Aping Orcas

The Sinking of the Shooting Star: the amazing FBI files

     I became interested in the "Shooting Star" story because of Tom Fuentes, a legendarily wily and nasty operator in OC Republican politics—at least until 2005, when he was forced to step down as OC GOP chair, a position he held for about twenty years, owing to pressure from the Rich Guys contingent of the OC Party, who sought to shed the county of its knuckle-dragging image. In their view, Fuentes wasn't helping.
     And, of course, during the last dozen years of his life, starting in the summer of 2000, he was a trustee of the SOCCCD board here in South County. I knew a little about him before that. But, starting that summer, he brought a deep dark realpolitik to the good ol' SOCCCD. It was like Satan decided to come live in the neighborhood.
     He was pretty complicated. In his youth in the late 50s and early 60s, he worshipped Richard Nixon, and not because of Dick's love of puppies. Fuentes especially admired Nixon's no-holds-barred approach to the opposition, which was already evident in his run against Helen Gahagan Douglas in 1950.

     While Fuentes led the OC GOP to ever greater heights of staunchitude, he proudly served as the head PR flak for the OC Catholic Diocese—during the years when pedophile priests, and not their victims, were routinely protected by the church hierarchy.
     What's up with that? asks Gustavo Arellano.
     Despite his right-wing politics, Tom remained in good standing with Catholic officials—until 1988, when his political tactics became too visibly Nixonian: he hired uniformed "guards" to stand outside of polling places to intimidate Latino voters. Catholic officials took a dim view of that. It smacked of racism. Tom lost his Diocese gig. There was litigation; the party paid a huge settlement.
     Once in a while, Tom would get outed like that for the bastard he was.
     Fuentes was a self-loathing Chicano—and a self-loathing gay man to boot. Self-hatred plus the other-directed kind seemed to be at his core.
     He hated women. With Fuentes in charge, only seriously old school gals could find a place on Team GOP,  baking cookies or something.
     Essentially, he made his living as a lobbyist for a series of firms. He'd wine and dine local politicians to make them agreeable to doing business with his GOP business cronies. He made a fortune doing that. But that kind of work is a kind of sausage-making. It's best kept buried in the incessant OC noise.
     One time, the spotlight caught him providing perks for members of a water board. It was all very embarrassing. He even had to quit the company he worked for. But, generally speaking, Fuentes made his expensive sausages quietly, behind the scenes, connecting his pals with thick veins of public money.
     Sorry about the mixed metaphors.
     Despite his notorious piety, he plainly loved being wealthy and spent every spare hour at his beloved Balboa Bay Club, drinking, smoking cigars, ordering around the help, and doing who-knows-what with promising young Republican man-boys.

     The "Shooting Star" tragedy occurred in 1974, when Fuentes was about twenty-five years old. It  took the lives of Fuentes' bosses: OC Supervisor Ron Caspers, who had just won reelection and for whom Fuentes served as chief aide, and Fred Harber, the old timer of the bunch, and the apparent brain behind a kind or OC "shadow government" that controlled OC politics, starting around 1970 or so or maybe earlier. Caspers wanted to celebrate his victory by flying some of his pals down to La Paz (just north of the tip of Baja, Cabo), and then via charter to Cabo San Lucas, where they boarded Harber's power yacht, the Shooting Star. From there, they would sail up the coast toward California, fishing and enjoying the scenery.
     Fuentes was among the gang that flew down to La Paz and then Cabo, but, oddly, he did not join the cruise, owing to some alleged complaint or illness. He left a large icebox filled, he said, with decadent goodies for his boss, Caspers. Who knows what was in that box.
     It is not entirely clear just who was on the boat as it sailed from Cabo. Some among this group bailed at ports along the way back to California.
     Eventually, the yacht got pretty far up the Baja coast to Turtle Bay, where Harber decided to stop for fuel, provisions, etc. For some reason, at that point, the group seemed to be in a big hurry to get back to California. Their apparent route took them through some rough waters, which, later, puzzled investigators. Rough seas did develop there; the boat was forced to issue a Mayday. The Shooting Star and all hands were never heard from again. No bodies were every recovered, despite a massive search. Only small fragments of the boat were found.

     The story, once filled out, is pretty odd and hinky. Many of you already know most of it. Caspers and Harber were then involved in shaking down contractors and developers—laying' down the old "pay to play," something that Harber had been caught (or nearly caught) doing years earlier as city manager of Cypress. Back then (1966), Harber had agreed to testify in exchange for immunity, but the case had to be abandoned when Harber's apparent co-conspirator, City Councilman Job Denni, died in a plane crash. Harber and Denni's scheme involved receipt of $2,000 a month from a developer—the same arrangement that, according to Jordan, Harber and Caspers offered to him eight years later. (See Harber and Caspers attempt to bribe a developer, but then they die instead.)
     Back to 1974: One such "mark," Richard Jordan, decided to fight back, contacting the OC DA, Cecil Hicks, a Republican enemy of Caspers and his unsavory (mostly Democratic) crowd, including Harber and the infamous "Dick and Doc," i.e., land developer Dick O'Neil and mysterious political operator (and medical doctor) Louis Cella. Not long after the Shooting Star disaster, Dick and Doc's run as Big Political Donors ran afoul of the law—Cella, it turns out, was engaging in massive fraud at hospitals—which eventually landed Cella in prison. Within a few years, several other major OC politicians joined him there. The corruption was pretty thick.
     Fuentes managed to sail through it all, unscathed, though he was widely reputed to have been "Caspers' bagman." When Caspers died, Tom hoped to be appointed as his replacement, but when that fell through he decided to quit politics and become a priest. His seminary time lasted about a year. Soon, he was back wining and dining rich people for the good ol' OC GOP. And he became rich.
     Naturally, the Shooting Star disaster was a terrible tragedy for the 10 people on board and their families. This group included three young men from the Klein family of Utah. (One of the Klein boys was an administrative assistant for a member of the OC Board of Supes.) Clearly, this peculiar tragedy devastated the Klein family and left lots of unanswered questions. Too few in OC seemed interested in finding the answers.
     There was a huge effort to recover survivors, find bodies, and so on, funded by Cella. For a while, it was run by—you guessed it—the dark souled Mr. Fuentes. These efforts produced virtually nothing. The tragedy was mostly blamed on bad weather and poor decisions. But many observers clearly saw the whole episode as very strange. Perhaps suspicious. But, it seemed, all the evidence had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. People moved on.

     NOT LONG AGO, a Ms. S*****—a younger and internet-savvy member of the family that lost the Klein brothers in the tragedy—requested information concerning the "Sinking of the Shooting Star" from the FBI via the Freedom of Information Act. On November 14, 2017, she received the information with a cover page that explained needed "exemptions" (i.e., deletions), and the relevant FOIA "statute headings." The relevant part of that cover page is here:

The relevant sections (of FOIA) are here:

     I received the documents from Ms. S, but they were in files that included pages that sometimes did not seem to match. I made an effort to put them in some kind of order. I fill in some of the blanks where I can. Here they are: pages 4, 5, and 6 are especially interesting.

This page doesn't make much sense to me, given what follows.

I think that the redacted name is Frank Vessels, Jr.,
owner of the Los Alamitos Racetrack. Vessels shot himself in the
head with a shot gun six months later (probably unrelated).
Nobody's quite sure why he did that. His wife was standing just
a few feet away.

Again, I think the redacted name is Frank Vessels, Jr.
This was Caspers' second boating tragedy. Back in the mid-50s a boating
 accident involving his yacht killed his then-wife. See 1954: 
"Shooting Star" was Caspers' second boating tragedy. The first was also a doozy

The "land developer" was Richard Jordan. His tale was finally reported in 
May of 1978 (See). The telephone call was likely from Caspers' assistant, Tom Fuentes, 
who was (in 1978) reported to have spoken with Jordan, eventually informing him that Shirley
Grindle, an "honest government" advocate and planning commissioner, was asking questions 
about Jordan's project. Fuentes then arranged for Jordan's meeting with Spendlove, Caspers' hand-picked
 planning commissioner. 
Spendlove died in a plane crash (taking his whole family, including four kids) in Utah in September
 of 1975, a year after having been fired by Caspers' successor, Tom Riley.

More of the Jordan story. The planning commissioner mentioned above ("her") is Shirley Grindle,
widely known for her crusades for clean and open government. She was appointed by
OC Supervisor Ralph Clark in 1973 and she remained on the Commission until 1977. (See OAC.)
The meeting taken on May 6th or 
7th is taken by developer Jordan. The amount of cash Harber and Caspers demanded from Jordan
—$2K a month—was the same amount demanded in the scheme Harber and Denni pursued back in 1966.
 (See note above.) 
The person declining the Mexican trip was the developer, Jordan.
WHO was interviewed on May 9th of 1978? Golly!
And who did the interviewing?
I have found a reference to an officer/agent ("special agent"?) of the FBI named Stanley J. Fullerton
 (here; p. II-109). And so Fullerton represents the FBI in the interview. What's SA? I suspect it abbreviates
Special Agent.
The OC DA who went after Cella was the celebrated Cecil Hicks.
I have no idea who this Marine Major is. I'll do some digging.

Curious investors: Camelot card club, Anaheim (c. 1977)

I have found news reports concerning the Camelot "card club" in Anaheim c. 1976-7. The owner, Joseph G. London,
ran afoul of city regulations. Some local officials seemed to feel that the club was detrimental to citizens' welfare. A "James Grover" (aka "Jimmy 'Bad Boy' Williams") of Las Vegas had ties to the club; evidently, he was an ex-convict with underworld connections, which worried Anaheim officials when London attempted to expand the business in the city. (The
Register's 9-12-77 article about Camelot is amazing.)

Someone overheard a conversation by ? in which "covering...tracks" was discussed—in connection
with the sinking of the Shooting Star. Relative to tracks-covering, this Marine, is (?) a local gambler in debt to this "card club."
The next bit of verbiage (on page 5) refers to participants of the conversation "wanting CASPERS 'taken out'"

CELLA wants Caspers taken out? Over knowledge of a hinky funding source?
Who is the BAGMAN? I know that Larry Clark worked for Schmitt (OC Board of Supers 1975-78)—
but it seems unlikely that he would be a bagman for anyone.
I'm gonna have to work on this, see if I can identify the names.
Two hookers on the Shooting Star! WTF!

OCDAO — that's likely the OC District Attorney's Office.
Could the redacted mystery man be Lyle Overby? Overby served as
a Supervisor's executive aide at the time, I believe. He was on the Shooting Star on
that fateful (not fatalistic) trip—but bailed at some point at Cabo San Lucas. (See My correspondence 
with passenger Lyle Overby.) 
Overby later became a successful OC lobbyist. (He is a Republican.)
LARRY SCHMITT was an OC Supervisor from 75-78 or so. He was a part of
Harber's "shadow government." Larry Clark, who wrote a fine piece about the 
Shooting Star tragedy, told me that he was Schmitt's executive aide—and he was told
that his job was to "keep him [Larry] out of jail." Clark was the one who told me that Overby
was the passenger who bailed on the trip perhaps at Cabo.

Let me know what you make of all this. 

I've got more documents that I haven't sifted through yet.

I'll get back atcha. —RB 

I am going to make it through this year if it kills me

Yeah!

Rebel Girl's Poetry Corner: "She fears his mob more than the man"

White nationalists, neo-Nazis and Klansmen clashed with counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Credit Edu Bayer for The New York Times

Rebel Girl has been on a roll with her poetry lately.  It is, she quips, an economical and constructive mid-life crisis.  She recommends it.  If you're interested, seats are still available in creative writing classes.  Sign up!  Everyone has a story. Or a poem.

Meanwhile, here is one of Rebel Girl's latest, which appeared online on January 4th, 2018, as part of  "What Rough Beast," Indolent Books online project which seeks to publish a  "poem a day by a different poet exploring and responding to our nation’s political reality."

She Fears: A Villanelle

She fears his mob more than the man
the flag not hers when in their hands
when he is gone, they still will stand

conspiracy converts the land
an anthem stung into command
she fears that mob more than their man

she reads their signs: demand demand
bright torches, chants, night-roaming klans
when he is gone, they will still stand

they have been waiting, like the sands
for a late tide that drowns the land
she fears this mob more than the man

recalling plans of other clans
when candles gently lit the land
When he is gone, still will they stand?

Interrogate the past they brand!
Barricade our hearts, our held hands!
She fears his mob more than their man.
When he is gone, will we still stand?

*

To read it online and read other poems from the project, click here.

*

Dolores O’Riordan (1971-2018)

Again with the racist President

Our "leader"

Trump Alarms Lawmakers With Disparaging Words for Haiti and Africa
(NYT)

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday balked at an immigration deal that would include protections for people from Haiti and some nations in Africa, demanding to know at a White House meeting why he should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” rather than people from places like Norway, according to people with direct knowledge of the conversation….

THE PRESIDENT: “Why are we having all these people from
shithole countries come here?”

Trump pans immigration proposal as bringing people from 'shithole countries'
(The Guardian)

     Oh my.
     Could this be the beginning of the end of Trump World?
     There's no telling.
     If "grab 'em by the pussy" was a 9 (awfulness-wise), then what is "shithole countries"?

Music for a hard start

Adrianne Lenker is just the best.

It came over her at a bad time
Riding through Winona down the dotted line
Held us gunning out
Ninety miles down the road of a dead end dream
She looked over with a part smile
Caught up in the twinkle, it could take awhile
And the money pile on the dashboard fluttering
As she said woo
Baby, take me
And I said woo
Baby, take me too

Gosh, the guitarist sure sounds good.
I dedicate their version of "Money" to the FA.

Money don't get everything it's true 

What it don't get, I can't use 

I want money 

That's what I want

In a dream I saw you walkin'
Like a kid alive and talking
That was you

This definitely counts as sexual harassment. Sorry.
Try to imagine the blues tradition without mega-incorrectness.

I went down to Eli’s
To get my pistol out of pawn
When I got back home
My woman had gone
Yeah, gonna murder my babe
Ooh, if she don’t stop cheatin’ and lyin’
Well, I’d rather be in penitentiary than to be worried out of my mind 

I’s comin’ home last night
Just about 4 o’clock
A little moonshine joint in the rear
Was just beginning to rock
I kinda eased upside
To get a better view
I saw my woman
Doin’ the monkey, too
Yeah, gonna murder my baby,
Ooh, if she don’t stop cheatin’ and lyin’
Well, I’d rather be in penitentiary than to be worried out of my mind 

I give all my money
Tryin’ to be nice and kind
She takin’ all my money
Spent it all on beer and wine
Yeah, gonna murder my babe
Ooh, if she don’t stop cheatin’ and lyin’
Well, I’d rather be in penitentiary than to be worried out of my mind

For the full recording, see here.

Service for Sneed

     Today, the district community received this email from Jennie McCue:

     The memorial service for Dr. Richard J. Sneed, Chancellor of the South Orange County Community College District from 1986-1993, will be held on Thursday, February 1 at 10:00 am at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Laguna Hills. Dr. Sneed passed away at his home on December 16 after battling a long illness. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and former colleagues.

     Dr. Sneed led the district – which was then known as the Saddleback Community College District – at a time of great growth. Irvine Valley College had received its accreditation as an independent institution, thereby creating a multi-college district. It was a time of positive change and advancement for the district – multiple groundbreakings and building grand openings occurred at both colleges to keep up with student enrollment, which rapidly grew to more than 33,000 students in 1992.
Please click here to read the obituary, which provides a link for charity donations in lieu of flowers.

Memorial Service for Dr. Richard J. Sneed
Thursday, February 1
10:00 am
St. George’s Episcopal Church
23802 Avenida De La Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Here’s the obituary:

June 10, 1929 - December 16, 2017 Richard Joseph Sneed died on Saturday, December 16, 2017. Richard was born on June 10, 1929. His parents were Theo Wayne and Pauline Masdon Sneed of Memphis, Tennessee, and he had four brothers and one sister. Richard's educational accomplishments were impressive and extensive. After graduating from St. Gregory's High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma, he attended St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas, earning a B.A. in sociology. He then spent four years studying theology at St. Gregory's Abbey. Richard continued his education on the graduate level and was awarded a Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL) from Catholic University, a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (SSL) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and a Ph.D. in theology from Catholic University. Richard's studies often focused on languages, and he completed advanced work in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. His linguistic competence, along with his Biblical and archeological studies, were the basis for his becoming a well known and respected scholar and lecturer on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Richard had a long and distinguished academic career. As an ordained priest, he taught at St. Gregory's College and Seminary in Shawnee, Oklahoma, becoming the President of that institution in 1963. He oversaw both the curricular and physical growth of the college and opened admissions to women in 1964. In 1969, Richard moved to California to become the Dean of International Studies at Chapman College (now University). Subsequent to that he was appointed Dean of Liberal Arts, then Academic Vice President at Santa Ana College before becoming Vice Chancellor of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. The final phase of Richard's career was spent at the South Orange County Community College District, where he served as Chancellor until his retirement in 1993. During his years in higher education, Richard was a member, and often the chair, of several administrative and accrediting teams dealing with many community colleges in California. Richard will be remembered with respect and affection for his intelligence, honesty, kindness, sense of curiosity, great humor and wit, and for his unfailing moral and ethical values and behavior. Richard was married to Marion Penhallow from 1969 to 1983. In 1985, he and Tad Acker became partners and married in 2008, the year they moved to Rancho Mirage, California. Richard was predeceased by his parents and brothers, Earl and Ted; he is survived by his spouse, Tad; his brothers, Robert and Michael, and his sister, Paula. A memorial celebration of Richard's life is being planned and will be held at St. George's Episcopal Church in Laguna Hills. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the charity of your choice.

Published in the Los Angeles Times from Dec. 22 to Dec. 28, 2017

SEE ALSO Richard Sneed dies

I'll shine up the old brown shoes
Put on a brand new shirt
I'll get home early from work
If you say that you love me