Michael Selyem, the lead hard-core gang prosecutor in the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, is under internal investigation for a series of offensive posts on social media accounts that have now been deleted. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Sun/SCNG)
By Teri Sforza | tsforza@scng.com and Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | Orange County Register
Published: July 6, 2018 at 5:59 pm | Updated: July 6, 2018 at 6:04 pm
The lead hard-core gang prosecutor in the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is under investigation for a series of offensive rants on social media, triggering demands for his dismissal.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Selyem, who joined the D.A.’s Office 12 years ago, targeted outspoken U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, former first lady Michelle Obama, Mexican immigrants and the victim of a police shooting in Facebook and Instagram posts labeled by one critic as “hateful rhetoric.”
Of Waters, Selyem said: “Being a loud-mouthed c#nt in the ghetto you would think someone would have shot this bitch by now …”
In an online argument with someone over the police shooting of a civilian, Selyem wrote, “That s—bag got exactly what he deserved. … You reap what you sow. And by the way go f— yourself you liberal s—bag.”
It was unclear which police shooting Selyem was referencing, and whether or not it was an open case in San Bernardino County or had occurred elsewhere.
Selyem also posted a doctored picture of Michelle Obama holding a sign saying, “Trump grabbed my penis.”
Selyem, a 50-year-old resident of Placentia, is the lead attorney in a unit tasked with cracking down on criminal gang activity that surged as members moved inland from Los Angeles County in search of more affordable housing. Many of those gangs are predominantly Latino. One of Selyem’s posts showed a man in a giant sombrero with the words, “Mexican word of the day: Hide.”
Internal complaint made June 25
The District Attorney’s Office has been aware of the posts since June 25, when someone in the office complained. Since then, Selyem has been the subject of an internal investigation, sources said.
Selyem hung up on a reporter when reached by phone. He did not return calls and emails seeking comment on the posts that appeared under his name. Both his Facebook and Instagram accounts have been deleted.
In a statement Friday, outgoing District Attorney Mike Ramos said: “We have been made aware of the negative comments and they do not represent the views of the District Attorney’s Office. Since this is a personnel matter I cannot comment any further.”
District attorney’s spokesman Chris Lee would not say whether the office has an official policy on social media postings, or, if not, whether it is now considering implementing such a policy.
‘Ugly viewpoints’
Some already have called for Selyem’s termination, saying the posts were not only offensive, unprofessional and beneath the dignity of a public prosecutor, but that anyone who publicly espouses such sentiments cannot impartially administer justice.
“It is disgusting that a public official sworn to protect the public would have these ugly viewpoints,” said Zeke Hernandez, president of the Santa Ana League of United Latin American Citizens No. 147. “The district attorney needs to take any and all appropriate action to let the public know that it does not agree with Selyem’s hateful rhetoric.”
That includes Selyem’s dismissal, Hernandez said.
To read expanded article, click here.
He should be fired…he’s unhinged, a real danger to our community. I think he may be mentally ill.
Take your politically correct BS elsewhere parasite.
You are a hater with no credibility. No wonder our county is corrupt and behind the times. Shame on you.
And you are the anonymous socialist dirtbag who pollutes the website with your progressive cancer. You are a parasite.
Such name calling..guess some guys never get past the playground. How pathetic.
I agree. This guy has issues. Anyone working in a position such as his should know better. Mental issues may be a factor.
…
I think it’s hilarious that the SCNG jumps on a prosecuting attorney whose reputation is solid over some caustic FB posts, but completely ignores Mad Maxine who is an elected member of congress right here in Southern California and having press conferences about how Democrats should attack republicans in public.
Most mass shootings are by angry white men. He’s very angry guy.if I worked with him II would want a bullet proof vest. There’s a place for him;it’s called WRd B.
He sounds like a BAD HOMBRE
I work in the DA’s Office as a DDA. He is actually a nice guy. I have never heard anyone say anything negative about him. He gets along well with everyone. He has been a DDA in our office for 12 years. He graduated from UCLA Law School. He was a cop in Orange County for about 10 years before going to law school.
Still crazy after all these years
@11. He’s nice? To whom? Apparently someone in the DAs office felt otherwise. It usually takes a lot to get someone to complain about a co-worker so my guess is he has been expressing his vile opinions to other e mployees. You may be in his good graces but what about others..? All this venom must go somewhere, what did No he!or Obama do to him to make him hate her? I think this an is bipolar and I don’t care if he went to UCLA.
S nutcase is still a nutcase even if he graduated numbedone. He ok we in Orange County but he gives our county a b ad name. He needs to go.
This is just my impression, and I don’t have much to go on here beyond the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup, but I think alcohol might have something to do with this debacle.
If the guy is disciplined I hope he fights it all the way.
Having a boss like Mike Ramos do a News Conferance coupled with his LONG standing ON and OFF DUTY misdeeds which includes alcohol related issues, is RIPE for a disparate treatment defense among several issues.
This mans comments related to Maxine Waters is what many think of this race baiting self serving crook of a politician.
But the bottom line let Mike Ramos and his Executive minions explain the STANDARDS of conduct before a Civil Service hearing officer or Judge. Let’s make that a public hearing.
A good attorney would enjoy cross examining the great Mike Ramos on issues of ethical behavior.
The anonymous outrage is again laughable as it always has been.
Crazy Ken at it again
#16 – Truth hurts, so kill the messenger.
Really? The ACLU is out for this guys head for speaking his mind? Hypocrisy abounds. This guy said what 80% of Americans would say about Mad Maxine. She is a nut.
BTW, he is also a union member and has civil service protection. Good Luck getting him fired…LMFAO
Think again…at the least he’ll get freeway therapy
Which is better, Barstow or Joshua Tree
Womp, womp for him
@19. We all know the attorney’s union is useless as hell, but, civil service is civil service. He will be fine. Mike Ramos is the one that stepped on his crank…
I am getting a great laugh from all of Selyem’s defenders here, who, evidenced by their comments are every bit as racist and misogynistic as Selyem. And this, of course, is no surprise because we are talking about the Inland Empire, where the vast majority are chest-thumping wingnut racists and sexists, especially in law enforcement and government. And those in power who see this and do not speak out against it are a bunch of gutless cowards who care more about not rocking the boat and bolstering their own power and political clout by sucking up to others who line their pockets and support them. District Attorney Mike Ramos is a perfect example of this, along with Sheriff “flat top cracker” McMahon and the entire Board of Supervisors. They are all just as bad and every bit as guilty as Selyem. My prediction: Selyem will be promoted. Hopefully the state Bar will see differently, because in San Bernardino County, this kind of conduct is rewarded and embraced by all its neanderthal, knuckle-dragging leaders and their lowly evolved residents and compatriots.
Selyem:
“I’m all for white immigrants coming to this country” (Because if it ain’t white, it ain’t right – right?)
“I’m surprised that loud-mouth bitch cunt from the ghetto hasn’t been shot yet.” (Yep, no racism, generalizations, misogyny and hints at inciting violence there).
“Mexican word of the day: Hide” (But I’m sure Selyem has Meixcan friends and loves tacos with all those margaritas he drinks).
You might be from the Inland Empire and work for local law enforcement if:
1) Your family tree doesn’t fork
2) Your parents had white sheets and pillow cases they wore instead of used as bedding
3) You take the occasional liberty to rape your spouse and let off a little steam by smacking her around every now and then
4) You are a card-carrying member of the John Birch Society, NRA and KKK
5) You have ever been screened by a psychiatrist or psychologist for bi-polar disorder or other mental disorders
Go Selyem, and go San Bernardino County!
I find it funny that people deny that he has free speech rights away from work…LOL
Most Americans find Maxine Waters to be a complete joke.
Most Americans are tired of immigration from poor, uneducated and yes brown countries infiltrating our country to abuse its resources, education system, welfare system, and healthcare.
It really isn’t that hard to watch what is happening in California to lament that our nation is importing large swaths of dumb, illegal alien, uneducated, unskilled poor people just so the democrat party can continue to survive, because they want to keep people poor and stupid and in-line.
So hey, keep up the stupidity Ranting Raul….LMFAO
Raul, another racist minority trying to achieve what they cant do based on merit. Parasites.
Stop avoiding the topic and ranting on and on about Waters and immigration issues in the U.S. You’re very good at skirting the real issue here, so try and stay on topic, if you are intellectually capable of doing so.
Sure, Selyem has the right to free speech on his personal time, so long as he does not reveal himself in public forums to be:
A) A racist
B) A misogynist
C) Prone to inciting violence
See, what you and all the other Selyem defenders fail to see, or I should say what you actually refuse to acknowledge, is that Selyem is not an “ordinary citizen.” Selyem is a member of law enforcement – sworn to uphold justice fairly and impartially. He is held to much higher standards of personal and professional conduct, inside and outside the walls of the DA’s Office and the courts. He is expected to show absolute temperance – self control, self restraint – at all times. I believe there are documented ethical standards of conduct, correct? No? If Selyem goes on vacation, goes to a bar, has a few too many drinks (which appears to be a lifestyle, judging from his posts)and gets into a fist fight or calls the Hispanic bartendar a “wetback cunt” and it gets out to the public, guess what? It’s going to be news. That doesn’t happen with any other John or Jane Doe taxpayer.
Being a racist and misogynist in a county where more than half its criminal defendants are Hispanic and African American automatically disqualifies Selyem from being a “sworn member of law enforcement” and a gang prosecutor. Disregard this truism all you want, and you will still be 100% flat out wrong and will only continue publicly displaying your ignorance and racism. But hey, I’m sure you and all the other good ole boys in this forum supporting Selyem pride yourselves on that. Selyem has absolutely NO credibility as a prosecutor now and forevermore.
But avoid the crux of the problem all you want and go back to spouting your weak, pointless arguments about the evils of Maxine Waters, the Dems and immigration, despite that not even being what this issue is really about.
Talk about stupidity: I have not heard ONE intelligent argument in support of Selyem in this forum yet. Just a bunch of chest-thumping wingnut gorillas. And you know why? It’s because an intelligent argument cannot be made in support of Selyem, because Selyem was wrong and should be fired. So, we get a bunch of comments and opinions grounded in ignorance and racism. Selyem is in great company at inlandpolitics.com
Come on with it now. Call me a “lowly, despicable, Maxine Waters-loving progressive Dem minority” who is all for socialism and the ruin of this country and everything great it stands for. I know that is as far as you can take this argument and all your mental capacity allows. LMAO!
Be should plan on working in Joshua Tree if he keeps his job. Womp,womp
For him. Good riddance.
Funny how Jessie “Hymie town” Jackson is cool with Raul…..lol
@RantingRaul. Sheriff”Flat top cracker”. Now there’s an original one. You are almost as good as the dipshit DA when it comes to talking shit. lol.
I am trying to think of a few good things these racist minorities have done for the country.
Perhaps the problem is that you don’t know how to think
@31.Anonymous: LMFAO! Thinking would actually cause migraines and heads to explode in this racist cesspool.
@ChrisfromtheHighDesert: Well, if the shitkicker shoe fits . . .
But I have to admit that my “flat top cracker” dig was nowhere near as clever and imaginative as your “dipshit DA” quip. I can only dare to dream.
@33 so true. Mindless people support this hateful human being.
I hope he’s sweating right now. He deserves to suffer
Womp womp