The Carona-ization of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has begun
UPDATE: Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist has declared his support for Sheriff Hutchens!
Here we go again. Disgraced former Sheriff Mike Carona will soon receive his sentence, but his replacement, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, is already being dragged down Carona Road by the same folks who supported Carona.
Take a look at the graphic below. She is offering a photo opportunity for the price of $1,600 - $3,200, at her upcoming fundraiser, on Jan. 22! Can’t afford a picture? Well, you can attend this fundraiser for the paltry price of $250.
Now let’s have a look at the folks who are on the Host Committee for this event:
Fred Armendariz:
President and CEO of CCN USA. He was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Armendariz alo served President George W. Bush as the associate deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Armendariz was picked by Carona as one of his reserve deputy sheriffs. He serves on the boards of the Lincoln Club, and the Business Credit Advisory Council.
So what does Fred’s company do? These are the guys who ripped off the City of Santa Ana by selling them a bunch of wide-screen TV’s that were placed in strange locations, including a burger joint, and are supposed to be used to broadcast city information during an emergency. How stupid! We can get info on our cell phones - why spend all that money on a bunch of TV’s that only a handful of our residents can get to in a real emergency?
Dave Neideffer:
President of Rhinotek. Lincoln Club member. They make heavy duty computers that they sell to police departments. Neideffer also appears to be one of the team members for Blackford Capital–an equity investors firm who counts as part of its portfolio. BSI happens to make security surveillance and monitoring equipment. Talk about “pay to play!”
Dennis Assael:
According to the OC Weekly this guy was a big-time Carona fundraiser. One of their readers commented that he used to own a BMW dealership in Monrovia. Another reader indicated that this guy was one of Carona’s Reserve Deputies, and that Hutchens took away his badge. But there he is supporting her…
Frank Barbaro:
This guy is the Chairman of the DPOC (the Democratic Party of Orange County). And of course he endorsed Carona last time around. He is a lawyer (supposedly he is Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s lawyer) and I am told that Barbaro also owns a ticket agency. He used to be on the OC Fair Board, and yes he was involved in the OC Fair concert ticket scandal.
Caroline Beeson:
She was Mexican-basher Mimi Walter’s “Woman of the Year” in 2006, according to the Red-faced County blog. She is the Chairman of the New Majority California Growing Republican Opportunities to Win (GROW) Committee.
Susie Caskey:
She is the Government Relations Representative at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. She is also the President of the O.C. Chapter of the CWLA (California Women’s Leadership Association) which raises money for Republican candidates. She is tight with Walters and Supervisor Janet Nguyen.
Kris Dodge:
Served with Carona’s wife, Debby, on the 2006 OC Fair Board and has received free OC Fair Concert tickets, according to the L.A. Times.
Lucy Dunn:
CEO of the O.C. Business Council. She has donated to the OC Lincoln Club. According to Red-faced County, Dunn was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the state Transportation Commission. Dunn wrote an editorial in the O.C. Register ripping Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez for opposing the dreadful 241 Toll Road extension.
Ali Jahangari:
A big backer of Rudy Giuliani’s aborted presidential campaign, according to the Flash Report, which is produced by Carona’s former P.R. flack, Jon, Fleischman.
Mark Johnson:
CEO of Chapin Medical and a Founder of the New Majority.
Paul and Hadi Makarechian:
Hadi Makarechian and his son Paul operate Makar Properties, a development company whose holdings include the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Spa in Dana Point. Their company is a major contributor to political causes throughout the state and has paid out more than $300,000 since 2004. Hadi was one of the Carona reserves who lost his badge, according to the L.A. Times.
Mario Rodriguez:
Supported Mike Carona until 2005, when he announced he would back Bill Hunt, according to the L.A. Times.
Dan Young:
Former Santa Ana Mayor. “The most important man at the Irvine Company besides Don Bren,” according to the Flash Report.
Carold Rudat:
Another Lincoln Club member. She ran unsuccessfully for the Orange City Council and got caught living in Corona Del Mar at the time.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Art,
I am proud to say that I backed Chief Paul Walters for the job. It is clear that the same powerful folks that were behind the crooked Carona have found themselves another lackey in Hutchens.
Great job exposing this.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Sean,
Thanks! This post took a lot of time to write, due to the research involved. Hutchens has some explaining to do…
I was pretty tough on Walters - and I sincerely hoped that Hutchens would bring change to the O.C. Sheriff’s department. Instead the Carona hacks now they have their hooks in her, as they did with Carona.
I am beyond disappointed. Perhaps we need to change the law so that our County Supervisors appoint our Sheriff instead of picking them via elections.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Shady, Shady, Shady
January 8th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Mr. Pedroza I disagree with the BOS appointing a Sheriff. If you look you will probably find the same people that you mentioned above buddying up to the Supes. It’s politics as usual for Orange County. The faces change, the names change, but the results are the same.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Olivella,
Look how hard it was to get rid of Carona. if the Supes appointed our Sheriff it would be easier to dump the bad ones.
Elections are arbitrary. Too often the worst of the lot wins due to their ability to raise money.
Look at the creeps backing Hutchens. She was forced into bed with them in order to raise money.
Let’s take the politics out of law enforcement in Orange County!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Sean,
Actually, many of the same characters that backed Carona had jumped to Walters last June - and the GOP spinners have spent the summer and fall carping about Hutchens. I’m sure many, true to their natures, have decided to get behind the incumbent and adios to Walters. This will make thing virtually impossible for Walters in 2010.
In any case, this fundraising embarrassment just goes to re-inforce what I’ve been arguing for: a State Constitutional amendment making Sheriffs and DAs appointed professionals.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
#4 makes a good point. Part of the problem with all our electeds is the influence of money on elections. As long as we make elections expensive we will give those with more discretionary money greater influence. I think many of our electeds, including Hutchins, are completely ethical about fund raising, nevertheless none of the folks on my street will be shaking hands with the Sheriff that day.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
#7,
I want to believe that Hutchens is ethical, but her Host Committee is populated by many unethical former Carona hacks. No bueno!
January 8th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Lucy Dunn is the head of the OCBC as well as a higher up in the Lincoln Club? Can you tell me if the Lincoln Club endorsed Carona and Janet Nguyen?
Didnt Alicia Berhow work for Loretta Sanchez at some point? And Lucy Dunn trashed Sanchez over the Toll Road issue? Did Berhow and Sanchez have a falling out?
Berhow was the Chair of the DPOC endorsement committee that tried to lynch Hoa Van Tran wasnt she? Is she still in the DPOC ranks? I was thinking about swithcing from Libertarian to Dem so I could get inside the DPOC and see whats what and who is who in that group.
Anyway, you got Dems suporting a Republican, along with some high power Reps? Something is just fishy about this.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Ask Carlos Bustamante “busty” why he was behisnd the adquisition of the T.V’s for the santana city???.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
You really can’t expect anyone to take your comments seriously when you lead your comments with a posting by an extemist loon like Sean H. Mill. Your story’s credibility just went down the drain. But, nice try anyway; albeit futile.
By the way, Pedroza is as much of a loon. He still thinks the earth is flat, always has been flat, and always will be flat.
You women-hating naysayers should should reel out for a while and just let Sheriff Hutchens do her job. Femininity in law enforcement is a reality, so get used to it.
And, trust me, children, the earth is not flat.
Jim Gilchrist, President, The Minuteman Project
January 8th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Grand Dragon Gilchrist,
Being insulted by the likes of you is a badge of honor. I will wear it proudly. Glad to see you took some time out from Mexican bashing to participate in the dialog here. What happened are you waiting for your sheets and hood to dry?
Sheriff Hutchens gender is not at play here GilKKKhrist. It is her questionable actions which are beginning to mirror Mike Carona’s pay to play Sheriff’s position.
Now run back to your trailer before Barbara Coe steals that from you too.
Adios baboso!!!
February 12th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Hello, neighbor Gilchrist and former Devildog…
How do you feel now about endorsing a Sheriff who in one of her long extended hot flashes decided to revoke virtually all CCW’s and spy on the board of supervisors with the swat team, eh? How do you feel about them first amendment rights now?
You’re a huge advocate of the First Amendment. How do you like them Sheriffs intimidating the citizens, Swat Team and all, snooping on the Supervisor’s notes and blackberries with them cameras, and hiding the security tapes from the public? I’m not worried about the Booby close ups the swat teamers spent their fine taxpayer time inspecting - I’m talking about Suppression of Speech under color of law, Title 18, USC.
Hutchens could be a monkey’s ass or a horse for all I care (come to think of it), so her gender isn’t the issue. Though, if you’re going to elect a woman, find someone representative of the gender - not a transgender-looking wench with bad teeth, a worse hairdo, and even worse ethics to match.
Her perpetual post-menopausal, anal retentive, lawbreaking, “I’m better than you and I decide what happens” attitude will quickly run her uptight, crappily dressed arse out of this neighborhood as soon as the citizens can vote their right.
OC will never appoint or elect another LA Cop with a negative CCW stand, ACORN or not.
Bet ya every spare Peso I got in my pocket. Spend your dollars lobbying someone else
April 9th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I have worked with Dennis Assael. He is the most self serving individual I have met. I hope the Sheriff did take his badge. He had no business wearing it. If he is involved with the new Sheriff, be afraid.