Sunday, July 1, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.

One shoe has finally dropped in the long-running saga over Victorville’s finances.

On Friday, the San Bernardino County Grand Jury issued a scathing report on its findings that politicos and bureaucrats, past and present, plundered the city’s coffers in order to aid certain benefactors.

In other words, all the rules went out the door.

The report is only one prong, in what is to come, and likely the softest of the bad news.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have separate investigations ongoing.

Both federal entities will bring the big hammer to this party.

Sources say those involved are nervous. They should be!

Taking a city near bankruptcy should make anyone worry.

All involved were punch drunk to approve any get rich quick scheme placed in front of them.

I can even recall three Victorville council members and a wealthy businessman arriving at a fundraiser for County Supervisor Josie Gonzales at the Sante Fe Depot in 2006.

They rode together in a limo.

Of course, I’m sure no business was discussed in that ride down the hill.

Yeah right!

One can easily expect federal civil charges at a minimum in this debacle. But criminal isn’t a far stretch.