OH MY WORD! Those are the only words to describe how surreal it was to hear that Ron Gonzales and Joe Guerra were actually arrested for their roles in the Norcal scandal. I knew that things were corrupt at City Hall, as we have been hearing on this site and throughout the mayoral campaign, but I guess I never really thought that it would catch up to them this way.
To me, I can’t believe that Gonzales would rather drag the city, and his family, through months and months of legal proceedings and, apparently, bankrupt himself in the process. Is it arrogance? Reading the Mercury News on Monday morning, I just kept thinking how embarrassing for the mayor to have his assets and liabilities written about like it was everyone’s business to know. But, really, he can only blame himself for the Mercury publishing everything from his savings account to how much alimony he is paying his ex-wife. Under different circumstances, I might actually feel sorry for him.
I don’t agree with anyone who says this is a “sad day” for San Jose. Actually, I think the opposite. It’s a great day when politicians who think they can break the law, mislead the people who elected them and not pay any consequences, actually have to face the music for what they have done. I think it sends a very important message to everyone in the city and, barring the results of a trial or plea bargain, it will force people to look at the character of the two remaining candidates and wonder which one will lead us down the right path—one of honesty and truthfulness—so that we do not have to go through this again.
And finally, Chavez coming out after the arrest and demanding that Gonzales should now resign is laughable. Now, she decides she wants to “make a stand” on this issue, while others, including the candidates that did not make the runoff in the election, have been saying this for months. It’s too little too late for Chavez. In the past, I would have found it admirable for her to speak out against Gonzales, but she didn’t when she should have and it isn’t admirable to just be starting now.
This scandal will certainly help elect Chuck Reed, so maybe there is some good that can come from all of this mess.
We are planning a support rally for Mayor Ron Gonzalez tomorrow, Wednesday, at 1:30 pm in the city hall rotunda. There will be several speakers present showing support for our Ron in his time of need. Norcal is supplying refreshments for all attendees. We are especially welcoming supporters of Vice-Mayor Cindy Chavez to come out and show their support for the man who was instrumental in Cindy’s successes. Your neighbors and friends are all welcome and invited to attend. Ron is expected to speak and explain how Joe Guerra was the master mind behind the whole thing. Come out and support Ron.
It is sad that we have a mayor who has such disdain for the City Charter, for professionalism and for ethics. It is sad we have a City Council who sat on their hands for years and allowed the destruction of the city to take place. It is sad that we had a city manager (Borgsdorf) who only said “yes, sir” to the mayor instead of doing his job and providing information to the council that could have stopped this tragedy years ago. But, you are right in that it’s great that Gonzales has finally been stopped and is getting what he deserves.
All of a sudden he is concerned about his reputation and the reputation of his staff. No matter what happens, those are reputations that are shredded and beyond repair. He might want to actually think about what would be best for the city. for a change. Only by his leaving can he do what is best for the city. Instead of trying to drag out the process until after his term is over, he should do the honorable thing—but that is not likely given his arrogance.
1) Check out the remarks by the mayor and Attorney Ruby at: http://cbs5.com/
2) Remember that George Kennedy’s special relationship with Chuck Reed is as much a part of this story as anything else, especially regarding Kennedy’s timing of the indictment and Kennedy’s changing civil complaints into criminal complaints. Kennedy was positively effusive in supporting Reed during the last ten days of the primary campaign.
Many people are wondering about what Single Gal says above, “This scandal will certainly help elect Chuck Reed…” It may well do so, thus throwing Kennedy’s timing and choice of charges under a bright spotlight.
3) Chuck Reed’s boastful legal claim that the charter allows the city council to oust the mayor has already been trashed, making us wonder at Reed’s advancing such a fictitious claim in the past.
And it makes us wonder why Kennedy didn’t proceed with the shortest route to ousting the mayor…which is not criminal charges (they can take forever), but to use a quick statutory procedure that requires a 12-person jury. Criminal charges are what will elect Reed, not oust the mayor.
4) Remember that an indictment is not evidence of a crime, and that we need to keep an eye on all the players whether they be mayor, council members, district attorney, unions, candidates, etc.
Single Gal, remember in the future that you predicted a political result from a criminal indictment, and know that you are correct.
I think that your observations about Cindy Chavez coming to the ethics party a bit late were right on. I hope people see through her phony act and elect Reed in November.
What about Pandori ,I think he got the bum end of the deal ,if those two morons would would have been arrested 6 months ago (like they should have) this race for mayor would be real, this is all fixed preplanned lies and deceit at its finest………….
You are right about Chavez being laughable. The worst part is that she is his friend and confidant thoughout her career. It is terrible to be dumping him now for political expendency. She is s phony and a bad person to be doing this.
Allen Ruby’s early strategy:
Huff and puff and bluff enough to…
1. Counteract the public’s negative perception of the mayor’s conduct by boldly declaring that he’s done nothing wrong, going so far as to deny even those things that to which his client admitted during his censure. The goal here is to stifle any possible call from the people for the mayor’s resignation and make it possible for the DA’s office to cut an acceptable deal. (I’m discounting any intent to influence prospective jurors because I assume that either a deal will be struck or the trial venue will be changed.)
2. Disrupt council unity by planting a seed of fear into its many vulnerable members. RG may be wounded, but he’s a wounded Alpha. If a few of the squirrels can be made to panic the council won’t be able to come up with enough nuts to act boldly.
3. Keep the mayor in office long enough to make his resignation part of the package offered. Without an office to surrender the mayor is deprived of a fresh scalp to offer the coup-counting prosecutor’s office.
4. Communicate to George Kennedy that if there is to be a big splash conviction on his final watch, it will come only via a Ruby-negotiated deal.
5. Introduce to the next DA the nightmare of an overconfident zealot delivering humiliation on a national scale to her in her first year in office. If the case remains unresolved next year, there is no reason to expect the new DA to want to risk her reputation fighting GK’s battle.
This promises to offer more probing attacks, sideline hysterics, and feigned injuries than the World Cup. Let the games begin!
Single Gal is right when she says that it is a good day when politicians realize that they are not above the law.
For the record, I have known Ron Gonzales for over twenty years. I worked with the Campus Democrats at San Jose State University when we hosted Bob Livengood at an event, and we were sharply crticized for it ss Livengood was running against Ron for Supervisor. I felt angry that Ron would be so petty. He came up to us a year later and apologized, and he was true gentleman about it.
Ron has always been very cordial, polite, and very supportive of me in the past, until two years ago. Something happened to Ron Gonzales, and he turned into a self centered, arrogant individual who could care less about the people of San Jose. I am sorry about that. I liked the old Ron Gonzales, and somehow we lost him, or he decided to get lost.
I have never been a big supporter of Chuck Reed, but I do feel that he, Dave Cortese, and others have tried to bring back the sense of public service to the City Council. Cindy, though I may be accused of being naive, is also someone who does believe in community and does believe in neighborhoods, and that is why I am supporting her for Mayor. But I will give Dave C, Dave P, and Chuck a public acknowledgement of their decency and dedication to getting to the truth.
All cities have elected officials who have lost their sense of public service. In Santa Clara, Dominic Caserta publicly attacked the City Manager because he could get his basketball team registered on time!!! Can you believe that? As much as Chuck Reed is someone I disagree with. I believe that he is one of the most modest people in politics, and a person who, ublike Caserta, would never use his office for some petty crap like that.
Patricia Mahan and John McLemore are running against each other for mayor. I hope both can bring the campaign to a higher level than in San Jose, because I think both are true public servants. That is the key. If Cindy or Chuck will act for the people, then San Jose can achieve greatness again.
It is not about consultants defending everything about everybody, it is about the public wanting true justice and true public service. As long as that is the standard we insist on, we will be just fine.
Think of the situation with the Mayor as ambivalence…
I am NOT a Mrs. Potter fan by any stretch. I’m convinced she’s as corrupt as her mentor Gonzo. However, as much as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to get an answer to why Mr. Reed moved to stop the investigation into the Cysco no bid contract. The magnitude of the money may not be the same as Norcal but the deceptive process was similar.
So, can somebody help me understand why Chuck lead the effort to stop looking at what happened to the Cysco deal – other than to fire a low level IT manager who didn’t have the signature authority to make the Cysco deal? Please!!!
Me thinks he’s not the candidate we’ll want either. Can we write in Pandori?
I wish writing in Pandori would be an option. I am hoping that they find some paper trail or some testimony hat leads to Chavez being involved – and that the 3rd place finisher gets to take her place in the runoff! I wonder if that has ever happened?
A Single Gal can dream…..
1…Yesterday when I read David Vossbrink (sp?)speak in defense of Gonzo in the Mercury, all I could think was ” are we paying him to do this with our tax dollars?”
2…Today when I read Alan Ruby’s statements about Gonzo all I could wonder was “does he and Rich R. drink from the same Kool-Aid bowl, or do they really think we are that stupid?”
3…Though I think Gonzo needs to go. When I read that Forrest Williams and Madison Nguyen are waiting for the facts, I felt respect for them. Neither have an ax to grind. Either way, there is nothing in it for them. On the other hand, Cindy loses no matter what side she takes. As Single Gal states it is way too late for her to now stand up to Ron. If she wanted to the right thing she should have spoken up years ago. Standing up now only makes her look like a fair weather friend that is willing to throw Ron under the buss for a few votes.
4…As I read about all that went on about cheating the Longshoremen out of the contract all I can ask is “where are the Longshoreman and the Justice Department?”
#13. SG-My laymans reading of the charter tells me that only the top two candidates from the primary can be elected in the November election.
If one of the candidates drops out, dies, moves away, changes his/her mind or is abducted by space aliens the other candidate would then win. If BOTH candidates were abducted by space aliens, or otherwise become unavailable to hold office, the Council would then have to call for a special election.
I suspect some people here are rooting for the space aliens.
You grow ‘em. You keep ‘em.
Today on Michael Krasny’s KQED forum the topic was Ron Gonzales with Mercury News Phil Yost as one of the guests. I had a chance to call and ask Phil a question I have not seen answered in the Merc.
Back in October 2000, the Merc reported union leaders Amy Dean and Robert Morales appeared before the council to let them know about the problems with CWS workers. Yesterday I heard Allen Ruby say that the Teamsters filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over CWS workers at this time.
I asked Phil if the union leaders showed up at the December 2000 or March 2001 council meetings still complaining about the CWS workers. Unfortunately he did not know the answer. If they did show up, the council should have ask why the problem has not been solved. If they did not show up, the council should have asked what happened to solve the CWS issue. Either way, it appears those serving on the council at the time should have known there was a problem needing attention.
Random,
right on, brother!!
read RR comments for days, the public has no right to know, Gonzo is like FDR and Kennedy, and the public is always wrong, and RR said “I seldom am wrong”
so, yes, RR said it after he bought a gold bust of himself with his first CC paychec, “the public are dopes”
Thank you, #15 for your clarification of the charter. I too had hoped someone could get the goods on Chavez, eliminate her from the #2 position in the Mayor’s Race, thus creating a run-off between Reed & Pandori. Guess SG and I will stop dreaming.
Methinks the LongShoremen and the Justice Department are waiting to see if “Twinkle-toes FinkleStien” can turn the indictment into a guilty verdict…. if yes then San Hosed better start circling the wagons, and get ready for some lawsuits…
Chuck Reed got game! Chuck will be the new mayor of San Jose, and the blogg will be out of business!
17 and 20 – You are both on to something. The potential for Federal violations is still very real. Gonzo and his attorney can huff and puff all they want but that doesn’t change the facts that are known and the facts that are still there waiting to be released.
SG – I guess more than the two of us dream about Pandori getting another shot. However the deafness about Chuck’s involvement with Cysco is getting very loud. At least to me…
Somebody please tell what happened and why?
Or is it hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil because “we’ll” take Chuck’s momentary “slip” versus Cindy’s continuous lack of scruples?
I’d sure like to know. Doesn’t anyone else?
Mal, count me as a member of the space alien fan base. November is a lose/lose situation for the voting public regarding the office of mayor of the 10th largest city in the country. I’d have voted for any of the remaining top 5 finishers over either of the two “losers” who made the run-off.
Fed up, I think this blog will be going just fine with Chuck as mayor. He’s going to be a target just like Gonzo, I have no doubt he’ll be pulling enough stunts to keep things hopping here and will be an easy target for well deserved ridicule. Business as usual with clowns running the show at 200 E Santa Clara. Thanks to the unenlightened masses, this town still can’t get out of its own way and prevents itself from moving forward.
The more I think about November, be it the Governor’s race or the contest for SJ Mayor, the more disgusted I become with the stupidity exercised by the electorate on 6/6.
Chuck’s reasoning for closing the Cisco investigation was made very public at the time of the vote. He has responded numerous times to the question of why he voted to close the investigation. ALthough I do not agree with him, he was very upfront about his reasons. Look at the past articles about the investigation or read his memo(s) and you will find the answers.
Although I would much prefer Pandori, I would hardly classify Chuck in the “loser” category. Certainly he will be vastly better than Cindy would be. Certainly he won’t be perfect and we will have much to write about here, but we will have much less to write about than if Cindy were elected.
The unsubstantiated attacks on Chuck on this blog as compared to the well documented criticisms of Cindy are hardly comparable.
A Reed administration will actually govern as opposed to a Chavez administration which would just continue the outrages of the past 7 years. Chuck tried to stop the damage, Cindy voted to continue it. You make the call.
Dear Single Gal:
Gonzo’s apologist, I mean spokesperson, said that Gonzales is “‘A regular person’ who has fallen ‘in the cross hairs of the mighty state.’” (6/26/06 Merc). Please…
To portray Mr. Gonzales as some sort of common man who has been unfairly singled out for prosecution is, in a word, laughable. Will someone please remind Mr. Vossbrink that it was citizens serving on a grand jury that concluded that the mayor’s actions warranted prosecution.
AND: Is one permitted to remind his fellow citizens that Reed called for the mayor’s resignation last December, while Chavez called for his resignation last week?
FINALLY: You’ve got to hand it to Gonzales…he finally got San Jose in the national spotlight !
Pete Campbell
(Reed supporter)
THE PUZZLE IS FORMING A CLEAR PICTURE This is all coming together as real bad picture ,the lengths people will go to get in the drivers seat ,but is the end result worth anything ,or will it expose a whole group of greedy power hungry people that ruin a city for there own gain, …….Ron wont resign until he can use it for a bargining chip Guerra will walk away with a scratch Chavez gets beat by Reed and Kennedy gets what ?
# 4 (Native San Josean): Nice try, I hear you and the others planning to attend the pro-Ron rally are actually from Sunnyvale. Nope, one way or the other Gonzo’s on his way home
To the several attorneys on this blog: Can Cindy get elected as Mayor of San Jose as “Mrs. Potter”? It’s about time Cindy Chavez started to re-invent herself. A little rebranding is never too late!!
Dale #6: could you please cite the code section (s) that you believe allows a civil jury to oust the mayor. Thank you.
NJD2:Thank you for not shouting.
Steve #17—the council was out to lunch on this whole Norcal deal from beginning to end.
JR # 11: San Jose can achieve greatness AGAIN??? When did we do it the first time?
So, RR—what of Cindy’s past pledge to hire Guerra for the two years he needs to keep his health care benefits permanently at taxpayer expense???
#28 There is speculation that if Ron beats the rap and doesn’t do any time that he’ll actually serve on the Board of the Franklin McKinley Educational Foundation or serve as its Executive Director to try and repair his image/legacy.
At one time it was noted by the Murky News that he was calling for an organization to be formed to serve as an educational advocay group for Santa Clara County/greater Silicon Valley.
My opinion when I heard this news is that he was trying to set himself up with the help of some very powerful special interests as the “Silicon Valley educational champion” for a possible run at state office or to secure a nice retirement income after his term as mayor (much in the same way that Rod Diridon Sr. was rewarded by Gray Davis and these special interests by being hired as the Executive Direcor of the Mineta Transportation Institute and by being appointed to the State High Speed Rail Authority).
Single Gal, indeed it is too late for Cindy to distance herself from RonGon. But what about Nora? Hasn’t anyone stepped forward to tell her what position to take?
San Jose Stage Company held its annual Monday Night Live event last night, it was one of their best efforts.
Opening with the Chicago theme of “He had it coming”, the cast brought the house down as Sheriff Laurie Smith eliminates Arnold for not making her CHP Commissioner.
Next Cindy Chavez offs Ron Gonzales for leading her on, only to have led a “secret” life.
David Cortese had it coming from Nora Campos who stabs him with an ethics complaint—10 times.
And Scott Herhold gets it from Judy Chirco for “two-timing” her in the press with Linda Lezotte.
And that was just the opening. . .
This is followed by Randall King and Gary Martinez playing Joe Guerra and Ron Gonzales in a take-off of Brokeback Mountain.
It seems the two share secrets at the top of their City Hall office that can’t be “shared” with others. While Gonzales laments its hard to “quit” Guerra and his job as Mayor.
In another bit, Michael Mulcahy points at a GQ picture of Gavin Newsome and yells at his campaign manager Lisa Poelle, “I want to look like that—as he prepares for a debate.”
David Pandori gets taken away by men in white coats as he professes to be “the smartest” candidate for Mayor of San Jose.
One of the biggest highlights of the evening were the Mayoral Candidates.
San Jose Stage, using the Urinetown as a backdrop(now playing at the theatre—the usual bit of self-promotion) has a Pattonesque Chuck Reed rallying his troops to WTFC which is an acronym for What the F*** Chuck—the new campaign slogan.
Anybody who says Chuck is boring, has never seen him at San Jose Stage.
Meanwhile, the kidnapping scene is stolen by a pyscho actor playing Bob Hines and a Gestapo maiden Pat Dando trying to “off” Cindy Chavez.
Luckily, Cindy is saved by the host of the evening, Neil Struthers who plays a sophisticated 007 combatting the evil “Chamber of Commerce” throughout the evening.
One parody about a SJI blogger who “spins like a top” made my son, Grant Robinson laugh hysterically. But most in the audience probably thought that skit was a little over the top.
Suffice to say no one came out unscathed. Even Jerry Strangis, who is most responsible for putting on the show. His scene with George Shirakawa (also a take off on Brokeback) along with his being the first choice for Mayor (cut out the middle men and put the lobbyist in charge) shows that nobody is safe.
At the sametime, most of us who attended are still chuckling this morning.
I’m still going to have to hold my nose in order to vote for Chuck.
SG, I agree with you that it wasn’t necessarily a sad day for SJ when Gonzo/Guerra were indicted as they most certainly deserved to be, but considering our choices, November 7th looks very sad indeed.
I believe the word “phony” should be reserved only for those ill-informed individuals who post unsupported facts, mindless rhetoric and hateful tripe using a pseudonym.
Just an opinion. . .
Hello after an absence. I am home on maternity leave (no, I’m not Rebecca Dishotsky) and have lots of time on my hands.
SG: I’m glad you said this about Cindy. What a hypocrite she is. Vote for Chuck Reed. He’s a good guy, really. He’s one of the few Council members who actually comes down and mingles with the minions.
#36: I agree about Vossbrink. What a job he has. The thing is, he’s a really decent guy (he even answers his own telephone) and I have a hard time fathoming what it must be like for him to deal with all of this crap on a daily basis.
You can use a pseudonym and be well-informed, provide substantiated facts, insightful commentary, and direct criticism.
Just an opinion…
#34. How can you blame Cindy for keeping Guerra on for two more years so he can get is health care benefits? After all, we all know Cindy is a team player. She’s always been on the Gonzo-Guerra team.
Seems that a lot of people are blaming the whole council for failing to take action earlier on but everyone seems to forget that Dave Cortese and Chuck Reed have tried only to be turned away by the Chavez- Campos team. Can you image San Jose with Chavez as mayor and Campos as vice-mayor. This is scary. Chuck Reed better watch is back because Campos will surely be looking for something to bring him in front of the ethics committee.
# 1 R.R. Will there be an encore performance? It sounds like San Jose is starting to flirt with big time theater to go along with big time politics. I’d pay to see what you just described.
Sorry about that #1, I meant #2 R. R.
#14. I agree on Madison, she’s shown on various occasions that she can vote her own mind instead of following the rest of the council.
But Forrest Williams? This guy just goes bumbling along with nothing nothing much to add to this Council. He sides with Gonzo on most issues. Sounds like Chavez and Campos. Could this be turning into a trio?
Can anyone explain in any meaningful way what exactly Gonzales has done for Cindy?
If I recall correctly he did not endorse her candidacy for District 3 when she ran in ‘98, despite the fact that she worked for him when he was a County Supe. I think Guerra even helped run the campaign for her opponent.
Early on, Cindy fought with the Mayor over the City’s investment in the Children’s Health Initiative.
The Mayor tapped Fiscalini, Shirakawa, & even Dando as Vice Mayors before Cindy was chosen last year.
For years, the Mayor has gone out of his way to derail and distance himself from labor’s agenda like the Community Benefits thing.
This stuff about Ron and Cindy being close, that she has him to thank for her political career, or that they have had a joint administration for 7+ years is convenient revisionist BS. Is anyone putting the responsibility for this Norcal fiasco on Frank Ficalini (who was VM in ‘00) or Pat Dando (who was VM in ‘04).
The fact that she has not tried to build her candidacy around denouncing and trashing the Mayor may be evidence enough for most, but someone please provide some facts to substantiate the connection.
I guess Goebbel’s assertion is alive and well… “if you tell a lie often enough, and with enough conviction, the people will believe it as truth.”
I think she has a tough climb in the November runoff, but her record is not the Mayor’s. Chuck is a heck of an opponent. I can’t wait to see them go at it. But the race is Reed v. Chavez (not Gonzales).
Notice how Robinson who claimed he was smarter than the average San Jose voter is writing about a private shindig, and everyone else on the blog whom he claimed were stupid is still talking about the issues. Robinson, who wants the voters to just vote his way, cares a lot more for being in the inside than commenting about issues. Notice how he now refrains from talking about what we wrote about.
# 36
“Can you think of anyone with a more difficult job than David Vossbrink?” Yes, Giselle Nunez.
#40…I am not saying Forrest is the sharpest of the group, but he is an independant thinker. Did you see the Merc today? He was the first council person who asked if we could get our money back from Norcal months ago. He also stood up to Ron and Cindy and voted to save Del Monte plant #3.
He is by far not perfect, but next to the Compos Pyle, Judy the silent and Cindy the Gonzo clone he looks good.
#41
“What has Gonzo ever done for Cindy?
Gonzo waited for just the right time to make her vice mayor so she could step right into the mayor’s job after the election. If you can’t see that than you are blind.
As the facts come out in the days to come I’m sure we will find that Cindy made an attempt to get more money for the recyclers
before the vote ever came before the council. If my memory serves me correctly she directed city staff to do a salary survey of the recyclers even though the city is not required to do that for off sight workers.
When this did not work, who do you think helped her?
Just a reminder to everyone about the Ron Rally on Wednesday at 1:30pm in the rotunda at City Hall. Supporters from Sunnyvale, HP and Cupertino will be there to show their support for His Honor Mayor Ron Gonzalez. The Cindy campaign group will be providing refreshments. Giselle Nunez Gonzalez is scheduled to speak on the convenience of living, working, shopping and socializing in downtown San Jose, all made possible by Mayor Ron. It has been rumored that Richard Robinson will speak on Cupertino becoming the next sister city to San Jose.
#36 – IMO Vossbrink is about to find out, to his sorrow, that there isn’t too much job security in spear-catching. Not that he’s been doing a bad job, mind you, but spending all day cleaning up Gonzo’s messes does tend to stick to your skin a bit.
That said, I doubt Gonzo will be either convicted or even tried. This whole deal will just be a dark cloud hanging over his miserable head until he can finish out his term. The next DA will look at it and conclude (rightly) that there’s no percentage in pursuing it. And if the current DA tries to pursue it too hard, it will reflect badly on his pal Chuck, and San Jose voters do not like witch hunts on the public dime.
Advice to the voters of Santa Clara: If Gonzo ever buys a house in Santa Clara, be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
Is Chuck Reed’s proposal to sue Norcal and recoup San Jose’s $11.5 Million?
Here’s the County of San Bernardino’s press release announcing the successful recovery of funds from Norcal.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY RECEIVES MORE THAN $6.5 MILLION IN SETTLEMENTS
Aug. 4, 2000
The County of San Bernardino today received $6.561 million from Norcal Waste Systems Inc. and on Thursday received $25,000 from Hinshaw & Culbertson as part of legal settlements reached on July 25.
Norcal/San Bernardino Inc. general manager Larry Karr this morning handed County Administrative Officer William H. Randolph seven cashier’s checks totaling $6,561,000 in Mr. Randolph’s office in the San Bernardino County Government Center. On Thursday, County Counsel received a $25,000 draft from Hinshaw & Culbertson.
The checks were immediately deposited into a special interest-bearing fund.
The settlements stem from a June 8 lawsuit the county filed in San Bernardino Superior Court against 22 defendants following a five-month internal county corruption probe.
The county’s investigation has gone further than probes conducted by any other agency to expose the wrongdoing that touched areas of county government during James Hlawek’s four years as county administrative officer ending in August 1998.
The agreement with Norcal also calls for the company to eventually pay the county half the net proceeds from any damages the company recovers from former Norcal/San Bernardino Inc. vice president Kenneth James Walsh and former Norcal consultant Harry M. Mays, a former county administrative officer.
Norcal has stated that it currently intends to seek damages from Walsh and Mays, who have pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery with Hlawek.
Walsh, Mays and Hlawek remain as defendants in the county’s lawsuit.
Norcal has also agreed not to seek a new county landfill contract for at least five years. The company’s current contract expires next year.
The county is preparing documents to solicit proposals from other waste companies to operate the county’s landfills.
The settlement agreement with Norcal also calls for the county to drop Norcal Waste Systems Inc. and its local affiliate, Norcal/San Bernardino Inc., as defendants in the suit. The county acknowledges Norcal’s extremely valuable cooperation and voluntary assistance.
The county will also give Norcal/San Bernardino Inc. employees an opportunity to interview for jobs with the new landfill operator or the county’s Waste System Division.
The agreement with Norcal was crafted with the realization that the company and the county must and will continue to work together to serve the residents of San Bernardino County for about another 12 months as the search is conducted for a new landfill operator.
The settlement with the two Norcal companies is one of the three the county reached less than seven weeks after the filing of the county’s June 8 lawsuit, which could take at least two years to come to trial.
The length, expense and uncertainty inherent in this type of litigation were among the factors that shaped the terms and timing of the county’s settlement with Norcal.
On July 25 the county announced it had reached terms with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson. The firm agreed to pay the county $25,000—$15,000 to cover trips one of the firm’s partners, John Larson, provided to various county employees and officials as described in the Eighth Cause of Action in the county’s suit, and $10,000 toward the cost of the county’s internal investigation.
The county has agreed to dismiss Hinshaw & Culbertson as a defendant in the suit, and acknowledges that the law firm cooperated in the county’s investigation and intends to cooperate further if necessary.
The county also agreed that the settlement would not be construed as an admission of wrongdoing by Hinshaw & Culbertson. Larson was also named in the county’s lawsuit and remains as a defendant.
#14 & 26: Can you think of anyone in San Jose who has a more difficult job than David Vossbrink?
Think about it. Every morning Vossbrink gets out of bed and says to himself “I’ve got to go down to City Hall and try to make that #%&* look good!”
When Gonzo is dodging the reporters it’s Vossbrink who takes the slings and arrows. When Gonzo is unable to explain his sins, it’s Vossbrink who does the explaining for him. All censured/indicted politicians should have a David Vossbrink.
Add to that the Joe Guerra factor. If half of what we hear about Guerra’s personal charm is true there’s got to be some nasty vibes in the Mayor’s office. Going to work must really suck with Guerra in the next cubicle.
So why does Vossbrink hang around? He’s probably known for years which way the wind is blowing. But Vossbrink, like a loyal Sancho Panza, hangs in there.
Still there must be times late at night after a few beers when Vossbrink asks himself “Is it too late to become a telemarketer?”
My humble prediction,
Joe will role over on Ron, pay some fines and start over in an other town. We will find out that Cindy played a part in the mess but she will not be charged for breaking any laws. She will lose the election by a landslide. Ron will strike a deal and do little or no time, a lot of plublic service (hopefully not in S.J., he has done enough for us already), probation and pay some fines. Norcal will pay fines big time. Ron will get some kind of job from the boys who he did special favors for and Ron’s exwife will be thankful that she did not have to be part of this circus. Giselle will leave him for someone with more money. Chuck will be an honest mayor and do an ok job. We here at inside will write and wonder about how different things would have been had Pandori been elected.
#50: I like your predictions, but… The heck with Pandori… I voted for Mulcahy!
City Hall Chick –
I was almost getting to like you….until you voted for Mulcahy!
Giselle Nunez has the toughest “job”? I guess being married to that no necker would be considered work!
Dale #6: I read the Government Code sections you cited, and they make it clear this is not a civil trial as you claim. Gov. Code section 3072 states in part: “Upon a conviction…” You are convicted only in a criminal proceeding. Section 3069 says in part: “If a defendant pleads guilty…” You only plead guilty in a criminal proceeding, Dale.
Yes, a jury finds him guilty or not mguilty, but that is not a civil jury as you contend.