Sheriff Carona On Why He's Retiring Now & Jack Anderson As His Successor
Posted by: Jubal | 01/14/2008 7:03 PM
After my venting post about getting the straight-arm from the OCSD media office, I got a call from Mike Schroeder apologizing for the wires getting crossed and offering to put me on the phone with Sheriff Carona -- who had finished up a long day of one-on-one media interviews on his last day as Orange County Sheriff.
I hadn't talked to Mike since a quick exchange at the OC GOP election night party last June, and this was the first time I had spoken with him at any length in I don't know how long.
Why Retire Now?
As I'm sure every other media person did, I asked him about what led him to the decision to retire today. Although the answer is pretty obvious, I wanted to give him the opportunity to relate it.
Mike said relinquishing his office was something he had fought since the indictment came down. He maintained his innocence and that he'll be exonerated. Mike said he'd resisted giving his his job because that would mean he couldn't get it back once he had been exonerated.
However, the question of whether he could receive pro bono legal representation dramatically changed the calculus. The Sheriff said they might have found a way through the legal fog surrounding this question, "but we'd have had to litigate and spend a lot of time and a lot of money" to get through that fog. Jones Day would have had to hire legal counsel to sort out the matter and so would he. And with the June 10 trial date coming up, that just wasn't a realistic option -- thus, the decision to retire rather than face ruinous legal bills.
"This was the most prudent option. And while I don't like it, it is, frankly, the only option," said Carona.
Succession And Jack Anderson
I asked the Sheriff if he appointed Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson as Acting Sheriff because he wants Anderson to succeed him permanently.
"Yes," replied Mike. "Jack wanted to run for Sheriff in 2010, and he and I have had those conversations."
"I would have been very supportive of him," continued Carona, and went on to spell out the various measures of experience and temperament by which he believes Anderson would make a good Sheriff.
I raised the issue Moorlach Chief of Staff Mario Mainero had raised about Government Code 24105, and asked the Sheriff if he could resolve it while he was still Sheriff by simply naming Anderson as Undersheriff.
"I can't," replied Carona. "Jack doesn't meet the new requirements set by the Board of Supervisors last year. The Undersheriff has to have 4 years of division command experience" and Carona Anderson had 2 or three years of such experience. He thought it ironic that Anderson was legally qualified to be Assistant Sheriff and Sheriff, but not the Undersheriff.
With that, I bid Mike adieu and bon chance.
I hadn't talked to Mike since a quick exchange at the OC GOP election night party last June, and this was the first time I had spoken with him at any length in I don't know how long.
Why Retire Now?
As I'm sure every other media person did, I asked him about what led him to the decision to retire today. Although the answer is pretty obvious, I wanted to give him the opportunity to relate it.
Mike said relinquishing his office was something he had fought since the indictment came down. He maintained his innocence and that he'll be exonerated. Mike said he'd resisted giving his his job because that would mean he couldn't get it back once he had been exonerated.
However, the question of whether he could receive pro bono legal representation dramatically changed the calculus. The Sheriff said they might have found a way through the legal fog surrounding this question, "but we'd have had to litigate and spend a lot of time and a lot of money" to get through that fog. Jones Day would have had to hire legal counsel to sort out the matter and so would he. And with the June 10 trial date coming up, that just wasn't a realistic option -- thus, the decision to retire rather than face ruinous legal bills.
"This was the most prudent option. And while I don't like it, it is, frankly, the only option," said Carona.
Succession And Jack Anderson
I asked the Sheriff if he appointed Assistant Sheriff Jack Anderson as Acting Sheriff because he wants Anderson to succeed him permanently.
"Yes," replied Mike. "Jack wanted to run for Sheriff in 2010, and he and I have had those conversations."
"I would have been very supportive of him," continued Carona, and went on to spell out the various measures of experience and temperament by which he believes Anderson would make a good Sheriff.
I raised the issue Moorlach Chief of Staff Mario Mainero had raised about Government Code 24105, and asked the Sheriff if he could resolve it while he was still Sheriff by simply naming Anderson as Undersheriff.
"I can't," replied Carona. "Jack doesn't meet the new requirements set by the Board of Supervisors last year. The Undersheriff has to have 4 years of division command experience" and Carona Anderson had 2 or three years of such experience. He thought it ironic that Anderson was legally qualified to be Assistant Sheriff and Sheriff, but not the Undersheriff.
With that, I bid Mike adieu and bon chance.
CATEGORY:
Mike Carona
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Thank you Jubal. You have given us enough reason right there to oppose Anderson. The last thing this county needs is another Schroeder puppet as Sheriff.
Yes, he'll need luck.
Been Around is right. Carona's advocacy of Anderson is like the kiss of death - an immediate disqualification.
Just curious, but I wonder if he would have screwed Anderson in 2010 like he did Hunt by running for yet another ruinous term - with another endorsement by the GOP Central Committee.
Effective today, Mike Carona, the indicted sheriff of Orange County (Ca) has resigned in order to concentrate full-time on his legal defense. His trial for corruption is scheduled for June. Previously, Carona (briefly known as "America's Sheriff")had granted himself a 60-day paid leave from office to work on his defense. Upon his return to work a few days ago, Carona attended a local conference on the issue of jail overcrowding (certainly a legitimite concern for one who may be going to jail himself).
Now that the sheriff has enjoyed his 60 day paid holiday from work, he has (in the words of his lawyers of whom more will be said later), realized that his legal defense requires too much time to continue as sheriff.
Actually, there may be a tactical maneuver in the sheriff's decision to quit. His legal defense is being provided by attoneys who are working "pro bono" (for free) on behalf of Carona. Up until this point, it was being questioned as to whether a sitting sheriff could legally accept the favor of pro bono representation. His resignation now removes that obstacle.
One of Carona's attoneys, H. Dean Steward, stated that Carona is resigning for "the good of the department". He went on to add that, "The good of the department and the good of the people of the county were far more important than any politician who wanted to take a grandstanding position", referring to local politicians who had urged Carona to resign when he was indicted, advice that Carona had, up until now, ignored.
Maybe Mike Carona should have taken "the good of the department and the good of the people of the county" into consideration when he entered into relationships with documented sleazebags that ultimately brought on his downfall.
gary fouse
fousesquawk
Bon chance? Why would you wish Carona good luck? He has singlehandedly brought ruin on his office and on your party. If anything, you ought to advise him not to drop the soap when he ends up in the slammer...
Why, Art?
Because I don't wish for a person's personal destruction or misery simply because I disagree with or even dislike them.
Also, the U.S. Attorney has yet to make their case in court, and Carona's lawyers have yet to present their defense.
I'd like to see what both sides bring forth before making up my mind as to Mike Carona's guilt or innocence.
You may now return to slinging hyperbole and hate.