Neil Derry left. James Ramos right.
By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/01/2012 07:16:08 PM PST
Document: James Ramos Flier
San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry has launched an assault on the character of his major opponent, San Manuel tribal chairman James Ramos, in a campaign mailer tying Ramos to “gang members,” “drug dealers” and “killers for hire.”
The flier labeled Ramos a “Casino Boss” with ties to the Mexican Mafia. It was found plastered on hundreds of windshields outside Ramos’ campaign headquarters in Redlands on Tuesday night, where Ramos was hosting a campaign kickoff event at his headquarters, said Dave Gilliard, Ramos’ campaign manager.
In a statement Wednesday, Ramos
called Derry’s hit mailer a “false and pathetic attempt to smear me by my opponent and his campaign consultant.”
“I believe that voters want and deserve something better than these types of gutter politics,” Ramos said. He said he would run a positive campaign on real issues and the future of the county, and announced he had secured the endorsement of San Bernardino District Attorney Michael A. Ramos.
Derry stands by the flier. He said it was well sourced and the information is accurate.
“That’s what happened,” Derry said, referring to a case brought to the public’s attention in 2006, when police and DEA agents arrested dozens of people in a methamphetamine distribution ring orchestrated by the Mexican Mafia. Two San Manuel tribal members, siblings Stacy Barajas-Nunes and Erik Barajas, were implicated in a murder conspiracy plot involving members of the Mexican Mafia.
Information revealed in court documents and by former tribal employees showed that the San Manuel reservation had been infiltrated by the Mexican Mafia, whose members were believed to be extorting money from tribal members, who receive monthly stipends of roughly $100,000, generated from casino profits.
In an e-mail Tuesday, Derry’s campaign manager, Christopher Jones, said the Third Supervisorial District is a “conservative, law and order stronghold.”
To read entire story, click here.
Well I guess if Mike Ramos can SHOW everyone he has hammered the Mexican mafia in and around that casino in the last couple of years, there may be an argument that the comments from Derry are false.
I noticed James Ramos did not explain how the accusations from Derry are false. Again as we have seen countless times, it’s because “I said so”, yea, that really has some strength doesn’t it?
That would be like Rod Hoops saying there was “no coverup” in the POST scandal.
Or Mike Ramos has never had an affair with ANYONE from the DA’s office.
For the cheerleaders of the corrupt ones a question?
Who is the bigger threat to public safety in the eyes of the top cop or DA, a person who gets prosecuted for a campaign violation, OR the Mexican mafia who no doubt has ties to the Mexican drug cartel?
Now if James Ramos could tell us why he has those bodyguards following him around for reasons like he is trying to eradicate the mafia from his turf, then I could wrap my arms around that too.
But as of this late date we haven’t read any of that have we? Just that everything is false.
Noteworthy is the DEA lead the bust of the drug issues around the casino.
I would expect Mike Ramos to claim another “joint operation”.
WARNING—- ALERT—– ALERT—-
JAMES RAMOS IS A VERY DIRTY, UNTRUSTWORTHY, AND OUTRIGHT
DANGEROUS CANDIDATE!
DANGEROUS TO OUR COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES, AND TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE THIRD DISTRICT.
The only knowledge he has of the issues is the hot air he has memorized.
James Ramos’ only goal is to leach off the Third District tax payers.
The word is out!
James Ramos is handing out A CRISP $100 DOLLAR BILL to anyone who goes to the Sun Newspaper on line, and posts an attack on Derry, and makes a pledge to vote for him!
While Ramos resorts to buying affection and votes-
Neil Derry resorts to working hard and ignoring Ramos’ bullying tactics; constituents will quietly go to the polls and re-elect him- the American way, free of charge!
James Ramos seems like a big fat crook. A casino Boss associated with gang members and criminals. Not to speak of the phony “Indian” thing. Hes not an Indian, just another Mexican Huckster like Joe Baca, Villaraigosa, Perez, Nunez, etc etc. Crooks all! WHY would I vote for a mafioso that pays NO state taxes! Lazy, worthless parasite bum who feeds off us hard working tax paying folk,like the despicable slug that he is.
Anonymous:
In addition to the $100 bill, rumor has it that there is a $20 bonus if you mention Mike Ramos selective and politically motivated prosecution of Mr. Derry, and refer to Mr. Derry as a “crook” or “crooked” in your Sun post.
However, it’s offset by $20 if your post makes you sound like an illiterate moron.
So far, no $20 bonuses have been earned.
I disagree with Neil’s dirty tactics. I support Neil but believe that he is wrong attacking people whom Ramos and Ramos tried to help.
So this is the strategy that Derry thinks is going to win? A poor start out of the gate that’s for sure. He can’t run on his record so he might as well start early on the mud slinging. What happened to Neil the “reformer”? That boat doesn’t float so here we go.
Funny how the truth upsets some people. This isn’t dirty, its true. Ramos is a fool trying to hide from his own tribal background. Goodluck with that one.
“Anonymous” and “Can’t Be True”:
Don’t forget that James Ramos started the “dirty tactics” and “mud slinging.”
Soon after James Ramos announced he was running, bedfellow Mike Ramos launched the absurd felony prosecution of Neil Derry.
Neil Derry is now firing back.
Observer: Actually, James announced days after the Mikey Ramos hit job and is the sacrificial lamb of Mikey and the Redlands geezer club who hate Derry. They know he can’t beat Derry, but have no one better. Even Cook pulled out!
James Ramos has provided a safe haven for the mafia- NOT FREE OF CHARGE-
tit for tat.
Ramos has spread around, and BOUGHT influential friends willing to arrogantly and boldly abuse their positions of power-believing they are above the law and any criticism – like the District Attorney Mike Ramos.
As the flier clearly demonstrates in quoting the the press, the press is more powerful and influential than all of Ramos’ money and dirty-handed friends.
All Derry needs to do is quietly continue doing his job, let Ramos convulse at the truth- no one is listening to him anyways.
If you need to print crap like this to try to win an election, perhaps your candidate isn’t all that and bag of chips.
lol: You mean telling the truth? Ramos has been in tribal government for years. He was vice chair when the DEA raid was conducted. He knew everything and did nothing. He needs to be held accountable for the damage he and the tribe have allowed and fostered in our county.
How does Mikey like it now?
Look, he ate it, Mikey likes it… what would you expect from the “hand that feeds”.
So if Chief James is liked to the Mexi Mafia and our DA Mikey endorses/ supports him for election to a public office… a reasonable conclusion would be that the SBCo. DA is supporting organized crime, instead of fighting against it for the law abiding citizens.
The San Manuel case cited, and the trumped-up charges against the seated Supervisor of the 3rd District for a campaign funding violation (what about the unreported $10K to your political consultant/ spouse Gretchen?), are real events, not lies.
But then again, DA Mikey’s endorsement of a casino boss for supervisor (his boss) is the best example yet of his continuing practice of SELECTED PROSTITUTION of his authority and the resources at his disposal.
Derry is the best Supervisor by far. The crooks like Ovitt, LARaza and the fat pig Rutherford dont even come close. Derry is the only real reformer. The idea of electing Ramos is very funny…a casino boss who pays no taxes, is lazy and hated by his own people. Why would we vote for them?
I really like Derry, but I don’t think he should be focusing on law and order – this turns me off and he sounds like a standard make me fearful politician. Law and order instead of compassion has gotten us the prison industrial complex of San Bernardino County.
@ Anonymous,
I live in the Third District and YOU BETTER BELIEVE we want Derry focusing on LAW AND ORDER.
You, perhaps, live on the Reservation, or are one of James Ramos’ body guards, so murder, crime, and drugs are fun and normal everyday life for you — but not for folks who earn their living honestly and want to raise their children in safe, clean neighborhoods and schools.
Next time Ramos asks you to post something against Derry MAKE SURE THEY COACH YOU—YOU SOUND RIDICULOUS ATTACKING DERRY’S LAW AND ORDER PRIORITY!
We already know the Mexican Mafia feels restrained staying in the Reservation, and the last thing they want is LAW AND ORDER IN THE Third District; for crying out loud, what kind of buffoons does James Ramos surround himself with?!
Oh, yeah, criminals who are threatened when Derry focuses on Law and Order!
Seems like there might be a few crooks posting here, attempting to down play the mafia thing and shift attention to Derry.
Compassion, LMAO, not for the mafia and those associated with them. James Ramos running with Mike and Rod is all one needs in order not to vote for James, not you include the Mexican Mafia, are SOME of you high or what?
Why does everyone care about what James Ramos pays in taxes? We should be focusing on how Derry is a union goon who isn’t willing to protect the taxpayers of the third district from what’s really bankrupting local governments: public employee unions. Derry is impotent without his union money, and this campaign piece shows just how desperate he is now that SEBA isn’t bankrolling his campaign this election cycle.
It is now more clear Derry is a fool. He will lose big simply because he has no idea how much damage his handler Irwin will do to him. To start accusing your opponent in the paper of ties to illegal activities while knowing his own ties to Burum is just laughable. He pleads guilty to a crime and he thinks everyone just loves him and understand it is selective prosecution. Ramos may not be the best alternative but the more Derry yells fire the more burned he will become. Conservatives don’t vote for law breakers, union supporters, and outright fools. Dennis was kicked out for being there too long and too successful for his own interests. Derry was given a chance and he managed to hurt himself in 3 years while it too Dennis 20 years. Derry has little to brag about except plea deals and links to true corruption in the county. I think Ramos will win in a landslide simply for showing up.
Ramos’ own polls show him losing big to Derry. It is only his arrogance that is keeping him in the race. The Third District isn’t going to vote for a Jerry Brown liberal Democrat who is the leader of a sovereign nation, runs a casino, and doesn’t pay taxes. This is just Derry’s opening salvo to let Ramos know he isn’t going to get a free ride and that everything he is associated with, gambling, gangs, crime, taxes, and his just plain lack of experience is going to be center stage while Derry will be taking credit for all the projects and policies he has successfully pushed through like the Sunshine Ordinance, the Redlands Y Pool, the new animal control facility in Yucca, the pool and parks in Big Bear, the rescue loan for Rim of the World Parks and Rec, cutting elected officials benefits (twice), building a water line to Pioneer Town, a well for the Joshua Tree Community Center, building a kitchen for the Mentone Senior Center, replacing the gym floor for the Redlands Boys and Girls Club, funding the Highland Senior Center….etc. That is the short list.
If Ramos is losing in polling, then why is Derry commenting on SB Sun articles in the middle of night to defend his reputation? That sure sounds like a confident candidate! Hahahaha! LOL
Can any one show what crimes Rams as been charged and/or convicted of?
Then show us what Derry was charged with and pled guilty to?
sabresux: its called campaigning. Derry doesn’t have to hide behind his consultant because Derry can put together complete sentences and has an IQ over 80
Oh wait, is he a real big fat person?
SabreSix,
Welcome back, but the point you bring up is not an issue in the Derry v. Ramos campaign. This fight will be played out in the press-
SEBA’s money could never access and expose the festering pus within the Reservation under James Ramos’ knowledge and protection.
Again, Derry needs to say as little as possible!, not interfere, and and let the press do it’s job exposing the ugly truth ( bit by bit) behind James Ramos and the criminals he has long ago found himself at one with.
@Funtime,
Neither Erwin, or his past, have anything to do with Derry v. Ramos. And you wrongfully accused Derry, he did not accuse anyone of
anything…the press SIMPLY REPORTED facts that were brought up in the flier.
@Lol
Ramos does not commit crimes himself, that’s what is SO DANGEROUS about him. Ramos SIMPLY pays the Mexican Mafia, or DA Mike Ramos, to threaten and destroy those who oppose him.
Let’s not forget the headlines ” San Manuel Tribal members get probation in ASSASSINATION PLOT…” Probation thanks to DA Ramos.
This is not a campaign to get careless with, Derry IS ABSOLUTELY IN DANGERS WAY WITH RAMOS AS HIS OPPONENT, so he needs to just stay busy working, and NOT get sucked into Ramos’ desperate pus-slinging!!
Derry does not have a prayer. The campaign clearly will be dirty because he is one cocky SOB.
Even the a unions don’t trust him. Irwin and Derry were confident the Sheriff’s Union would endorse Derry and Josie and DA Ramos were going down. Wrong conclusions from two washed up politicians who protected Postmus until he started to rat them out. Ramos will win because Derry can’t explain why his former chief of staff is being investigated by the FBI. The Tea Party won’t save him because it is too late. None is giving him money and sources say he may lose endorsements as he opens his mouth more to say stupid things.
Only the Devil can save him, Ramos that is!
Maybe the Redlands City Council, where 4 out of 5 Councilmen endorse kingpin Ramos, and one of them happens to be the Mayor of ESRIville, who’s married to the co-founder of The Community Foundation (TCF) and Pres.of SBCC, can help too?
Obviously the bleeding-heart liberal crowd, who have caused this Obamanation of partisan political thinking in the first place, are thinking they can buy an election… (we shall see about that).
Wait now though, isn’t that kind of like buying protection from the mafia so that your candidate will win in the next election? Sorry, the general public, which continues to shed party affiliation, tain’t that stupid!
Fun times: It was Derry that forced the bos to investigate Postmus…remember John Huston. Postmus resigned a month later, only two months after Derry took office. Nice try.
Derry will raise the money he needs, and it won’t need to be much, with the Sun Newspaper blasting all of Ramos’ negatives on the front page and repeating them in editorials designed to defend him. The public is sick of rich casino bosses who have never worked in their life. The 3rd District will vote for someone like them: Someone who has a job, is Republican, earns his/her way through life, and isn’t a Jerry Brown Democrat trying to raise their taxes.
@FunTimes
Whatever your problem with Erwin is, it’s irrelevant to Derry v. Ramos.
And the fact that he was Derry’s former chief of staff is old news- the tiresome kind one brings up over and over year after year when there is clearly NOTHING of substance to stain Derry’s integrity, honesty and work ethics.
@hello…. Read the sun editorial today? Looks like they are taking your boy Neil to task
And I love it.
Keep the story alive!!! The Sun has no clue how much harm they did. Ramos is there boy.
And believe me there’s more to come.
But, they are right. Ramos wasn’t the chair.
He was the vice-chair.
Just keep in mind the Third District has a 12 point republican registration advantage over democrats.
Ramos can spend, spend, spend away all he wants. A few finely tuned mailers and he’s done.
He should have ran for congress or against Josie Gonzales.
Lol
Admin is right! The support of the Sun, a liberal rag to be sure, can only illuminate the true colors Mr. Ramos wears. Why in God’s name would a largely conservative district want to elect a bleeding heart liberal to office? Sure SEBA is only out for the deputies and let the good of the people be damned. But let the organized crime supporting, run back to the reservation where he can ignore the standards burdening most of his potential constituents, left wing cretin have a say in county politics? Not!
SabreSix, are you part of James bodyguard team? Or a paid spokeshole who couldn’t on a good day explain away the Mexican mafia presence on the REZ!!!
Or are you going to be the NEW casino boss in Barstow if that project goes through?
Or is your name William Abernathie looking for another job when you finally retire? One Rez to another among blood brothers RIGHT?
Ramos is a big fat (and I mean FAT) slug who doesnt have the brains to do anything except play the role of a professional mexican. He doesnt pay taxes…that is he is a parasite, using the services that WE taxpayers pay for. He gets away with this by calling himself an Indian. Who says the Indians stopped scalping us?
Administrator does not need to defend himself or “his boy”
Be clear, Derry is no one’s “boy” he is his own MAN
And make no mistake, the Sun has more than just a clue!
Keep in mind that an endorsement by The Sun is usually the “kiss of death” to a political campaign.
Yes, from Jim Brulte’s own lips….
Really? Is A Rose By Another Name already anticipating the Sun’s endorsement of Derry, and wants to bring fear to Derry?
me thinks ARose is assuming that with all the casino advertising dollars pumping up the Sun that they are endorsing mon Fuhrer Ramos
The Sun is not a credible paper. It is a local joke.
The Moon has endorsed Ramos and that the voters will see past his “bad side”.
FAT CHANCE of that happening… this brings a whole new meaning to “open government”, if a member of a separate sovereign political body could be the representative for the SBCo. 3rd District masses.
Maybe Chief Ramos owns property/ has an address in the Fifth District that he can use as his domicile, Josie says she’s not going to run again, so Ramos shouldn’t waste his time (and the tribe’s money) and get into a race that he might be able to win! As a replacement to Josie on the BOS, Ramos is a shoe-in (especially if he runs unchallenged).
The Sun is a filthy rag run by an incompetent hack editor who is too stupid, dishonest, venal and corrupt to do anything other than endorse a crook. This rag should and will dry up and blow away and the consortium that owns the rag can blame only Frank Corrupt Pine, Moron Extraordinaire. What a disgrace to journalism.