Monday, June 17, 2013 – 03:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, June 17, 2013 – 10:00 p.m.
The saying “absolute power corrupts absolutely” definitely rings true in San Bernardino County.
An ongoing political finance case, and a new revelation, add to the argument that the 2011 prosecution of Former San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry, on a campaign finance violation, was a politically-motivated attack orchestrated by San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos, a self-proclaimed political enemy.
Right or wrong, Derry, in order to deal a quick end to the matter, pleaded guilty to a campaign finance misdemeanor charge related to misreporting a single $5,000 campaign contribution.
The move essentially handed Derry’s seat to then San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos. Ramos spent more than $1.2 million in the 2012 election, in which he defeated Derry. Ramos is also a staunch ally and close friend of the District Attorney. The two men are unrelated.
A current action by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), one of several more severe violations, exemplifies just how political the Derry prosecution actually was.
Currently, the FPPC is accusing brothers, California State Senator Tom Berryhill (R-Oakdale), and former State Assemblyman Bill Berryhill of laundering more than $40,000 of campaign contributions in 2008. Like several other more egregious cases, no criminal prosecution here. The charges are contained in an administrative complaint before the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Yes, I said $40,000, not $5,000.
You can read the full Berryhill story, published in Saturday’s Sacramento Bee here: FPPC alleges Berryhill brothers laundered campaign cash
The Derry Case
By contrast, in the Derry matter, the San Bernardino County District Attorney, not the FPPC, investigated Derry, over allegations made by a convicted felon. The allegations were that Derry knowingly laundered the aforementioned $5,000 contribution through a political action committee. A committee prosecutors allege is tied to the ongoing Colonies prosecution case.
After completing the investigation, the District Attorney declares a conflict of interest, because Derry had pushed for an investigation into Ramos’ conduct with female staff. The District Attorney then hands off the case to Senior Assistant California Attorney General Gary Schons. Ramos, in a newly-found I’m cleaning up corruption mantra, tells Schons he needs Derry charged, so that he (Derry) could be forced to hand over “information” related to Jim Erwin, his former chief of staff.
Erwin, who has denied any wrongdoing, was at the time, and still remains, a current defendant in the aforementioned Colonies case.
Schons, who has since moved to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, obliged the District Attorney’s request. Without his office conducting any independent investigation at all, and relying entirely on the San Bernardino County investigation, Schons, through Deputy Attorney General Emily Hanks, charged Derry with multiple felony counts related to the single $5,000 contribution. Even though the District Attorney insisted other contributions were involved.
One has to wonder if Schons is a little nervous these days. He (Schons) showed up at oral argument in a prosecution appeal in the Colonies matter. An appeal by prosecutors arising from the dismisaal of core charges in the highly-publicized case, that was heard in October 2012, at 4th District Court of Appeal in Riverside. Long after Schons had left his position at the Attorney General’s Office.
Interestingly, Hanks, like Schons, has since moved on. Her landing spot? The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Judge Doesn’t Buy Charges
After arraignment, Superior Court Judge Michael Dest, who presided over the matter, insists prosecutors to dismiss the felony charges, in exchange Derry would plead guilty to single misdemeanor reporting offense. Dest, at the time, said the felony charges were not justified.
Dest further declares Derry may continue to hold office, and seek reelection.
In the end there was no “information” ever requested of Derry, related to Erwin, by either state or local prosecutors.
The “Pre-Charge” Meeting
What makes the whole ordeal even more interesting is an event that transpired prior to the Derry charges being filed.
A revelation of a Spring 2011 meeting between the District Attorney, Former State Assemblyman Brett Granlund, and now Third District Supervisor James Ramos, at a local Redlands, California restaurant, has now surfaced.
An observer present in the restaurant describes the meeting as cozy and giddy.
The discussions surrounded the District Attorney’s personal knowledge of upcoming charges against Derry, and the effect on Ramos’ bid to run for his (Derry’s) seat. Charges made by way of a criminal complaint that would eventually be personnlay delivered to Derry by Schons himself.
Granlund even went around town telling people Derry was going to be criminally charged.
At the time, Derry didn’t believe what people, especially in Yucaipa, were telling him about Granlund’s revelations. Granlund even had the guts to announce his advance knowledge of the impending charges against Derry to the editor of the Yucaipa Times Mirror community newspaper. Derry was wrong in his assumption. The San Bernardino County District Attorney was working hard to take him out. And he did just that.
Campaign Cash
It should be noted, that in 2011, the District Attorney received $10,000 from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and another $15,000 in 2012.
Charges Dismissed
Last February, a Superior Court Judge ordered Derry’s charges dismissed, and probation terminated. Yes, the charges, so critical in combating alleged corruption in San Bernardino County were dismissed early. The dismissal went against the wishes of the Attorney General’s office, which even submitted a 10-page brief in opposition. However, the Judge was unpursuaded.
The charges have also been expunged.
So much for a conflict of interest and recusal.
Enquiring minds want to know–> Q: How much money was pulled down by current Policy Advisor to BOS Chairwoman Rutherford, Josh W. (aka Repairman), in the run-up to the 2012 election, from the Ramos Bros and the San Manuel Tribe, so that While could conduct a negative and slanderous campaign against the seated Supervisor Neil Derry under the guise of his Crookwatch(dot)com blog site?
I smell a rat (from the OC GOP) named Davey Ellis who surely claims that Josh isn’t the one, and that he is in fact DA Mikey’s real Repairman in San Berdoo doo County politics.
Everybody with a hint of objectivity knows that the Mike Ramos prosecution of Neil Derry was selective and politically motivated, and was calculated to help James Ramos unseat him. Unfortunately for the constituents of the 3rd district, that strategy, fueled by lots of casino money, was successful.
I’m interested in what all those James Ramos supporters, such as “Repairman,” have to say about his performance so far. My concern was that James Ramos was not qualified to be a County Supervisor, and in his first six months in office, I have seen nothing to suggest that I was incorrect. He is certainly taking a low profile. James Ramos supporters, am I missing something?
Observer of Facts
So far we haven’t heard much from Ramos, but he hasn’t been arrested,
He goes to the meetings casts his votes, doesn’t showboat. I think he’s doing alright.
Josh, go tell Janice u r blogging on the taxpayer’s dime again (naughty, naughty)…
Little Stevie blunder
Your just jealous you can’t give your boss a pat on the butt every morning. And I liked Crookwatch(dot)com it was a informative site. You may call it negative and slanderous, I call it honest.
Little Stevie blunder
I can guarantee you, that Janice doesn’t know or care what I do.
Little Stevie blunder
Oh and
“How much money was pulled down by current Policy Advisor to BOS Chairwoman Rutherford, Josh W. (aka Repairman), in the run-up to the 2012 election, from the Ramos Bros and the San Manuel Tribe, so that While could conduct a negative and slanderous campaign against the seated Supervisor Neil Derry ”
I don’t know what josh w. made, but as for me, the Repairman, I did it just for the fun of it.
But If someone would like to pay me, that would be alright too.
Repairman:
You finally agreed several months ago that Neil Derry was never arrested, and I thought you had agreed to not mention Neil Derry when I asked you how James Ramos was doing. You are regressing.
It will be interesting to see how James Ramos responds to the SBIA considering direct flights to Las Vegas, sending potential gaming revenue out of the area.
Observer of Facts
I’m sorry, I don’t remember any such deal. As far as derry is concerned, I think we agreed he turned himself in, before he could get arrested.
The DA and the BOS screwed him. Look at the fucked up appointment of McMahon. Corruption County. We should change our county’s name.
Repairman:
Here is one of my previous responses to one of your comments; all I had to do was cut and paste, kind of like Joe Nelson does:
1) Neil Derry did not get arrested.
2) He was accused of laundering a contribution, not “hiding” it. It was fully reported.
3) It was a single $5,000 contribution, not “contributions.”
4) You should consider becoming a writer for The Sun and Daily Bulletin. Facts are not important there either.
5) A corrupt DA was determined to find something to go after him on, and this was all he could find. Obviously there was not too much to be found.
6) A Superior Court judge saw right through the prosecutions intent, and forced them to dismiss the preposterous felony charges.
7) The DA himself committed a far worse offense, and received a slap on the wrist from the FPPC.
8) This is a textbook case of selective and politically motivated prosecution.
Administrator:
Another interesting parallel is the Santa Clara County Supervisor who the DA charged with five (5) felonies for stealing over $100,000 of county money and gambling it away at casinos.
Compare this to Neil Derry’s actions that resulted in three (3) felony charges from Mike Ramos: allegedly laundering a single fully reported $5,000 campaign contribution.
Repairman:
Here is another of my previous responses to one of your comments:
Neil Derry DID NOT plead guilty to laundering a campaign contribution; check your facts. If he was guilty, why did the AG dismiss the two felony charges?
Here is an article that will refresh you memory as to what really happened:
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20110719-supervisor-derry-takes-plea-deal.ece
The part where James Ramos says he will not use this in the campaign is particularly humorous, given what has actually happened.
The fact it was a politically motivated prosecution, and that others have done far worse and not been charged, does not change the fact that Derry himself pleaded to it. Why did he do that? And if he did admit guilt, what others have done or not done is irrelevant. A crime is a crime. He admitted it. If I steal twenty bucks from a liquor store, I stole it, I can’t complain because someone got away with stealing a hundred.
You have obviously never been wrongfully charged and taken to “court” by the people’s representatives who have limitless pocketbooks filled with taxpayer dollars. Why should Derry Bankrupt himself fighting false charges…
I agree with #13, if he hadn’t done it, he would not have been charged. Period. He would not have had to plead guilty to a plea bargain. He did it to himself, trying to be smart. That’s one of the problems with someone like this, they are dumb enough to think they are smarter then anyone else, that’s where they make their big mistake.
Because dufus, they were not false charges, he even admitted to it.
Unlike you, who I’m sure was absolutely innocent. They just didn’t have anything better to do then to arrest you, then manufacture charges and evidence.
Must have been a slow day in Gotham.
Repairman, just like Janice who took a cash contribution but wasn’t charged, or Josie getting free healthcare from the county hospital, and not being charged….its all been reported here…but of course they they are all friends of Mickey. You are so full of crap.
Observer of Facts #11
1- Your right he turned himself in before getting arrested.
2- He tried to report it, after he was caught, That doesn’t count.
3- That 5000.00 contribution was enough for him to lose the election and end his political career. Hopefully.
4- Like I’ve said before , I’d be more then happy to get paid for this.
5- There was enough to be found to get him a court date.
6- Was it one of the rainbow hill judges? Hoping for a big cigar and a jet ride. Maybe a trip NYC,to go Rolex shopping?
7- To bad he wasn’t dealt with more aggressively.
8- When you just can’t justify or explain your actions, blame anyone, say anything, the more outrageous the more insane the better.
Well this wasn’t cut and paste, but I do my best.
#17 dufus, comparing Derry to Josie does not change the fact he did it and pleaded to it. Apples and Oranges. Josie is a hack, so what? If/when someone has it out for her, she will have to figure it out too. Maybe that is why the Sheriff’s Dept. is stuck with McMahon now, Josie had to push it through for…? Anyway, Derry pleaded to it. Did it make sense to plead to it and save himself the headache and expense? Probably. Realistically. But, Derry opened the door by doing something they probably all do and didn’t realize the tide could turn on him. That is the nature of the game he signed up to play and he should have known the rules. Once he got caught, if he cared about his constituents and felt Ramos was not a good fit, he should have stepped aside. He wasted his donor’s hard earned money running with that baggage.
This is the problem with thinking that one side is “bad” so the other must be “good”. They really all can be “bad” or all can be “good”.
dufus, I’m hurt you would say that about me. But instead of reporting all those crimes here on this web site, you should tell someone in law enforcement. Unless you are saying all law enforcement is corrupt, and their is no one else to tell.
Hey dufus, just out of curiosity, what kind of dufus would name themselves dufus? or did your folks have a major psychic event while naming you.
Honest like the Law Enforcement News, huh Repairdude?
Honesty is the best policy right, unless you’re a dirty politician like the Ramos Bros, (r u 1 of the Tribe too??)
Honestly, all you are doing here is condoning corruption instead of advocating reform… go ahead and press your lips to the public trough call Janice Rutherford’s behind (and kiss Josh’s ass goodnight too, that’s your job now!)
If you’re not Josh, you must be the crook that Josh was distracting everyone from in the first place, everybody’s favorite A$$e$$or on Crack, Billy Bob Postmount (DA Mikey’s favorite “boy toy” of an informant).
Yo’ Repairdude, did you wear a wire-up-yo’-ass for DA Mikey too???
Hey little stevie blunderdude
Can’t put nothen by you can I? Now how is it exactly that I’m condoning corruption? And why are you calling Ramos a liar? what has he lied about? or are you just running your mouth, trying to act like you know something, instead of knowing nothing. And by the way, the new eavesdropping devices don’t need wires. Sorry about that I could tell how excited you were to get your hands on that piece of wire.
ANYONE noticed how COCKY JW has become since he got his job with Janice?
Just compare his commentary before he got hired, to the last few days.
AMAZING JW has grown some NUTS since Janice took him under her wing!!!!
AT 24, weighing a buck fifty, he has become a RAMBO overnight.
Kenny, kenny, kenny, That’s not ramos your smelling through the key board, it’s your old lady. And if you are going to accuse someone of being dumb, at least spell it right, because when you don’t, it’s like pot calling the kettle black.
Hey kenny, your stupid is showing. If you have the balls, come to my office tomorrow I’ll tell you what I think of you to your face. Becoming a Rambo overnight is better then being born an A-hole like yourself.
Observer of Facts #13
They dismissed the two felonies as part of his plea bargain. The first paragraph said it spared him jail time.
Your office address is?
This is never going to end until Mikey himself is behind bars, broke from civil law suites or effected by one of his many infected flings. Even if you work for him, you know it’s coming. Say no more. Oh, where’s the popcorn?
ACU, JW is a puss. He talks crap but will run or tell Janice the bitch to call the police if he sees you. Janice will never get elected to anything else. She is done.
Repairman:
Regarding your contention in comment #19 that that Neil Derry “tried to report it, after he was caught,” please check the facts. I believe that the $5,000 contribution was fully reported prior to the charges being filed.
Perhaps you are confusing it with the $10,000 in campaign funds that Mike Ramos diverted to his wife?
I find it interesting that this action only warranted a fine, but Neil Derry’s action warranted felony charges. My explanation is selective prosecution; what’s yours?
AntiCorruptionUnit
So What’s the matter kenny is it you don’t have the ball’s, or is it you don’t have brains enough to find my county office. Your Pitiful.
Observer of Facts #33
I’ll take your word on the timing of events. Political or not I think we should start taking a zero tolerance policy on our politicians.
As far as I’m concerned ramos should have been prosecuted as well. Maybe if some of these guys start go to jail, maybe they would think twice before they swindle the taxpayers of SBC.
Simple question JW.
Your obviously not paying attention to the other blog you so often look at to see if anyone is talking about Uncle James.
If you were, you would see I have already showed up more than once to face off with a Sheriff’s Captain about his misdeeds.
So your address was?
ACU, you see what I mean. JW is a puss, he probably pissed his pants when you asked for his address…Janice is in big trouble bringing this moron on her staff. She was already a loser, now she is gone!!!
AntiCorruptionUnit
kenny, you say “I have already showed up more than once to face off with a Sheriff’s Captain about his misdeeds.”
I say, so what pussy.
AntiCorruptionUnit
kenny I can see by your # 36 comment, you don’t have the balls or the brains. Maybe if I put out some free donuts you could find me.
5th Floor County Government Center is the donutt’n capital of SoCal.
Little Stevie Wonder
Your gonna have to be more specific when it comes to kenny.
Little Stevie blunder
You seem to be as dialed in as kenny. Good luck with that.
Ok Joshua, I can see your not the real deal.
It’s obvious your on the ropes and don’t know what to do.
Go consult with Dennis Jr, come up with a plan and let me know.
In the meantime you and OoF continue on with your discourse about Neal Derry.
AntiCorruptionUnit
What a pitiful little chicken crap pussy you are. kenny the antiballsunit. But I’m sure if I was handcuffed in the back of your patrol car you’d have all the balls in the world, a real big man. For someone always talking about balls you have none. You might as well be a choir boy.
Hey, hows that pig of yours? Pussy.
Oh and kenny, quit calling me Joshua. It makes your stupid stand out.
The whole point to this story is that Derry came into office professing reform, climbed into bed with crooks and was out maneuvered by his foe. In other words, he is a political clutz. Now he and his band of klan members are crying over spilt milk. I hate to break the bad news to you, but the damage is done. Once you blow off your own feet they will not grow back.
Derry: stay out of politics, it’s just not a good fit for you
Inland politics: find another (grand wizard) poster boy.
Love Billy:
Regarding politics not being a “good fit” for Neil Derry, I respectfully disagree. I have been following county politics for over 40 years, and I have never seen a supervisor who looked out for the interests of his constituents more. How many times has James Ramos been out to Barstow or 29 Palms so far during his tenure?
It’s too bad that Mike Ramos ploy worked, but look for Mr. Derry to resurface. I predict he will still be active in County politics long after the Mike Ramos tenure ends and becomes an unpleasant memory.
address?
Anonymous
Address to what big A?
OOF #47…………….Looks to me like he alienated more constituents then he actually looked after. The proof is in the pudding and the pudding was not sweet enough. For an incumbent to get trounced speaks volumes about his performance and yes he was trounced. sure you can moan and groan about Ramos spending over a million, but nothing equals the momentum of an incumbent who has done a good job and has looked out for ALL his constituents. I’m afraid Love Billy is right, Derry blew his feet off. If he wants so badly to be in politics his best move is to distance himself from the Inland Politics crowd (i.e. the people who run this site)and he should start from scratch. Any bellyaching about the past is only luggage that is going to hold him down.
Repairman:
Regarding comment # 50, I have to say that I was surprised how badly Neil Derry got “trounced,” but I underestimated the effect of the Mike Ramos prosecution. I also underestimated the effect of all that casino money and a local media beholden to it.
It would be interesting to know how many of those who voted for James Ramos did so because they felt he was the best qualified candidate.
Anyway, that’s ancient history. Six months into his tenure, is James Ramos living up to his campaign promises? Is he doing anything to create jobs?
OOF………Considering that county economics are largely dependent on the status of the LA economy, is it really appropriate to lay the employment burden on the shoulders of Ramos? If so then it should be remembered that the SB economy and employment imploded under Derry’s tenure. What did he do to improve employment?
52- wha did YOU do to improve employment?
Anon#53……treded water like every other person. Hopefully you can recognize how ludicrous your question is considering the article above revolves around Derry and not some anonymous person in a peanut gallery.
One thing’s for sure, DA Mikey did his part to improve employment opportunity on the BOS for a certain unrelated millionaire casino owner of the same last name… Ramos Bros win!
Anonymous #52:
My comment related to what James Ramos said he would do if elected.
If you look back at his campaign, you will see that he said that he would focus on bringing new jobs to his district.
I thought that was silly campaign rhetoric at the time, and your comment has ratified that theory.
OOF #56 The funny thing is that Derry was using the same rhetoric. So you have two candidates using the same rhetoric, however the incumbent has an entire economy that has crumbled under his tenure, not to mention getting caught up in his own campaign finance scandal, and then taking a racist approach at trying to be re-elected by alienating the majority of constituents through the use of Klan talk in his campaign. This was not a hard one to call. Like I said in another post, if he wants to stay in politics he should start from scratch. Any time he brings up his past legal situation he will damage his own credibility and look like he is crying over spilled milk. No one likes a whiner.
BTW, he is the one with a degree in political science, he should know this already. Derry must have slept through his classes.
Actually, Derry was never running on “creating jobs.” That was all Ramos, if you were even paying attention. And what kind of racist rhetoric are you referring to? You must be referring to the fact that organized crime operates on the reservation to this day? The only racism was on the Ramos side, constantly referring to his heritage in an effort to create sympathy.
Anonymous #59
Your right derry, wasn’t running on creating jobs, was running on denial of his past record, and him being on probation at the time didn’t help.
The republicans like to say that government can’t create jobs, only job creators in the privet sector can do that, and aside from public works projects, I believe that’s pretty much true. What the government can do is make an environment inside their fiefdom, where a business can feel secure enough to invest their money with the thought of staying and growing their business’s, in said fiefdom. I think what Ramos brings is a bit of hope that this corruption laden BOS maybe about gone, the corruption is clearing, and that their business’s won’t be shaken down as the colony boy’s claim theirs was.
No matter what you say about Ramos’s restaurants and other business’s
he has created more privet sector jobs in San Bernadino than derry’s one house rental business ever will . At least he’s trying, he’s a vary wealthy man, he really doesn’t have to do anything.
Oh repairman, you are ripe! Ramos who voted against jobs in Joshua Tree but was steamrolled by the rest of the Board when they approved a convenience store? Ramos who is singlehandedly trying to stop solar projects in the desert? Ramos has sucked the life out of San Bernardino with his casino. If allowed too, he will do the same to the County. He is just a vampire looking for his next victim, just like the electronics store guy in SB.
Hey Repairman, as someone else has been saying about corrupt Mike Ramos……tic, tic, tic…to his doom and Derry’s resurrection politically. If you weren’t worried about it you wouldn’t be here commenting and trying to defend a vacuous blowhard who clearly doesn’t know what he is doing.
James Ramos: “SLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP”
San Bernardino: Bankruptcy!
It seems like every time I ask James Ramos supporters how he is doing as a County Supervisor and if he is living up to his campaign promises, he or she responds by attacking Neil Derry.
In the above six comments alone, we have responses that suggest that Neil Derry took a “racist approach” in his campaign and “slept through” some of his college classes. We also have Repairman reminding us for at least the 10th time that he was “on probation.”
Is there a James Ramos supporter out there who can respond to the question without bringing up Neil Derry?
Another one for him? Mr. “we need to market SB airport better, duh, slurrrp, uh that sounds good right Phil.”
Oh my God James, Take the straw out of San Bernardino’s neck!!!
“Duh, slurp, they aren’t dead yet are they?”
Hey Repairwoos: Tell it to Dollar General and the solar power plant manufacturers that James gave the finger too…..jobs? Don’t think so.
Hi Anonymous
If Mike Ramos has really done all you and other people think he has done, well,
good. Wrong doers should face justice. I wish you luck, because I personally don’t think that will happen. I keep seeing this Tic,Tic,Tic,Tic., And I keep seeing this big news soon. B.S. What we’re really seeing is desperation.
“Derry’s resurrection politically” derry, brulte, rove, if this truly is the best the republicans have to offer, their doomed. And that’s to bad, because at one point it really was a Grand Old Party. The republicans need to learn that
racing backward will not take us forward. Until they do, and unless they start right away, they’ll be nothing more than a footnote, a footnote with sarah palin’s picture on top, sooner than anyone would think.
Oh and that ” vacuous blowhard who clearly doesn’t know what he is doing.”
He whupped your boy.
You know Anonymous, sometimes the finger IS the proper response.
Anon, u beat me to it… if Repairman isn’t Janice’s new Policy Advisor, it’s Ramos’ Chief-o-Slouch Paule.
How does Mikey like Life (not cereal) now… so how many unqualified informants does it take on the BOS staff and being paid by taxpayer money to help DA Mikey and the Stupidvisors SQUASH A SCANDAL?
But then again, this is HOW THE RAMOS BROS ROLL!
Repairman, do you care to comment on WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH with the below message (really, u r using a .com address for your official County business?) and not doing your job for the public (must be TOO BUSY BLOGGING INSTEAD??)
“I will work on getting something scheduled
In the future please send this type of request to
Philip.paule@bos.sbcounty.com so it comes directly to me”
From: Captain America
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2013 12:40 PM
To: Paule, Philip
Cc: Mejia, Tony; Supervisor Ramos; Miller, Nathan
Subject: Follow-up to MACA Mtg. w/ 3rd District staff
Dear Mr Paule (Philip): Is it time to have another meeting with your office to discuss progress by the MACA, and hopefully by the County, on the concerns that have been identified for the Mentone community?
I know when we met with you and Tony in February, that you had suggested quarterly meetings between the 3rd District staff and the officers of the MACA.
We have been having great difficulty in trying to schedule the proposed “town hall” meeting with Supervisor Ramos, to introduce the new Supervisor in the community, which was originally planned for May at the Mill Creek Cattle Company.
Anyway, I am still hopeful that the spirit of cooperation between the new Supervisor’s office and the MACA, as I thought occurred with our February meeting, can continue in the future (the ball is in your court).
Finally, the MACA has been instructed by County employees staffing the Mentone Senior Center/ Library that our monthly meeting could no longer be held at the facility.
A number of elderly community members have even expressed their displeasure with this unreasonable decision, directly to the County staff that informed the MACA of the restricted use of the facility, which is now affecting our operations.
I would request that your office intervene in this matter, as the Senior Center public facility is a community meeting place, where with past meetings, the MACA has been successful in attracting representatives from the County Sheriff’s Dept., County Fire, CHP and in the past, a representative from the 3rd District Supervisor’s Office.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Funny, he spent nearly $1.5 million he will never be able tor raise again…and now he is just another of Devereaux’s bitches…and he is still an imbecile who can barely finish a sentence. Kind of like a really dumb Joe Baca..haha
I think they all suck. Not much difference between them, Dems and Republicans, and while we all sit and argue, they laugh all the way to the bank. The problem with Derry is he pled, plain and simple. Even the most simple of the populace will say “hey, he pled to it”.
Another Anonymous:
Regarding comment #73, Neil Derry’s plea may not have been the best strategic move. But if he had not plead, he would have had felony charges hanging over his head during the campaign.
Either way, Mike Ramos selective prosecution would have achieved its objective.
Observer of Facts,
how those actions are going to “attract business to the county’” would showing that corruption will not be tolerated.
Anon#59….Actually Derry did mention job creation. Did you sleep through the last election? Of course that was not the main focus of his campaign because the main focus was having his subordinates push the Mafia, ani Indian, gangster, casino boss, e-verify, illegal alien rhetoric and what was the end result? A big fat loss and the above whining article claiming he was stabbed in the back…..BTW, That’s some cool art work
Oof, He would have had a better chance in the “campaign”, in other words, “election”, had he fought the “selective prosecution”. Seriously, he could have accused Mike Ramos of “selective prosecution” during the election. God knows the ammunition is out there… Maybe he should have painted the picture for the haggard electorate… Let’s face it, since he has been on the inside of the BOS for an amount of time, he has a tale to tell. If he was clean, he could have told that tale, and with an engaged grass roots efforts, he could very well have been successful with the electorate. He could have upset the whole apple cart. He did not.
Repairman:
Regarding Comment # 76, I disagree.
In my opinion, “those actions” show that if you chose to do business in San Bernardino county, you better cower down to elected officials and bureaucrats, and what will happen if you have the audacity to fight back. That discourages business rather than attracts it.
If the Superior Court or Appellate Court had ruled in favor of the county, I might feel differently. However, they didn’t and I don’t.
OOF…..I wouldn’t worry too much about what Ramos has done. The fact of the matter is that the economy is turning around in many of the major hubs of the country and eventually that will trickle down to San Bernardino county. When this happens Mr Ramos will be golden. This only underscores the point I was initially trying to make, that being that these circumstances are beyond the grasp and repair of any supervisor or county official. All they can really do is surf the economic tides and try to not look bad doing it. This is the difference where Derry is concerned, he ate sand on the first small wave he caught. In any case, the moral of the story is appearances. Voters want politicians that are going to be strong. They don’t want individuals that were victimized and then go around moaning about it. How is the victim going to protect anybody if he can’t protect himself? At this point it just smacks of sour grapes on his part and he will not get re-elected to anything of any significance so long as he surrounds himself with the current group that got him into this mess to begin with.
James Ramos said during his campaign that he would focus on bringing new jobs to his district. He has been in office for six months. What steps has he taken to bring new jobs to his district?
Can any James Ramos supporter answer this simple question?
Observer of Facts
It’ll be interesting to hear what the State Supreme Court thinks about it. But I doubt it would change your mind. You’ve got a lot invested.
Observer of Facts
Your absolutely right, but that decision will be a big one, for everyone involved.
Will the defendants be going home with sweaty palms and a pit in their stomachs.
Or will the prosecutors be going home with their heads down, and their tails between their legs?
Either way there will be a winner and there will be a loser.
Silence is golden…
#92, “they may have been “buddies” with Mike Ramos at one time, but that time is long gone”. Well, obviously, and that is the point. They all play nice together until one has a reason to turn on another and then all bets are off. It is like Junior High School when someone is suddenly thrown out of the popular group and they were so cocky they never saw it coming. It’s a shark tank and once in a while someone gets eaten. Derry got eaten. If he really cared about the system and his County and his contituents he would have ratted them all out and called them on it. But he did not. He rolled over, pleaded and then whined. He should have immediately cried foul. My guess is he couldn’t have, he was in as deep as they all are.
Anonymous # 93:
In this comment you claim that if Neil Derry “really cared about the system and his County and his constituents he would have ratted them all out and called them on it. But he did not.”
Check the facts, and I believe that you will find that Mr. Derry said very publically and very early on that this was a politically motivated prosecution by a “corrupt District Attorney.” In my opinion, he “called them on it” loudly and clearly.
As far as his “rolling over,” he has stated on the record many times why he accepted the deal where Judge Dest forced the prosecution to dismiss the preposterous felony charges. It does not bear repeating again here, but you can look it up. You may change your mind about him “rolling over.”
Yes I do think he would have had the opportunity in court to do that. I am sure some issue would have been denied, maybe not. We will NEVER know.
NO OoF, when a Defendant DEMANDS a jury trial in 60 days the DA CANNOT DELAY it.
And no I don’t buy this it takes time to get ALL the facts gathered up to fight the case. What that means is you and your attorney have some LONG days ahead of you or night, or both.
But if you waive once, it ALWAYS seems to continue on and on. With all due respect, I think many of you fine folks MISS the point on who controls who’s destiny.
Most of the time things go on and on because the defendant does not tell his attorney NO, handle your business. Or the defendant has NO IDEA what’s really going on and simply follows his attorney’s advise no matter what the attorney says.
It is what it is OoF, bringing up Derry with ALL this other stuff going on around here is SMALL potatoes.
If Neil Derry had hooked up with Travis Bauer he might have learned something about handling your business.
Of course that case does not deal with Ramos, but it’s very much part of the corruption that goes on around here.
Sanctions can be imposed for dragging your
feet on discovery.
We’re those sanctions demanded? Was the
Judge part of the problem or the solution?
Did the defendants attorney scream and holler?
OoF to comment number 6 if the defendant or
his attorney allow it, especially after the
DA announces the People are READY.
Ready means exactly what it means.
Stevie…Thats all well said,except for the fact that one of the higher ups wife in the regional FBI office works directly for ramos.bet that makes pillow talk interesting.
Thanks TruthSeeker, regional is Riv. office?
Been told before that DA Mikey and the head are good buddies.
Hear that there is now an office in SB (on 3rd)?
So Mike Ramos is buddies with a higher up at the regional FBI and his wife works for him… There really is no hope is there? Our government is so incestuous it it disgusting.
So TruthseekerSBC, what is your personal view on the upcoming events scheduled for July 9th in Federal court?
AntiCorruptionUnit:
As I understand Comment # 102, you are claiming that the “People” can announce they are ready for trial, even though they have refused to comply with their duty to provide discovery to the defendant. That makes no sense, and it were true, what prudent defendant would “allow it?”
Sorry, no sale here. Based on their actions in other selective and politically motivated prosecutions, I remain 100% convinced that the prosecution would have stonewalled the trial in the Neil Derry prosecution until after the election.
Well OoF I suggest you attend an upcoming
trial and learn some good stuff first hand.
July 9, in Riverside.
#108, Oof, Derry lost anyway, possibly because he pleaded. Wouldn’t it have better for him in the eyes of the voters if he was fighting charges instead of pleading to them? He would have looked like a fighter and might have used it to his advantage. People probably figured if he pleaded, there was something there. We all know some of our politicians are corrupt, but when they admit it how are we to vote for them? Seriously, you do not seem like an observer of facts, but someone quite biased actually.
Anonymous #110:
I have my opinions, but try to base them on the facts.
For example, in my opinion, Mike Ramos is a corrupt District Attorney, and one of the reasons is his track record of selective and politically motivated prosecutions. The Neil Derry’s prosecution is one example: how can an honest and unbiased DA charge somebody with two felonies for allegedly laundering a single fully reported $5,000 campaign contribution, when he himself only received a FPPC fine for diverting $10,000 of his own campaign contributions to his wife?
Perhaps it would have been better for Mr. Derry not to have accepted the deal that required to prosecution to dismiss the felony chargers. However, if he had not done so, there is no doubt in my mind that James Ramos would have mentioned throughout the campaign that his opponent was charged with 2 felonies. Either way, Mike Ramos would have achieved his objective.
AntiCorruptionUnit:
What trial is taking place July 9th in Riverside?
Civil Rights case of a Deputy Sheriff. Sheriff John McMahon is one of the star defendants. He faces many accusations along with some of his cronies,
I thought you might like to attend and see first hand the many things we have discussed in this blog and others over the last couple years, about what goes on in this county.
I do believe it will be a mudslinger of a case. But it will be the Deputy throwing it, NOT Sheriff McMahon.