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Santa Barbara Politics, Media & Culture

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Forensic Audits? Call CSI!

Sheriff Anderson pulled away from the Sheriff's Council yesterday asking everyone for their toy gold badges back:
"There's no political agenda behind his decision," said Sgt. Raney, who declared that he knew nothing about pressure on Ms. Jepsen to release council financial records.

Although I have a hard time believing that statement after the "we need a jail" news cover of his recent $26,000 raise -- this is one instance of "backsies" (see Stephen Colbert) that makes sense and was likely a good move for the Sheriff. Yes -- let's see the forensic audit of the last fundraiser.

14 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The details are in what "severs ties" with the Sheriff Council really means (per the Newspress headline).

Should the Sheriff run or overly influence the organization that gives his agency money? NO.

Should that Council stop getting fake badges that some of them try to pass off as real when questioned at an airport security screening? YES.

Should the Sheriff agency stop posting Chumash Casino advertising on government helicopters? YES.

Should the Board of Supervisors do its job and review and approve large donations to this county agency? YES.

Should the Sheriff and his staff avoid the appearnce of a conflict of interest as they investigate a crime allegedly enhanced by the swimming pool negligence of a Sheriff Council member and donor? NO.

But how the Sheriff should relate to his boosters is the open question that will evolve. The latter, semi-rhetoric question was downplayed in the Newspress article but is the sleeper issue that can blow up into a major frackus with the Sheriff re-election.

The grieving parents of the boy who drowned at Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club have been aggressive and relentless in spreading the blame of culpability and conspiracy, far more than has appeared in local news coverage, and that coverage has been heavy.

We need the Sheriff Council, if for any reason so their donors give their money to the Sheriff Dept. instead of having Jim Anderson play the "law and order" card by asking the County General Fund to pay for needed equipment. The donors also should spend their money on such equipment instead of donating to Firestone and Secord instead.

For the locally politically Faint Of Heart who pervade Santa Barbaraville, who are SHOCKED this all is happening, just be glad the local law enforcement culture is not as bad elsewhere in This Great Nation Of Ours, where civilian members of a Fraternal Order of Police routinely are given metal emblems (like badges) that they post on the rear of their cars, near the license plate, as a ploy that a cop who stops them should give them a break because they are in the fraternity of law enforcement family.

It is not that bad here, not yet at least. And much of this whole event is that Jim Anderson no doubt loaths the spectre of having to run a campaign for re-election and defend his performance, especially with his obscenely high salary.

12/15/2005 8:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CORRECTION TO MIS-TYPE IN PRIOR COMMENT POSTING:

spelling FRACUS

about the semi-rhetoric question:

Should the Sheriff and his staff avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest as they investigate a crime allegedly enhanced by the swimming pool negligence of a Sheriff Council member and donor?
The answer obviously is YES, not the NO mistyped.

12/15/2005 8:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

who cares about the sherrif? lets talk about the Das!

12/16/2005 8:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how big is Das' ego? When people say they are supporting Wolfe he acts like its because they are "against him" and "not progressive". Barbie Deutch from the Howard Dean group supports Janet. Susan Epstein supports her from the Progressive Coalition. Are they "against Das" too? Barbie supported Das so strongly for council people were starting to make jokes about it!But okay Das, SAVE US from the unprogressive Janet Wolfe

12/16/2005 9:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The two people with the potential for the greatest impact on our daily lives are a federal judge and the cop on the beat.
We need to pay attention to what Sheriff Anderson is doing.

12/16/2005 9:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

does D-s pay people to insert his name in blog postings? is that so far-fetched an idea?
D-s needs a hollywood agent who can educate him that sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder....

12/16/2005 11:10 AM  
Blogger Sara De la Guerra said...

You people are obsessed!

12/16/2005 11:23 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I tried to offer a nexus between Sheriff Council and Secord (and thus Das), but no outright running with that one... yet.

The Sheriff actually working for re-election would be good for everyone, except the blabbermouth who talked anonymously with McManigal in the Newspress article today (Dec. 16).

12/16/2005 11:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please folks, the 2nd District race isn't the only item of political importance. Some folks seem to be obsessed and think I am somehow reponsible for most of the ills of SB.

I think this blog is a good forum for discussion and debate about many aspects of local politics, and if it degenerates into a Friends of Das vs. Anonymous flame war, it will do the authors of the blog and the general public a disservice.

BTW- Barbie and I are still good friends and hang out together. She wants me to run for the Assembly, but I think that there are many issues (traffic, preservation of open space, bus and trains) that need to be solved at the local level. You can have a debate, and different opinions, without being enemies.

12/18/2005 6:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Das thanks.

You do not see Janet Wolfe comment under her own name. And of course Barbie and others want you to run for other offices Das because you are good, they powers to be have just sold out to Wolfe. Do not fall for it - run for second district - we need you.

12/18/2005 8:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Das, you are so brave we need you.

Talk about selling out.

and still, bashing Janet. because she doesn't post on this blog? like Bill O'Reilly chastising people who won't talk on his show. as if.

12/18/2005 9:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You have got to be kidding me......... I hope to someday live in a world where the Das doesn't effect life quite as much as it apparently does here. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Thanks Pete T. They are all fools.

12/18/2005 11:10 PM  
Blogger Sara De la Guerra said...

Thanks for writing Das and I hope everyone else takes heed and actually reads whole posts -- anon above thinks you were bashing Janet? I didn't even see her mentioned...

12/19/2005 7:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

gee, we all have so much to learn from D-S

12/20/2005 7:39 PM  

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