor paragraph to Attorney General Brown before his political speech yesterday morning?

The Mediator, Edward Panelli, Associate Justice of the California State Supreme Court (Retired) rendered his opinion as to the settlement reached.

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With one whoring the other for votes, the two so-called law enforcement officials pictured above know no shame. This picture speaks a thousand words.

John Doe’s?

Isn’t it also interesting how the investigation can’t put dates on any of these alleged acts?

So let’s get this straight.

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11:04 PM PST on Wednesday, February 10, 2010

By IMRAN GHORI, DUANE W. GANG and JOHN ASBURY
The Press-Enterprise

California Attorney General Jerry Brown and San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos announced sweeping charges Wednesday in a corruption case involving county supervisors, their staff and a politically connected developer.

Prosecutors filed criminal charges — including bribery, conspiracy and extortion — against Bill Postmus, 38, a former county supervisor and assessor; and Jim Erwin, 47, a former assistant assessor and former chief of staff to a county supervisor.

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Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/10/2010 05:33:52 PM PST

UPLAND – Some Upland City Council members view the charges filed against two former county officials to be a sad day for the county’s citizens, while calling for a fresh start for county government.

Former San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus and Jim Erwin, former assistant assessor of operations, were arrested Wednesday by sheriff’s deputies as part of an ongoing investigation into public corruption.

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Mike Cruz and Will Bigham, Staff Writers
Posted: 02/10/2010 06:59:02 PM PST

During a news conference to discuss the prosecutions of Bill Postmus and Jim Erwin in an alleged corruption scandal, District Attorney Michael A. Ramos said that getting the money back is a priority.

Ramos cited the tough economic times and said the millions in public funds are particularly critical at a time when county employees are facing furloughs.

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Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/10/2010 09:50:01 PM PST

Prosecutors charged two former county officials with conspiracy, bribery and extortion on Wednesday in what was described as the “biggest corruption scandal in San Bernardino County’s history.”

Former Assessor Bill Postmus, 38, of Victorville and former Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin, 47, of Highland were arrested by district attorney’s investigators early Wednesday morning and booked into jail in lieu of $225,000 bail and $380,000 bail, respectively.

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By Dale Kasler
dkasler@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 8B

Another high-profile CalPERS real estate investment is on the verge of going bust.

Massachusetts officials this week issued a default notice against a Cal-PERS partnership that’s been struggling for years to build an $800 million residential-commercial complex in Boston. A default would likely mean the end of the project as far as CalPERS is concerned.

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By Anthony York | 02/11/10 12:00 AM PST

Within 48 hours this week, two independent committees were formed that could fundamentally change the way political campaigns are run in California.

Spooked by the prospect of running against a Republican gubernatorial candidate with virtually unlimited resources, allies of Attorney General Jerry Brown have pledged up to $40 million in two separate independent expenditure committees to boost Brown’s gubernatorial ambitions.

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A state Senate panel pushes through a 5% slice in government payroll costs and an $811-million reduction in prison healthcare expenditures. The full Senate and Assembly have to approve the cuts.

By Shane Goldmacher

February 11, 2010

Reporting from Sacramento – Democratic state senators pushed the first budget cuts of 2010 through a key committee Wednesday, slicing government payroll costs by 5% and cutting $811 million from the prisons’ healthcare budget.

The votes were the first on budget matters since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called a special session last month to address California’s roughly $20-billion deficit. Lawmakers deferred decisions on how much to cut from California schools and social services — the state’s costliest programs — until summer budget talks.

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By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 4A
Last Modified: Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 – 9:26 am

State Controller John Chiang reported Wednesday that California collected $1.28 billion more in January tax revenues than Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger projected in his current budget plan, although Chiang warned that the “state cannot be lulled into a false sense of security.”

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