Bates was among the Republican Supervisors who, a few months ago, oddly voted not to split up John Williams’ combined county jobs despite recommendations to do so fueled in part by two harsh grand jury reports revealing Williams’ incompetence, etc.
I Googled two of the names that appeared on Williams’ records (Rackaucas fiancé and PAPG second-in-command Peggy Buff and civil engineer Roy Stephenson) and came across Bates’ campaign records for the first half of 2005.
Here are the names of some of Bates’ contributors on that record:
• Peggy Ann Buff – $125
• Raghu Mathur – $125
• Nancy Padberg – $200 ($125 earlier)
• Roy F. Stephenson – $125
• John Williams – $200 ($700 within calendar year; $1200 cumulative)
• Tait and Associates, Inc. – $250
• Fieldstead and Co. – $1,500
• Philip L. Anthony inc. – $250
• Mark Bucher – $250
• Michael Schroeder – $500Again, Peggy Buff is Williams’ second in command at the Public Administrator/Guardian office; and she’s the OC DA’s fiancé. Pretty cozy.
You know who Mathur and Padberg are. Until about 2005, Padberg worked for Williams down at the PAPG. Then, suddenly, he fired her.
Roy F. Stephenson seemed to be involved in some way in some hinky business years ago concerning Yorba Linda City Manager Art Simonian. Stephenson eventually sued the city for failing to provide benefits granted by Simonian, who was eventually let go by the city and then investigated for alleged inappropriate actions and expenditures.
Tait and Associates was (is?) Tom Fuentes’ employer (F served as Senior Vice President)
Fieldstead manages the assets of the Howard F. Ahmanson, Jr. family. It funds various religious right causes such as Creationism and the “preservation” of the traditional family (aka the opposition to gay rights).
Philip L. Anthony was among the rogues recently listed in an OC Register article identifying OC’s corrupt politician hall of shame.
Mark Bucher is a local politico and among the founders of Tustin’s Education Alliance, which is among the powers behind the notorious CAPO trustees.
Mike Schroeder is, of course, the Godfather of the OC “Republican mafia.” At the time of Tom Fuentes’ curious arrival on the SOCCCD board of trustees in 2000, Schroeder and Fuentes were closely allied (indeed, at one point, I met with them). No doubt, they continue to close associates.
24 comments:
Everyone knows that the dice are loaded.
I thought Tom Fuentes was opposed to nepotism.
It's Chinatown, Chunk.
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed.
Can they do that?
For many years I have now admired your willingness to expose corruption, to point out the entrenched old boys network (old GOP boys) and to decry nepotism.
Never have I heard anyone in leadershop positions say how right you are and how poorly served our students are by these bozos who just care about their careers and their own agendas.
They dumped millions into that harebrained ATEP scheme! They hire incompentents and then either retire them once they wreck the place or else they give them teaching gigs (teaching gigs - can you imagine showing less respect to students than sticking incompetent adminstrators into the classroom?)
I guess the heat is getting to me.
They can do whatever they want - they always have and they always will.
They don't really believe that that God stuff they try and shove down our throats - if they did, they wouldn't wouldn't pull this kind of shit.
Their God is meant to keep the likes of us in line, not them.
Think about it.
Everybody knows that the boat is leaking.
Everybody knows that the captain lied.
I suspected local politics was bad, but I never knew it was so inter-twinned with corruptness. Nepotism, no-bid contracts going to coworkers, friends, other board members and their friends, etc. I can foresee some voter initiatives on political reform in the near future since our local electives do nothing but turn a blind eye!
They're never punished - only rewarded because they buy off those who threaten them - case in point, the new dean hire. It's in the bag.
Love the Leonard Cohen references.
Everybody knows the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost.
This is also what happens when thoughtful daily journalism disappears - combine the dearth of that with what the massess gobble up at the Reg and FOX and well - no surprise here.
Fundamentally, the problem is that we have an unhealthy democracy, for the people do not become informed about issues or candidates--indeed, many seem to have embraced some sort of skepticism according to which one position is as good as another aside from the "fact" that God has somehow indicated favor with "our" view. Never mind arguments or evidence--look for the appropriately pious. That would be the people who endlessly invoke God while they steal and cheat and philander in the dark (and sometimes in the light).
But the people do have occasional spasms of clarity--of reason, even.
Tonight, the board will likely announce our new Chancellor. And, within two months, the fate of the district will be even more fundamentally determined by the victory of either Mr. Muldoon or Mr. Prendergast in the Area 2 trustee race.
But how many of us in the district community are even aware of these circumstances? --BvT
P.S.: with regard to the IVC dean hire, one hears conflicting rumors, though none diminish the worry that the process is in some sense fixed.
I will assume that if you went to the Spectrum, talked to 100 people at random, and asked them what they know about the SOCCCD Board of Trustees, that maybe 3 would have some sort of knowledge.
97 will know who's judging "American Idol" though.
What kind of bag is the new dean hire in?
Everybody knows that the fight was fixed
The poor get poorer and the rich get rich
They have no shame and lots of power - a dangerous combo.
I hear the bag is a lovely bag - ;~)
Regarding the dean hire:
Just compare THAT job description with any other comparable position:
http://www.academiccareers.com/cgi-win/JobSite/sendjob.exe/ACO/?27679
GOM: your estimate is much too high.
Herr von Traven: Is Tait and Associates any relation to Tom Tait who is running for city council in Anaheim?
Papa's got a brand new bag!
Nothing new about this bag, I'm afraid. An old story.
Dissent, I think you have them on the run! The voiceofoc is reporting that Supervisor Bates is calling for an investigation into how Williams handles large estates! (how about the small ones - are they less valuable as people?). Keep them on their toes!
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