Closing arguments began this afternoon in the case involving Rancho Cucamonga city councilman and former Assessor employee Rex Gutierrez.

Gutierrez is now charged with only three felonies related to his employment under former Assessor Bill Postmus, after Superior Court Judge Duke D. Rouse acquitted him of Embezzlement by a Public Officer, count number three of the complaint. The Embezzlement charge dismissal is a blow to the prosecution. The embezzlement charge is what is referred to as a “general intent” crime with a lower threshold to prove guilt.

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This morning Superior Court Judge Duke D. Rouse dismissed one felony count against Rancho Cuamonga City Councilman and former Assessor employee Rex Gutierrez,

During preparation of jury instructions defense attorney Jim Reiss made a motion to dismiss count three of the complaint for Embezzlement by a Public Officer (Penal Code Section 424). Reiss argued Gutierrez’s duties and responsibilities did not subject him to penalty under the law.

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010 – 09:18 P.M.

Based on information contained in a story published in Thursday’s Los Angeles Times, InlandPolitics.com has verified by cross-referencing database lists from the California Department of Social Services and the California Gambling Control Commission that some local indian casinos allow welfare recipients to withdraw cash with state issued debit cards.

Casinos operated by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in Highland, Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, Pala Band of Mission Indians in Pala, and the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Temecula, offer automated teller machines (ATM) that accept debit cards issued by the state’s welfare system.

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Gutierrez

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/23/2010 06:42:31 PM PDT

Defense attorney James Reiss rested his case Wednesday in San Bernardino Superior court following testimony from four character witnesses in the trial of Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez.

Each of the character witnesses described the Gutierrez as an “honest man.”

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10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

A San Bernardino County prosecutor hammered at the credibility of Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez on Wednesday as the former county assessor’s official continued his second day on the witness stand.

The testimony came as the prosecution and defense called their last witnesses in the sixth day of the corruption trial. Closing arguments are scheduled for today.

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STEMMING FORECLOSURES: The program helps struggling households by working with lenders and providing money.

06:55 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

By LESLIE BERKMAN
The Press-Enterprise

In another effort to stem foreclosures, the Obama administration on Wednesday approved plans to spend $1.5 billion on the five states hardest hit by mortgage failures and unemployment, including nearly $700 million to California, which will receive the largest allocation.

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10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Robert Ziprick, a lawyer and outgoing Loma Linda city councilman, has been honored for business ethics by the San Bernardino-Loma Linda Crossroads Rotary Club.

“Mr. Ziprick has demonstrated in all areas of his professional life, Rotary’s belief that business ethics are not an oxymoron,” the club wrote in a news release. “In fact, high ethical standards are essential to long run success in all professions and businesses.”

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San Bernardino International Airport still has no carrier deal.

10:21 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
The Press-Enterprise

San Bernardino International Airport expects to operate at a loss of about $4.9 million when its fiscal year starts July 1, according to the budget approved Wednesday.

That’s also assuming an airline would bring in $2.5 million in revenue. So far, no airline has chosen to land at the airport despite the terminal being essentially complete.

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10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

CASSIE MACDUFF

Disenfranchising 12,500 voters whose ballots arrived before the 8 p.m. Election Day deadline but didn’t get to the registrar’s office because of a mistake would be grossly unjust.

Elections are a cornerstone of American democracy. Any time a vote is not counted because of error or misadventure, that cornerstone is undermined.

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Jerry Brown / (Courtesy – Reuters)

California Dems worry that gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown isn’t ready for the campaign trail. Reuters

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By MAGGIE HABERMAN | 6/23/10 4:56 AM EDT

California Democrats are starting to worry that gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown — who hasn’t had a truly competitive election in three decades — isn’t ready for the 21st-century campaign trail.

Since the general election kicked off two weeks ago, Brown — the state attorney general and former governor with a well-known penchant for micromanaging all aspects of his campaigns — has made news for all the wrong reasons, while motoring along without any evidence that he is assembling a basic infrastructure for a statewide race.

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By Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times

June 24, 2010

Reporting from Sacramento —

California welfare recipients are able to use state-issued debit cards to withdraw cash on gaming floors in more than half of the casinos in the state, a Los Angeles Times review of records found.

The cards, provided by the Department of Social Services to help recipients feed and clothe their families, work in automated teller machines at 32 of 58 tribal casinos and 47 of 90 state-licensed poker rooms, the review found.

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The Republican targets the attorney general’s lengthy government service. A coalition of unions backing Brown slashes at Whitman’s ties to Goldman Sachs.

By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times

June 24, 2010

Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman and allies of Democratic rival Jerry Brown pummeled each other on the airwaves Wednesday, each releasing a new television ad that ratcheted up the campaign’s animosity.

A coalition of unions supporting Brown slashed at Whitman’s ties to controversial Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs. Whitman, meanwhile, tore through Brown’s four-decade-long resume.

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In an answer to a question about how she would deflect attacks about outsourcing positions and cutting jobs, Carly Fiorina said that making such tough calls qualifies her to tackle job creation issues. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / June 23, 2010)

By Maeve Reston, Los Angeles Times

June 24, 2010

For months, opponents of Republican Senate nominee Carly Fiorina have predicted that her record as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard — laying off tens of thousands of workers and outsourcing jobs to other countries — would lead to her defeat in November. But on Wednesday, Fiorina sought to turn that logic on its head, arguing that her experience with those difficult decisions makes her uniquely qualified to tackle job creation issues in Washington.

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California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics

California WatchBlog

June 24, 2010 | Chase Davis

Tales of Jerry Brown’s $1.8 million Oakland Hills house have caused quite a stir in the blogosphere during the last few days, but its market value these days is a drop in the bucket compared to what his old digs recently sold for.

About a year ago, a converted firehouse Brown lived in from 1989 to 1995 was on the market for $4.4 million, according to a real estate feature in the Wall Street Journal. The seller was John Traina, an art collector and ex-husband of romance novelist Danielle Steel.

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