Buena Park Mayor Sangjin Miller Oh Photo: OC Register
The Register reported yesterday that:
A jury found Buena Park Mayor Sangjin Miller Oh guilty Friday of five counts of perjury for falsifying Department of Motor Vehicles documents to avoid making child-support payments. The conviction effectively ends his four-year run on the City Council…Oh, 50, faces a maximum of six years, four months in state prison when he is sentenced Aug. 22. Continue reading
OCDA Tony Rackauckas was lead prosecutor and LOSER of the Kelly Thomas Murder Trial. Photo: OC Register
As he did to Toyota Motors in Torrance per our post earlier this month, Orange County’s District Attorney will now take on a collection of deep-pockets, perfectly legitimate American drug firms for their legal manufacture and “deceptive marketing” of FDA-approved painkillers.
Buried in both the OC Register and the LA Times last week were two stories:
OCR: O.C. D.A., Santa Clara County sue opioid makers for deaths. We noted the Register is even taking some credit for the suit, saying it was “filed after an extensive series of Register columns over three years blaming much of the epidemic on drug companies”.
LAT: Counties sue narcotics makers, alleging ‘campaign of deception’.
Per the Times:
Two California counties sued five of the world’s largest narcotics manufacturers on Wednesday, accusing the companies of causing the nation’s prescription drug epidemic by waging a “campaign of deception” aimed at boosting sales of potent painkillers such as OxyContin. Officials from Orange and Santa Clara counties — both hit hard by overdose deaths, emergency room visits and escalating medical costs associated with prescription narcotics — contend the drug makers violated California laws against false advertising, unfair business practices and creating a public nuisance
… In Orange County, where the lawsuit alleges there is a painkiller-related death every other day, Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas said he decided to pursue the case “as a matter of public protection… Named in the suit are: Actavis, Endo Health Solutions Inc., Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Purdue Pharma, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ Cephalon Inc.”
Bryan Suits, the new 9am-Noon host at KABC AM-790 Talk Radio had good coverage of the story on his program Thursday last (14:24 in, thru 26:20, also here): Continue reading
I recently wrote of the need to focus on reform in the wake of the Kelly Thomas verdict. There, I argued that police spending should be diverted away from wasteful high-tech gear and towards practical stress training. Responding to the piece, a local policy maker messaged me with the following point:
Regardless of how one feels about whether police brutality occurred here or not, funding and mental energy should be spent on getting the homeless population permanently housed and providing them the supportive services they require. If Kelly Thomas [homeless at the time of his murder] had been in permanent supportive housing, he’d still be alive. Case closed.
A powerful argument that further reveals the wide-range of reform efforts that should be on the table as we reflect on the legacy of Kelly Thomas. Moving forward, Orange County must accomplish its stated goal of opening OC’s first year-around homeless shelter. Further, leaders should be critical of laws that “criminalize” and stigmatize the homeless population.
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 26, 2013
OCDA’S 5th ANNUAL VICTIMS’ RIGHTS MARCH & RALLY DRAWS OVER 450 TO HONOR CRIME VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) hosted the 5th Annual Victims’ Rights March & Rally today in remembrance of murdered victims, in celebration of surviving victims, and in honor of victims’ rights. Over 450 victims, family, friends, law enforcement, and community leaders marched from the District Attorney’s Office to the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana and laid flowers at the foot of a memorial wreath to honor and celebrate the lives of murdered and surviving victims. Continue reading
Mayor Sharon Quirk-Silva, Councilmember Greg Sebourn, presenting Certificate of Commendation to OC Human Relations CEO, Rusty Kennedy
OC Human Relations Commission Recognized by the City of Fullerton for service in leading the Fullerton Mentally Ill Homeless Task Force.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
In a packed ceremony at the Library, Fullerton Mayor, Sharon Quirk-Silva, newly elected Councilman, Greg Sebourn, and City Manager, Joe Felz presented the City of Fullerton Certificate of Commendation to OC Human Relations Commission for service to the city. Continue reading
The Libertarian Party of Orange County voted at their business meeting tonight to endorse the Fullerton Recall (of three lousy Council Members – Dick Jones, Pat McKinley and Don Bankhead).
LPOC Chairman Tom Hanson moved to support the Fullerton Recall after I brought up the issue. I happily seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. With this move the Libertarian Party of Orange County becomes the first political party in Orange County to endorse the Fullerton Recall! Our party has been growing – we now have almost 12,000 voting members in Orange County – as such this endorsement does matter in what will be a heated recall election. Continue reading