Well over a week has passed since the Santa Clara County DA served a search warrant on Sheriff Laurie Smith’s Younger Avenue HQ. Officially, few details have been confirmed beyond what we gleaned at the outset: that the probe has something to do with Smith’s command staff, the way concealed-carry permits are issued and a suspicious political contribution to an independent expenditure committee.
Considering how many times Smith been scrutinized for concealed-gun permits over the years, it would be pretty shocking if she, or anyone close to her, was dumb enough to offer some kind of quid pro quo for the privilege of secretly packing heat.
DA Jeff Rosen, who boasts perennially high conviction rates, must have some basis other than their deteriorating relationship to target the county’s top cop.
A review of the 100-or-so permit-holders in this county as of December 2018 shows that most seem to have a reasonable argument to arm themselves. Judges, private eyes and, ironically in this case, prosecutors are well-represented on the list. Some on the roster donated money to support the sheriff’s re-election, albeit years—in some cases decades—after they first obtained a concealed-carry right.
But what of this Martin Nielsen, a veteran bodyguard for an executive protection firm called AS Solution, whose name surfaced because of a $45,000 donation he made last year to a pro-Smith committee? Was he expecting—or was he promised—something in return for the conspicuously generous contribution?
What we do know is that Nielsen represents an industry that’s booming in Silicon Valley, a region where CCWs are notoriously hard to come by. While incidents like last year’s shooting at the YouTube campus have heightened demand for armed security, Silicon Valley, as AS Solution CEO Christian West pointed out in a 2018 blog post, “is known for a lot of things, but not a pro-gun culture.”
Sources familiar with the company Nielsen works for, AS Solution, say the firm counts Google’s Sergey Brin and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg among its clients. Could it be that pressure to maintain and attract that kind of A-list patronage prompted some kind of dubious pact?
Officials at AS Solution say they’re looking for answers, too.
In a statement provided to Fly, the company said: “AS Solution is cooperating fully with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and we have launched our own internal investigation into this matter. AS Solution employees are required to obey the laws, rules and regulations of all countries where we conduct business, and any allegations of improper conduct by employees are treated very seriously. We will take appropriate action based on the outcome of our investigation.”
“…..it would be pretty shocking if she, or anyone close to her, was dumb enough to offer some kind of quid pro quo….” You clearly haven’t met Laurie Smith or her administration!
Yes, DA Jeff Rosen has a personal and political motive for this probe: To DEFLECT attention from his own 2018 campaign contributions and mismanagement of the county’s sate and federal grants earmarked for the county’s crime victims.
Mr. Rosen was alerted that the media was investigating public corruption in his office after a records request to the county revealed that the DAO had provided Stanford University Professor Michele Dauber staffing and resources as crime victims were told the DAO had nothing to give them. Thousands of emails and records released in March 2019 indicate Rosen not only violated campaign election laws for his own 2018 re-election, he also mismanaged public funds to essentially rig the Persky Recall.
Rosen also knew that the First Amendment Coalition’s 2019 records request revealed 30 cases of sexual misconduct involving DAO staff, including allegations that Saher Stephan , the county’s Victim Claims Manager, was engaged in an improper sexual relationship with a subordinate who was an immigrant the DA used to exhibit ethnic diversity in the office.
Mr. Rosen is a crook. Too many local news agencies have given him a free pass. Let us not forget that in the first year he held office he was investigated for misusing public funds by giving overtime kickbacks to his favored staff. Taxpayers and voters have been victimized by Rosen , and Mr. Rosen knows that doors are open on his improper governmental activity – take a look inside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9weV387yRGc
NOTE: Mr. Rosen signed a declaration claiming he is having taxpayers pay for TWO bodyguards to protect him from my questions in the county buildings.
Really time for the impotent county Supervisors to step up and manage the infighting and factions in both the DA and Sheriffs office. Sitting by as he DA continues his personal catfight with Sheriff Smith while ignoring serious police misconduct in the San Jose Police Department, Los Gatos PD and Gilroy PD not only serves to rob tax payers, it violates public trust and confidence in our local government and law enforcement agencies.
#DaveCortese #SusanEllenberg #MikeWasserman #CindyChavez #JoeSmitian
> Mr. Rosen was alerted that the media was investigating public corruption in his office after a records request to the county revealed that the DAO had provided Stanford University Professor Michele Dauber staffing and resources as crime victims were told the DAO had nothing to give them.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to suggest here.
But, if it involves sending law enforcers to Stanford University and arresting Michele Dauber, I’m OK with that.
Horrible black eye to the industry
AS Solutions knew about this when they gave Martin the money. For starters he’s not a veteran. Secondly no one at his level has the cash to be “donating” like that. Had to come from someone or the company. This is just the surface of problems that company has. How about their class action employee law suits. What about not paying pre ailing california wage? Martin is a joke as is AS Solutions. Facebook, Google and others should be embarrassed that they employ such unethical companies.