OCDA Tony Rackauckas
Few can argue that four-term Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas put it on the line last year in his prosecution of two bad ex-Fullerton cops in the Kelly Thomas murder case. The LA Times had this take on it: Tony Rackauckas put reputation on the line in Kelly Thomas case (outside paywall here). Should he have been the lead prosecutor? Since he lost a slam dunk case, we can argue NO.
OC Supervisor Todd Spitzer, T-Rack’s nemesis and former ADA, chose not to run against him this year to keep peace among the Republicans. Despite his FAIL in a nationally reported murder trial of a homeless man by two badge-carrying armed thugs, T-Rack’s assured of re-election anyway. His only declared opposition now is a liberal blogger, apparently the best that DPOC could do.
After the Ramos/Cicinelli not-guilty verdicts, “Rackauckas also said the case against the third officer, Joseph Wolfe, who was indicted by the Orange County grand jury in 2012 on charges of involuntary manslaughter and use of excessive force, will be dismissed” according to a January Register story.
Rackauckas has never been overly aggressive in pursuing other types of crime (like municipal corruption in Irvine, Santa Ana and Anaheim) or certain individuals (his GOP friends and political allies). But lacking any alternatives, even our OCPB Editor has endorsed him. Conventional wisdom has it that he’s only keeping the office until it’s time for his #2, Susan Kang Schroeder, to displace him when he chooses to retire. A properly timed resignation then means she wouldn’t need to run against Spitzer until 2018. Rackauckas, 71, has been the OC’s DA since 1999.
Corruption abounds in the OC — can we afford any more T-Rack? The wheels are coming off at the Great Park as $200+ million has disappeared, the Mayor of nearly-bankrupt Santa Ana is doing questionable property deals and in bed with his streetcar engineers, the Hall of Administration is rife with personnel issues (when is Carlos Bustamante going on trial?) and the Anaheim City Council as operated by the Pringle cabal needs a complete housecleaning (before Arte Moreno cleans the city out himself). T-Rack even let State Senate candidate/GOP darling Janet Nguyen off the hook — while the FBI has not.
Orange County residents and taxpayers deserve better. It’s time to let it go, Tony.
cold mashed potatoes–best fits the situation !
Yes it is time to go but instead we are stuck with either voting for Tony or voting for a liberal ding dong – Greg Diamond. No thanks! I will stick with Tony.
The real problem with Diamond is his ability to actually manage the office, assuming he did win. T-Rack should have been voted out long ago for his failures. The egotistical move to personally prosecute the Fullerton officers is just the latest in poor judgment moves from a used car salesman whose true forte is in protecting corrupt cronies. I would rather Diamond take the helm, fail through incompetence or inability, and the AG’s Office have to take over. But, you assume Kang-Schroeder will be handed the reins. I’m not so sure she is all that well liked by the BoS (I can think of one or two who don’t think much of her) who would be charged with replacing the used car salesman.
Very good points!
Sorry to disappoint, Jeff, but I could actually manage the office. Apparently, they even let the DA have a certain number of assistants to help him or her do so!
Here are the three most important things that I would accomplish before even taking my oath:
(1) Introduce uncertainty — and therefore deterrence — in the minds of OC public and private actors who now reasonably think that, if they are well-connected, they can currently get away with almost anything.
(2) Change the payoffs for current OCDA employees. Under my leadership, they will be evaluated not based on how good they can make the DA look, but on how well they follow the state and federal constitutions and laws. Attorneys who conscientiously follow the law would do well — and would, I suggest, appreciate my leadership. Attorneys who take the sorts of actions that we see happening in the Scott Dekraii prosecution in Seal Beach would do poorly. Those who simply aim to maximize the quantity of convictions, jail time, or death penalties — regardless of the merits — would do poorly; those who aimed to maximize their quality, with appropriate punishments rather than the ones that raise the most funds or pay the most to prison interests, would do well.
(3) In some ways, the most important thing that I could do by being elected would be to derail the conveyor belt currently set to install Kang Schroeder in office as soon as T-Rack retires — probably in late 2016 or early 2017, depending on how the 2016 Supes races go. (If Nguyen loses this year, she’ll owe him for the very gentle Cal-Optima investigation.) SKS will hire him as a well-paid consultant; I won’t.
Perhaps you’re suggesting that the attorneys there would simply flee — despite the fact that I can work with UCI Law, the LADA’s office and others to identify those who would make the best, most honest, and most effective supervisors. If that happened, I have plenty of contacts from law school of people highly placed at the DOJ, Manhattan DA’s Office, Los Angeles DA’s Office etc. who would love to reinvent the DA’s office from the ground up — if necessary. But I don’t think that it will be necessary. I think that there is amazing talent in the DA’s office that can work wonders with a boss who rewards the right sort of behavior. And that’s what I’ll do.
Would I be able to do well enough to win re-election in 2018? In every way other than fundraising, probably so — but that’s a big exception. I’m going to just ignore anything other than doing proper justice — and whether I’m in there for 4 years or 24, the rest will take care of itself.
Does Kang have a law degree?
Yes. http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/174878
She actually worked as a prosecutor in the office before becoming Tony’s consort.
Was she his consort? She was ex-GOP Chair Mike Schroeder’s wife, right? Are you sure you aren’t thinking about his third wife, the one who went to the Public Administrator’s office for the cush job — of which I’ll remind people soon?
What’s disappointing, Greg, is that you actually think you could accomplish all that. It shows how little you know of the (lack of a) civil service system in The Real OC. ADAs receive pay raises the same as any other employee in county service and it is rarely due to exemplary service.
As far as Schroeder goes, she still has to garner favor with at least three of the BoS and her ability to do so at this writing is debatable.
And, if by some miracle you overcome all the obstacles in your path to Tony’s office, you better hope your managers don’t flee; it would take years to build that office from scratch. But, you go, dude.
The truth is, if you were any real threat to Tony, we would see a charge from Spitzer, who will outspend anyone in his way. He’s smart enough to wait his turn and he actually does have the experience and ability to run the office.
None of this should be taken personally. I call them as I see them. I only met you once and you’re a pretty good piano player as I recall. You write pretty campaign speeches, too. You just don’t have what it takes to be OCDA.
Jeff, ask around and get a sense of how much I can accomplish. Most politicians don’t accomplish much because they are worried about re-election and moving onto the next job after that. I simply don’t give a damn about that. I’m completely willing to break what needs to be broken and resett it, though I don’t presume a priori that much does.
I have a great deal of good will from a great number of very skilled lawyers from Top 5 law schools and beyond — and if I ask people to help me reform the DA’s office in a wealthy county the population of Iowa I know very well that I will have excellent takers. Mostly, one just has to be creative, be willing to tell powerful people “no,” be willing to tell others to get out of the way, and be willing to truly value people who “get it.” You don’t see it much in OC because this county is so deeply on the make; well, I’m not, and I can be very assertive about it.
Some managers might flee. The good ones won’t. I’ll be getting to know the staff well before I take office, with enough time to determine who has others’ respect, who can run a clean shop, and who can understand and adopt best practices. The people I promote will be the ones who can do the job right — because that’s ALL I care about.
I’m sure that Tony doesn’t see me as a threat. So what? I doubt that he’s polled me as an opponent. No one really knows how sick the public is of him — so let’s roll the dice. Spitzer will probably run in four years — against SKS if Tony wins and resigns, against me if I win — and we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
I don’t think that you’ve met me at all, because I’m not a piano player. (You may be thinking of Vern Nelson). I’m a pretty good singer within my range, though. And I don’t think that Tony Rackauckas has what it takes to be DA, nor Susan Kang Schroeder, so I’m the best shot you have. And I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. (Do you even know my background, before you make that judgment? If not, just ask.)
Here’s a short speech that I gave on Wednesday to a local bar association, if you’re interested. (The first few seconds are missing.) Am I who and what you thought I was?
Where is your yamaka you nutcase?
As soon as I hit the send key, I said, “Damn, that was Vern, not Greg.” Hate when that happens. I’ve heard you sing; don’t give up your day job. Good luck in your endeavor. You may find enough people like me to vote for you simply because I’m tired of the used car salesman.
Columbia. Impressive.
Senior Editor, Columbia Law Review; published note therein (dealing with a criminal law topic); honors during my first year (CLS gives them out yearly); highest honors during my second and third years. Got one of the nation’s top clerkships; drafted 10 written opinions. Etc.
Being so gravely underestimated is new to me since returning to OC; it’s sort of refreshing.
Anyway, I not only can manage an office full of attorneys, but I could readily get the best help in the country to assist me if it proved necessary. But I’ll take your vote either on the merits or not; it counts the same. I’ll take Stanley’s vote too, even if it’s merely on the basis that my election would provide fuel for his psychosis and his sexual reveries. On second thought….
Don’t forget your modesty. B€)
I don’t respond to anything that little swastika swing says. Not worth my time.
Now’s not really the moment for modesty, is it? 😉 Anyway, there’s nothing in that list that I didn’t earn, so I think I’m entitled to list it.
“I don’t respond to anything that little swastika swing says. Not worth my time.”………… Hmmmmm
I will donate $100.00 to Diamond campaign if you show me the “little swastika swing” you moron mongoloid.
I bet that you are seeing “little swastika swing” on the Christmas tree too.
What a psycho!
Nobody is asking Es. Diamond about his sexuality.
In his OCB Esq. Diamond is alleging that Tony was Dating Claudia Alvarez while she was under his supervision as a DA assistant. See http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/01/busted-drug-case-foreshadows-what-judge-claudia-alvarez-would-be-like/comment-page-1/#comment-115339
My questions to Esq. Diamond are:
What is your sexual orientation, are you gay, crossdresser or woman in man’s body?
Is your penis real or surgically created from the vagina?
If elected, will you date Claudia Alvarez too?
Will you have a sex with any employ in your office?
If so will you use a force if such male/ female employ will say NO to you as alleged in the Bustamate case?
Will you drop charges against Mr Bustamante?
And finely will you continue solicit a sex for the food? http://orangejuice.ocsatire.com/images/Golem00.jpg
The people have a right to know.
Well, since Esq. Diamond is not answering my questions he is obviously hiding something.
So if you do not want another Sex Scandal in the Orange County don’t forget to check proper box on the ballot.
In the c. 620 BCE, Aesop said: Better the used car salesman than new bris salesmen.
TRUTH. The whole truth and nothing but the truth is what we need to look closely at when considering re-electing Mr. Tony Rackauckas. He has a history of good and not so good (as do we all), but lately I suggest his competency for good judgment is in question. Perhaps for the sake of Mr. Rackauckas we should NOT re-elect him. There is a time for all good men to step aside and let a younger attorney that has shown themselves capable. My supervisor Todd Spitzer or even one of Tony’s top staff members should step up. I have a fondness for sports but even I would consider it cruel to put an old horse that was once a grand champion on a race track. I’m not calling Mr. Rackauckas an old hag just that there are better choices to be had. I submit the reason Tony had no opponents in the past is because of the respect his colleagues have for the man (not a bad thing). In sports time demands retirement like that of Michael Jorden to whom many hated to see leave the basketball COURT. I’m sure it’s also true with this DA that has held his position for so long. Think about it…even our county supervisors have to leave their seats after a third term. Tony’s had a good run. I don’t want him to continue and we all end up regretting it. The man put the community in harm’s way by allowing a convicted registered sex offender to be alone with women as a hairstylist for the past 14 years after his conviction for assaulting a woman in his salon. This is just one of many missteps and bad judgments of our DA. Okay, I’ll through myself under the bus and say I was that registered sex offender. Tony in a way saved my life by my conviction. I was forced into treatment while on probation but while I was a registrant on probation Tony did no follow through thereby placing the public at great risk. I looked over my therapy notes from back then and I was truly a threat (IMO) to public safety. Why did Tony allow a convicted registered sex offender to work in that capacity? Tony appeared before the Anaheim city council (10/09/12) and stated on the record he would support my getting a Certificate of Rehabilitation but come the day in court he had his deputy DA recant the offer. I find that odd since he allowed me to be alone with women in a salon environment for the last 14 years. It gets worse. (Let me look at the client cards) I serviced two of the DA’s staff members (not to give their names) on 10/21/11. I did their hair into the night. When I was finished I walked them to their minivan for safety. REALLY!?! A registered sex offender walked two of the DA’s staff members to their car in the dark for their safety? (I have their hand written client cards to prove this factual) I guess I was okay according to Tony to do such but not safe enough to receive a Cert, of Rehab. Really? Now about competency and sound judgment. Another example: Why would the DA take a murder case recently to which he flopped? Although he is an attorney and can do such but as DA isn’t his position more that of a leader and administrator. It would be like having our sheriff standing on the corner giving out parking tickets. Can she do it? Yes, would she be as proficient as her staff that does it every day? Probably not. Again we need a DA that exercises good judgment. TRUTH
Oh gosh, we’re happy your rehab took (my wifenjust unocked the gun locker). Tony has only been popular with rich Republicans that fund his campaign for his willingness to look the other way. The masses vote for him because they have no stake in the game and it says “incumbent” next to his name. No one runs against him (that is viable) because the Lincoln Club will do what it takes to buy the election. That’s the TRUTH. Well, that and you’re a Sex offender, “rehabilitated” or not.
Jeff, I’m not perfect. My creditability is out the window because of my willingness to be upfront and honest. That’s fine. Bottom line both you, me and the rest of OC deserves better than what Tony has to give. Fresh blood in the DA’s office is welcomed news. Don”t judge me to harshly when we have a registered sex offender (Glenn Champ) running for governor and is in 3rd place and closing in the poles. Truth
Too true, Robert. We are all on the same page that anyone would be better than the used car salesman.
Is it just me or is this article just way to telling of our DA Tony and his chief of staff:
http://once-fallen.blogspot.com/2014/05/grand-theft-oc-ballad-of-tony-rackauckas.html
That’s a good point — this position should be term-limited.
Agreed.
Ofc. Gallagher,
Howdy Jeff,
Long time, no talk. Email me back, I have a question for you.
Jon Beltran
Deputy Juvenile Correctional Officer – Retired
Santa Clara County
jerkyg@yahoo.com
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