Monday, October 4, 2010

Spitzer weighs in

     Yesterday’s “Total Buzz” post concerning John Williams’ lie about a “transcript” of Todd Spitzer’s phone call to Williams' PAPG office (Spitzer call transcript does not exist) generated a great many comments, including this one from Spitzer himself:

     OCObserver, I know you read this once today; I think you need to read it again (my post to Brian Calle, editorial writer) regarding waiver of anything–its meaningless…they make up lies as they go along. You think Williams’ knew I had the phone call taped from the bad check program? And if I didn’t have the tape? So how can I defend allegations that didn’t exist the day I left the DA’s Office, but they exist now?

Brian,

     When you did the KOCE show two weeks ago a lot was not known about the facts. But you did know that I immediately opened up my personnel file once the DA’s Office does what it does best–spin the facts. There is and was nothing in my file to indicate any inappropriate conduct. In fact, I was granted my severance of three months which is not allowed if I was terminated for cause. They said I was terminated for cause, “inappropriate communication with the Public Guardian” but gave me my severance anyway; they can’t have it both ways.

http://totalbuzz.ocregister.com/2010/09/01/spitzer-opens-up-personnel-file/40063/

     Second, the Public Guardian and the DA are now engaged in a full blown cover-up. Read the article below. How does John Williams accuse me of making up the whole bad check program? Fortunately, for me, I had a tape recording of the bad check program confirming the Ruth Hull Richter case and sent it to Kimberly Edds, a reporter at the Register. What does John Williams say to Edds when asked who in the DA’s Office told him there was no bad check investigation? He won’t say! Of course; one liar protecting other liars.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/public-265670-silence-guardian.html

     We all know what’s really going on here. The DA is protecting his girlfriend in the Public Guardian’s Office where she is the Assistant PA-PG. Why? Because, two Grand Jury investigations and a recommendation by the CEO to make the Public Guardian appointed would strip John and Peggi of their positions. John’s double-dipping salary and pension would be in jeopardy and so would Peggi’s. They were already in the hottest of water before I ever called the Public Guardian.
     Add the fact that Susan Schroeder wants me out of the way to run for DA in 2014 and you have a group who lies, continues to lie and will lie at any cost to protect their jobs, their pensions, their salaries and most importantly, the only base of power they presently have having recently been forced out of the Sheriff’s Department with the fall of Mike Carona.
     How can anyone rely on these actors to be truthful? Isn’t that why John Williams hired Phil Greer as his attorney to now be his official spokesperson? Since when does the County allow a Department Head to hire a lawyer to fill the role of official department spokesperson? In addition, expect this audit of the PA-PG to be driven underground by Greer who will argue that the documents are Attorney Client privileged and no one, neither the public nor the media, will be able to get their hands on the results until they craft the “approved” public version.
     The last outside counsel hired by a department head was Mike Schroeder for now disgraced Sheriff Mike Carona. It’s the same ploy written out of the same political play book; call for an investigation on yourself after you are caught so you can look like you are the one who is concerned. When Carona took illegal campaign contributions from Charles Gabbard, Carona called for an investigation of his own campaign, the same way Williams is calling for an audit of his own department. “Attorney Michael J. Schroeder, a spokesman for Friends of Mike Carona, confirmed media reports this year that at least $10,000 – and perhaps as much as $15,000 – was illegally sent to the campaign in 2000.” (OC Register, August 6, 2004, Local) But that was in 2004! They waited for four years and only until after they were caught by the press! So you think John William’s call for a Board of Supervisors audit on his own department is out of a genuine concern for good government? Why did he forget to mention that Supervisor Pat Bates asked for the audit TWO WEEKS EARLIER?
     So the bottom line is this: I have nothing to hide; I am proud of my two decades of public service and will stand behind my record. However, I am not going to play games with my reputation and allow dishonorable people–who are proven liars and cover-up artists–to make up lies and distortions to serve their agenda.
     Let’s settle on this: The Orange County Register Editorial Board should call on the Orange County Grand Jury to convene yet another hearing into the District Attorney and Public Guardian. That way, we can all share our version of the facts. But most importantly, when they lie–and they will–they can be prosecuted for perjury. Right now, they can lie and protect each other without consequence. All I expect, Brian, is that you would consider the conduct of these dishonorable people who have enormous power in our County and consistently abuse it for their own personal gain.

Sincerely,
Todd Spitzer

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There's a nice followup article in the OCR online from today's newpaper article.

http://totalbuzz.ocregister.com/2010/10/05/outside-investigator-will-review-office-of-the-public-guardian/41810/#more-41810

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