Tuesday, July 24, 2012

“We have a DA where law takes a backseat to politics.”

Drakodaidis Attorney Levels More Charges Against Supervisors (Voice of OC)

     Tuesday, moments before the Orange County Board of Supervisors entered closed session to consider the fate of CEO Tom Mauk, an attorney representing Deputy CEO Alisa Drakodaidis unleashed a new set of allegations against supervisors and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.
     It was the latest dramatic turn in what is increasingly becoming a housecleaning at the county administration building in the wake of charges by Rackauckas this month that Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante committed multiple sex crimes against women who worked for him while he was an executive at OC Public Works.
     In a three-page letter that was made public during the meeting, Attorney Joel Baruch took issue with the recent release of the county’s scathing report on the operations of the OC Public Works department, which was one of the departments Drakodaidis oversaw.
. . .
How 'bout a big paper clip?
     In his letter, Baruch alleged a pattern of harassment against female workers and executives at the county. The letter took direct aim at the public works internal investigation saying it was a character assassination on Drakodaidis.
     “The political and disparaging attacks made against Alisa are examples of why witnesses, women, and other members of protected classes in the County of Orange workforce were and continue to be fearful to come forward,” read the letter.
     In addition, Baruch took direct aim at the Board of Supervisors, saying their penchant for placing friends and colleagues in top jobs triggered Drakodaidis’ whistle blowing complaint.
     “Your organization’s incompetency and disregard in following Equal Employment Opportunity laws has enabled rampant cronyism to permeate the work environment of Orange County,” read the letter.
. . .
     The letter goes on to say that a state investigation is warranted. “It is obvious that a truly independent review of the county’s compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity law is needed,” the letter read.
     Outside the hearing room, Baruch intensified his attacks against supervisors and Rackauckas.
     “Here’s the problem in this county,” Baruch said. “We have a DA where law takes a backseat to politics. And that’s what happened here.”….

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why are we not surprised by these allegations?

Such is life in the Orange Curtain.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

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