So much for an independent review!

Williams: sleazy from the start

     Oh boy. Things just get wackier and wackier down at the county.
     The Supes were pressured to pursue a review/investigation of John Williams’ PAPG office, using an outsider—perhaps a judge or lawyer familiar with probate law, conservatorship, etc.
     Well, they seemed to do that. Not long ago, we learned that Attorney Tim Kay was brought in and had already started a review, and, soon (this week) he would be formally hired.
     That sounded great, except that we also learned that it would be a rush job—done in 45 days—and, more importantly, that the report would be “confidential”: it would fall within attorney-client privilege.
     Translation: the public might never learn what Kay discovered about Mr. Williams and his questionable actions as OC PAPG. It would be up to the Supes to explain Kay's review, and those five Republicans, four of whom share the same attorney (i.e., Williams' attorney), are hardly trustworthy.
     Well, then came this: today, the OC Reg reported (Attorney no longer reviewing public guardian) that

     Results of a much-anticipated review of the county’s Public Administrator/Public Guardian will be delayed at least a month after a $45,000 proposed contract to hire an attorney to conduct the review was yanked from Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors agenda.
     Attorney Tim Kay, a partner at Snell & Wilmer, who has expertise in conservatorship issues, had already begun work on the review, which centered on investigating allegations the Public Administrator/Public Guardian is unnecessarily taking control over people’s estates to make money,
     But on Monday county officials decided they were going to go in a different direction, said the county’s Assistant Chief Executive Officer Rob Richardson.

     Different direction? The Reg guesses that the different direction is this:

the review will be much more transparent than having it done by an attorney. Kay’s report was to be confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege, according to the proposed contract. ¶ For now, county staffers from the CEO’s Office are continuing with the review, Richardson said.

     OK, so the review won’t be performed by an outside, independent party after all. It will be performed by “county staffers.”
     That stinks.
     Looks like Kay will be paid for his work thus far, and his “information” will be somehow tacked onto the review being performed by staffers.
     Says the Reg, County CEO Mauk told the Supes that “With delays and adjustments to the scope of the review, it will likely be between 75 and 90 days before the review is finished.”
     The Reg notes that Williams has hired his own attorney, Phil Greer, to represent him through this process:

Well-connected in Republican political circles, Greer has represented four of the five current members of the county board of supervisors and Treasurer-Tax Collector Chriss Street. ¶ Supervisor John Moorlach is the only one who has not retained him.

     It just gets uglier and weirder, weirder and uglier.