“Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona gave reserve deputy badges to 86 people on a roster known as the “friends list” in exchange for donations of $1,000 to his first campaign, a key witness in the corruption case against him told federal investigators,” according to the L.A. Times.
Was this the worst thing Mike Carona did? I think so. He gutted and destroyed what had been an effective Reserve Deputy program. And he did it in order to line his pockets.
Only seven of the reserve deputies that Carona appointed actually took the time to become qualified to serve in this capacity. Seven out of 86. What a mockery!
Amongst those who received guns and badges from Carona were GOP blogger Jon Fleischman, Assemblyman Van Tran and then-Supervisor Lou Correa. Not to mention an assortment of hacks, some of whom got into legal trouble while flashing their guns and badges.
Shame on the many O.C. Republicans who continued to back Carona in his last race, even though we all knew he was an unethical pig!
Personally, I am bummed that I didn’t take notice of this a lot sooner. For only one thousand dollars, I could have become a reserve deputy, gotten a badge and had all the “lawful” protections that persons in law enforcement enjoy without all the danger and risk of the actual job. Carona was giving out the deal of the century, for sure!
I would have even taken the classes. I swear it!
red vixen, so would i! i mean thats a bargain. a thousand bucks to get a badge and a gun i would have gone to classes too. we blew it.
Thats the problem with this, no Democrat could get away with giving out concealed weapon permits or badges for five minutes let alone several years. I too would like to have a badge and a concealed weapon but I wouldnt want to have to support the Grand Oil Party to do it.
I truly don’t believe that all of the positions were for political payola.
I know several folks who were a part of the reserve program as professionals. Their qualifications were not as law enforcement but professionals who possess expertise in other areas that could be called upon to lend their opinions about certain aspects of investigations that wouldn’t be in the normal skill set of most officers. As such, it seemed logical at the time that at least the folks I knew were involved. I still doubt that they had the same kind of involvement that is being accused.
I now know that there are problems with the ex-sheriff. I certainly didn’t know it, when he was in office or when he lent a hand for charities I worked for. The man I knew and respected was much different than that being portrayed now in the media. I am very sorry that saga continues. The man and his wife were always very giving and caring in their charitable works in the past. I will always remember their good deeds and let the court settle out the rest. It has been truly sad for all of us in the county.