Even as Sheriff Mike Carona’s statement went out, the supes were debating his future. So it’s not exactly fiddling while Rome burns, but it’s certainly a weird dance playing out today between the sheriff and the board.
Already, Supe Chris Norby has placed the blame on a previous board for giving it’s approval to Carona in 1999 to place the unqualified George Jaramillo and Don Haidl as assistant sheriffs. That “help lead to the current predicament we’re in,” Norby said.
Before he knew of Carona’s decision, Norby said, “Our long county nightmare may just be beginning unless there’s a speedy resolution to this.”
In the audience today is DA Tony Rack, Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, former Lt. Bill Hunt, and constant Carona critic Tim Whitacre.
Hunt’s reaction?
“It’s appalling to me that he has no intention of doing the right thing,” Hunt told me. “He’s going to use the office as a bargaining chip as long as he can to increase his options in negotiating a plea deal.”
– Peggy Lowe
To News crews, Board of Supes, Todd Spitzer, and all concerned,
I am very disappointed that a Sheriff can pick his own Interim Sheriff. That is what this is. Taking it out of the hands of the Supes, and putting it on the Sheriff whose record is already tarnished. I had to work today or I would have been there in a heart-beat. I am just very disappointed that Orange County is going down is a way like we have never seen it before. I have spoken before on these issues and was I not right? I guess it if it does not happen then it will be a re-call. Trust me that now will not be hard to get. They should have put Lt. Bill Hunt back to full duty and put him in there as interim for our men and women in uniform. Very disappointed in the ones that voted against it.
Karen A Finn
Police Officers Wife
ich White Guy says:
“THEATRE AND POLITICAL ADVANTAGE: The firestorm generated lots of theatre amongst the usual suspects in Orange County political circles where covering ones’ ass by distancing themselves from the troubled becomes foremost of importance to them. Next, comes those that will seek to take advantage of a weakened political opponent in order to gain personally what they could not get when the playing field was level. Turkey buzzards would have a hard time getting through to the carcass with all the politicians and hacks hovering around!”
Assemblyman Spitzer disappoints me. First he uses the fires to get some airtime, instead of working behind the scenes to fix the problems in a more productive manner….and now he is sitting in on the BOS meeting to vote for the power to remove an elected official he recently supported. Sounds alot like Rich White Guys definition of Theatre and Political Advantage. As a Orange taxpayer, Mr Spitzer, please spend more of your time fixing the problems you so recently spoke of, instead of searching for your next 15 minutes of fame.
Secondly, any one of the gossipmongers who have been quick to convict Michael Carona, before he is given the chance to defend himself, should take an internal audit of their own lives and see if they are comfortable living in their glass houses. From what i can see, Sheriff Carona has served our community with a commitment that outshines most other elected officials. We, as the voters, asked for him to make our community a safe place for ourselves and more importantly, for our children. I, for one, think he has done an outstanding job and he is still my choice for Sheriff, with or without his 60 day leave.