Since word spread about Santa Clara County DA Jeff Rosen surveilling Sheriff Laurie Smith’s orbit for some vaguely defined reason related to theories about deal-making and concealed-weapon permits, most of her allies have kept a pretty low profile.
Enter James Campagna, treasurer of pro-Smith independent expenditure committee Santa Clara County Public Safety Advocates, who touched base with Fly a few days ago in a show of transparency.
Despite a $45,000 donation to the PAC from elite bodyguard Martin Nielsen that’s raised eyebrows since we first pointed it out, Campagna assures us that his team operates the committee with “high standards for ethics and reporting responsibility.”
Campagna makes no apologies for supporting Smith, and in an email to Fly offers high praise for her “fortitude and leadership.”
“A recent example,” he says, “was the lamentable shooting at our beloved Gilroy Garlic Festival, where her local team and the rest of the county law enforcement support teams reacted aggressively and with great courage to avoid an even bigger massacre.”
Finally, Campagna goes on to say, he has no clue who Nielsen is—nor anyone at AS Solution, the executive protection firm he works for that provides security to Silicon Valley A-listers including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg.
If he noticed anything untoward about Nielsen’s gift to the public safety PAC, Campagna says he’d have notified the right people. “We do, however, report promptly and in full accordance with the law, all contributions made to our organization in the spirit of transparency and authenticity,” he says.
Attached to Campagna’s email was a scanned copy of Nielsen’s handwritten $45,000 check. Dated Oct. 4, 2018 and drawn on an account at Citibank’s Santa Monica branch, it misstates the name of the PAC, leaving out the word “public.”
The “memo” line of the document designates the payment a “donation,” and it’s signed with a perfunctory flourish.
That seems like enough hints for subpoena-empowered investigators to track down the true source of the funds behind Nielsen’s generosity.
Wow, sounds like another corrupt political witch hunt. Bay area political power brokers do not like when someone messes with their gravy train. My hope is that someday voters realize how corrupt our leaders are.
Thank you James Campagna for making this statement to the press and not taking the abuse of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeffery “Frozen” Rosen. I’m sure this smear campaign has not been easy for you or your family. I hope just maybe my post might make you feel less alone now that you are in the “Cross Hairs” of a man that is notorious for prosecuting innocent people for his political gain.
His dirty tactics and complete disregard for the rule of law has made it almost impossible to exercise our democratic values in Santa Clara County. Speaking from experience…. Once Rosen see’s this POST he will mobilize his “Free Speech Suppression Team” and figure out yet another way to prosecute me for exercising my constitutional rights. I’m doing nothing wrong but standing up for my humanity and fighting to be a Father.
Prosecution after prosecution has NEVER landed Jeff Rosen a conviction against me for protesting. In September I have yet another Jury Trial and his office will crash and burn. It is estimated that the cost to tax payer for these prosecutions now is in the excess of several million dollars. That’s Tax Payer waste…
I have been destroyed in the eyes of my child’s mother and painted as someone that is crazy for standing up against this type corruption in Santa Clara County. The System not only failed myself and my Ex, but most of all my innocent child. The Court of Public Opinion has weighted in and knows the truth…. The best support group I have in my corner is the American Public that can see thru the “Dragnet” that I have been ran thru. I am a good man…
We have some major problems in Santa Clara County Government and DA Jeff Rosen is running out of options to “kick the legal can” and blame others like a “Spoiled Child” not getting his way. Just for me voicing my opinion Jeff Rosen will retaliate, figuring out some way to make my life a living hell like he done for many years. Some of his dirty tactics included not enforcing a single “Court Order” for several years to see my child. The worst one of them all was running me thru a Jury Trial knowing I was innocent, and that the outcome if convicted, would have landed me in State Prison for over a year. Shocking outcome when I have no criminal record, never been on parole, no probation, nothing….
When the County decided to try and use Sheriff Laurie Smith as the “Escape Goat” yet again, for manufactured issues that she had no control over, I was not OK with that. Years of watching people in power play the “Blame Game” made me realize our political landscape was like a “Bad” High School Movie….. Drama…. Drama….Drama…
I was a business owner of an of Electronics Distribution Company is a previous life and I know a SCAM when I see one. Extensive research and constant attendance to any and all committees in Santa Clara County has pretty much made me an expert. I am an Expert… I was able to figure out that the finger should not have been pointed at Sheriff Smith and I was lied to for years to direct my political frustration toward the “Upper Brass” of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.
I say it how I see it, and if something is not right, I will call it out. I have done this will politicians, department heads, appointed officials, and this included District Attorney Jeff Rosen. But it’s a whole different set of rules when you call out “Frozen” Rosen…. He gets super “Butt Hurt” and then starts the malicious prosecution and this includes being blocked for any type of services or support from the entire District Attorney’s Office. Your basically “Black Listed” from every service provided to the public out of his office for criticizing his poor leadership.
I once again spoke “Truth” to the public and that followed with an arrest warrant from Jeff Rosen himself. Rosen had a “Shady” Santa Clara County Judge, Eric Geffon, issue a bench warrant to have me arrested. I was now being charged for a highly publicized case, where of all things Sheriff Laurie Smith, got involved to protect the Constitutional Rights of a father fighting to be in his child’s life. See Mercury New Article Below.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/01/sheriff-releases-protester-arrested-after-judges-order/
After math for speaking up at a Board of Supervisors meeting…..
I was walking into Family Court and was immediately pulled to the side and informed that a warrant was Issued for my arrest based upon a failure to appear (Funny how I go to all my court proceedings and always show up) During this detainment instructions where given to book me into the Santa Clara County Jail, but again our Sheriff stepped in for the SECOND TIME, and would not allow this to happen under her watch. Sheriff Smith made sure I was not arrested and or taken into custody just like Rosen wanted….
The fact that Sheriff Laurie Smith would not “Play Ball” with these Illnesses Spreading Germ Attorneys / Judges has put her in the “Hot Seat” yet again just for doing her job of protecting the United States Constitution.
Several days after Sheriff Laurie Smith released me from the Santa Clara County Jail, dropping the false charges, I was able to have my Visit to see my Daughter. This would have never been possible if our Sheriff did not step in and protect the United States Constitution.
This is just my story and experience with Sheriff Laurie Smith. She did the right thing and has PAID a hefty price in the process to protect the residents of Santa Clara County.
Please do your own research folks and understand that things are not always as they seem.
Our Sheriff needs your support….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKQv4-q0JUI&t=415s
Video below of speaking “Truth” to the Judicial Council of California about my arrest and how Sheriff Laurie Smith protected the United States Constitution.
No other Sheriff in the History of United States of America has ever taken on a Presiding Judge to protect the American Public.
Pretty much Laurie “Checked” the Bench and let them know the Constitution matters in Santa Clara County.
Thank you Sheriff Laurie Smith!!! The American Public has your back and can see thru DA Rosen’s political witch hunt…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG5EJ4DC16A
Anyone who can afford to donate $45K has a pretty good rationale for carrying a concealed weapon. IIRC, carrying around large amounts of cash is a reasonable justification. At least it used to be.
A property manager collecting rents or a laundromat owner collecting the money from washers and dryers is certainly at higher risk. And as everyone knows, by the time the police are on the scene it’s too late…
Cops carry firearms, why shouldn’t citizens? The only real difference is formal training. But training is never offered as a quid pro quo in return for a citizen to be issued a carry permit.
That’s because the reason for requiring permits is not to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, it’s to deny honest citizens the only practical way of protecting themselves, their families, and their businesses.
The result is exactly as intended. Any criminal can get a gun, but if upstanding, law abiding citizens want to protect themselves from criminals, they’re forced to jump through flaming hoops like a circus animal. And then they’re as likely as not to be denied. More likely, really.
Robert Heinline noted, “An armed society is a polite society.”
Heinlein also said:
A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.
Are we part of a dying society? Draw your own conclusions.