A major allegation contained in the recent announcement of charges in the “windshield crack-like” corruption investigation into San Bernardino County government by District Attorney Mike Ramos and Attorney General Edmund “Jerry” Brown has some interesting twists.
Ramos earlier this week announced a series of reforms necessary to put the power of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in check.
Strangely enough, one of the proposed reforms didn’t involve a measure to curb abuse in the expenditure of campaign funds.
One of the major cornerstones of the instant corruption case is the theory of bribes being paid as campaign donations to Political Action Committee’s, which are later diverted for use by officials in the form of payment of personal expenses like food, drinks, and travel.
You know what they say about throwing rocks from glass houses?
It seems not only did Ramos pay his wife $21,000 from his campaign funds over the last two years, he also did some heavy dipping into his campaign war-chest for apparently a myriad of expenses.
As a side note, effective January 1, 2010 it is now illegal to pay a spouse campaign funds.
The obvious problem here? We just can’t see what the expenses are for.
State law requires payment of $100.00 or more to the same vendor be itemized so the public can see where and what funds are being expended on.
Campaign finance records filed by Ramos with the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters for the period of July 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 indicate a significant amount of credit card charges paid by campaign funds.
Page 18 of the 28-page report revealed a single payment of $173.70 to “American Express” and a single payment of $12,478.33 to “Bankcard Center First California Bank” for a total of $12,652.03 in six months.
The payment entries entries state “No credit card payees over $100″.
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Click on image to enlarge.
Were the First California Bank charges all incurred in one single month? The report makes it appear that way. Each individual monthly payment should be a separate entry.
Did Ramos initiate upwards of more than 130 separate charges on his credit cards for campaign-related expenses in a one-month period or six-month period?
Was Ramos’ intention to deliberately keep all of his charges under $100.00 to prevent itemization and public disclosure?
Where these campaign-related expenses for food, flowers, hotel/motels, or alcoholic beverages?
Airfare is likely out. Ramos most probably accrues frequent flyer credits on Southwest Airlines from government travel and uses the credits for personal travel.
So let’s now apply the new found criminal law interpretation improvised by the District Attorney.
Which contributor might have received a “financial” or “legal filing decision” benefit from Ramos’ position and influence, and in exchange for such benefit, may have given Ramos campaign funds?
Maybe the criminal defense conflict panel? San Manuel Band of Mission Indians? Lewis Group of Companies? etc….
Could Ramos in turn have used such funds for personal expenses under the guise of campaign expenses?
How about payments to his wife, which is in essence household income beneficial to Ramos himself?
Did a portion of the campaign contribution by the criminal defense conflict panel firm go to Ramos’ wife?
Hm mm…. Looks like the Fair Political Practices Commission, the state’s campaign finance watchdog needs to look at Ramos again.
Assume that it was for six months. Assume no single expenditure was $100.00 or more. That is an average of 69.13 a day, seven days a week for six months. Now, this was a period of time when he had no challenger and no campaign. Other than lining his own pocket, what could this be for? The FPPC needs to audit his expenses right now. The grand Jury should subpoena his records. He must think that he is above the law. Maybe he is. In any event, what is he hiding? He should make those records public immediately.
Mikey Likes It, why do you think he sends all the complaint cases to the FPPC? He knows they have limited power to fine only, it just allows him to apply his “selective prostitution” credo to the entire breadth of his responsibilities as the County’s chief enforcement officer and district attorney. The Grand Jury has its limitations just the same, their “adviser” is a deputy da who refuses to see the conflict when a complaint may also involve the willful negligence or outright incompetence of the DA’s office itself. As far as the FPPC “process” is concerned, all anyone needs to do is look at Jim Erwin’s case. The FPPC cleared him, and then Mikey slaps on the handcuffs…Mikey is the most powerful political pimp out there, and he don’t take no back talk from all his bitches.
We da people are da bitches.
More than 130 credit cards charges in six months? All under $100?
I think we all know what those charges are for?
When is someone going to put this out of control politician in check?
Ramos use to do this on his county credit card. Now it looks like he’s using his campaign account.
Sadly his drinking has worsened also.
All Mike has to do is tell the TRUTH then maybe he wont have to drink so much to ease his nagging conscience….if he has one.
Did he drink when he was with you, Cheryl?
Only the first night that we met. After that, no.
Only on the first night that we met. After that, no.
Cheryl I hear he liked to use his office for sex because he was too cheap to pay for a motel. That’s what he told some of his drinking buddies anyway. Any truth there? If so how many times?
We used his office most all of the time. There were other places, however, we never used a motel except for the cabin in Lake Arrowhead. You ask how many times, what? Having sex? MANY times. It will all be disclosed in my lawsuit. Oh wait, it was ALL disclosed in the Harassment Investigation. BUT, with the exception of Neil Derry, BOS do not want any of THAT information revealed. I cant wait for my day in court. Neither can my attorney.
And as much as I like to participate and stand up for myself, as of this last posting, I will have to sit back and stay quiet as my legal counsel will be handling my responses.
in a court of law.
I am looking forward to the day when your trial begins. Your legal counsel will only be as good as you push them to be and you need to win the court of public opinion to make them settle this case. The more you talk, the more Mikey worries. Make sure you fight for yourself, Cheryl.
Don’t forget to include his law firm in your lawsuit. The things they said in the letter on his website are absolutely libelous and clearly not privileged. If the Board follows the law the county taxpayers should be off the hook. Elected officials have to pay for their own defense in sexual harassmennt suits. If the board takes up his defense it will only be because he is blackmailing them. You should include his campaign consultant, Dave Ellis too. He runs the website and he advises Ramos on what to say. He drafts his responses including the one I am sure where he libeled you. Good luck.
Also, go to Federal Court. The county judges are too biased in favor of Ramos. Remember, he lobbied for thier fat county benefit packages over and above their state pay and benefits. The judges in Federal Court are more neutral and won’t put up with any crap on discovery. The interviews that the county contract attorneys refuse to release will come out and the Board will look like they are hiding something. They apparently don’t match the report that was released.
With over 50 telephone calls between the two of you and he claims he doesn’t know you except to try and use his political power to get your daughter into a school. Unless he does favors like that for all his lowly employees, that alone shows that you had some kind of relationship. He risked political capital for you.
This lawsuit will get interesting when you take his deposition along with all the other women he was banging. Their sworn testimony is now relevant. It does tend to coroborate you and since he chose to deny it ever happened he has put your credibility at issue. His other women tend to show you are telling the truth. He was a fool to deny it.
Funny thing about my daughter that he is referring to, she is 28 and graduated Highschool over 10 yrs ago in San Bernardino. I did not move to Redlands until June 2005. My youngest did not start school in Redlands School District until August 2005. I ended the relationship in Feb 2005.Anyone can do the math. I wonder what other excuse he might try to give now. Fact is, we did have a very physical and emotional relationship. And because I would not lie for him, I am being punished. But what he did not count on was me being a strong woman and not backing down to his LIES and INTIMIDATION. There were plenty of witnesses in regards to our relationship. I do hear that he has a habit of talking while drinking. I wish I knew whom he laments to. I would like to have them deposed. In due time, in due time Michael.
Esquire, I just read the article you mentioned on his website. All I can say is wow…cant wait to have my day in a FEDERAL court.He truly is a sad, sorry, pitiful LITTLE man.
Cheryl. I hope you know that Ramos wants nothing better than to shut you up. He thinks the litigation will get you to shut up and then the county will buy you off before this gets too far down the road. Word of advice, no settlements until he is deposed and he should be deposed after others are put on the record so that you have a lot of material for him to try and explain. He has a history of refusing to be deposed. As it gets closer, he will panic and self destruct. When he denied the affair the stakes went up by a factor of 10. If he ever gave you anything (other than bull shit) make sure you keep it. Plaintiff’s exhibit #1. Put it in a safe place so his investigatiors don’t try to find it and take it away from you. He really is that desperate. Remember Monica’s famous dress. There must be something.
Esquire,Exhibits are already covered and very well protected.
Esquire, you are a smart person. Ramos never wants to be deposed. I wonder why???????? So many people have been involved directly or indirectly in Cheryl’s matter who need to be deposed. Let’s start donating to Cheryl’s legal fund so she has enough to pay all the depo costs.
Correction: The blog has a problem and places names without anyone typing them. I am not Jerry.
Ms. Ristow, I’m pleased to see you have retained counsel, but remember to consult with your counsel prior to making public statements. The swamp known as San Bernardino County is being drained, and those such as Mr. Ramos, and a host of others will be fully exposed, and most prosecuted once draining is completed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI’s Office of Public Corruption are well aware of what is taking place in San Bernardino County. Justice is slow, but it’s coming.
The Feds. were very consumed with the Pelicanos case, Sheriff Mike Corona in Orange County, and many others. The prosecutions that may take place are likely of cases most are unaware, such as the cover-up in the case of murder victim and businessman Angel Martinez in Fontana in 1988. This is where a great sum of money Mr. Martinez had in his possession at the time was later used to circumvent the investigation, and its prosecution, even with a confession by one of 2 suspects following a cold-case investigation.
Attorney General Eric Holder is actually aware of what is taking place in San Bernardino County, and knows officers/deputies who became whistle blowers in departments such as San Bernardino, Colton, Fontana, and S.B.C.O have been fired following their coming forward with racist, and sexist acts by their supervisors, or peers.
In spite of what you may think of Eric Holder, it is politically advantageous for him to clean up what is taking place here, as it plays into the future plans federal politicians have for San Bernardino County. S.B.C.O. will soon find itself being the test case for the merger of multiple municipalities, including Police/Fire services. They just have to clean it up some first.
So justice is coming, but even when it does, it is only temporary. The League of California Cities is the legal municipal Mafia in California, and ALL your local elected officials bow to their new “Don, or Capo Crimini, and Master.” http://www.cacities.org