Some Final Thoughts On Sheriff Selection
Posted by: Jubal | 06/10/2008 12:15 AM
As we lurch and wheeze to the end of this interminable Sheriff selection process, some passing thoughts before today's fateful Board of Supervisors meeting:
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Steve Greenhut posted this commentary on the elephant in the room: the reality that the Hutchens boomlet is fueled more by enthusiasm for her gender and infatuation with the idea of a fresh face, than out of a belief that she is truly more qualified than Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters to be Sheriff.
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My "Sleazy Whisper Campaign By Hutchens Supporters" attracted a comment from chief Huntista Tim Whitacre, in which he responded with a litany of unsubstantiated allegation about Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters. Tim even claimed it is a "verifiable fact" that Paul Walters endorsed Mike Carona in a "backroom scheme."
Not only doesn't Tim provide verification of this "verifiable fact," he forgets that more than two years ago during the OC GOP re-vote on Carona''s endorsement, Tim himself was vehemently denying that Paul Walters had endorsed Carona.
***
One ongoing irony of this selection process is the contention from Hutchens supporters that Walters is the "machine" candidate who is enmeshed with the political "insiders" while Hutchens is the fresh-faced political outsider and the perfect anti-dote to the politicized days of the Carona Administration.
I say ironic because it is so self-evidently the other way around. The push for Hutchens is overwhelmingly a political one from political quarters more accurately tabbed with the "insiders" label Whitacre and others are trying to slap on Walters supporters. While the pro-Walters messages to Supervisors are predominantly from law enforcement circles, the pro-Hutchens messages being lobbed at Supervisors Pat Bates and Janet Nguyen are being largely orchestrated by political figures.
And there's nothing wrong with that -- let's just be clear about where the politics are.
***
As we get down to it, the deciding votes appear to be in the hands of Supervisor Pat Bates and Janet Nguyen. My hope is they'll make their decision based on who they truly believed to be the most qualified candidate: i.e. the most qualified by experience, temperament and innovativeness - combined with the savvy to win a strong election victory in 2010.
I happen to believe that person is Paul Walters. Other reasonable and intelligent people of good will believe it is Sandra Hutchens.
I would only ask that none of the Supervisors not sully the selection by allowing gender to be a factor in their decision. I would hope we have moved beyond that sort of affirmative action thinking and pick a sheriff based on ability to do the job, rather than a desire to make a "statement."
***
Steve Greenhut posted this commentary on the elephant in the room: the reality that the Hutchens boomlet is fueled more by enthusiasm for her gender and infatuation with the idea of a fresh face, than out of a belief that she is truly more qualified than Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters to be Sheriff.
***
My "Sleazy Whisper Campaign By Hutchens Supporters" attracted a comment from chief Huntista Tim Whitacre, in which he responded with a litany of unsubstantiated allegation about Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters. Tim even claimed it is a "verifiable fact" that Paul Walters endorsed Mike Carona in a "backroom scheme."
Not only doesn't Tim provide verification of this "verifiable fact," he forgets that more than two years ago during the OC GOP re-vote on Carona''s endorsement, Tim himself was vehemently denying that Paul Walters had endorsed Carona.
***
One ongoing irony of this selection process is the contention from Hutchens supporters that Walters is the "machine" candidate who is enmeshed with the political "insiders" while Hutchens is the fresh-faced political outsider and the perfect anti-dote to the politicized days of the Carona Administration.
I say ironic because it is so self-evidently the other way around. The push for Hutchens is overwhelmingly a political one from political quarters more accurately tabbed with the "insiders" label Whitacre and others are trying to slap on Walters supporters. While the pro-Walters messages to Supervisors are predominantly from law enforcement circles, the pro-Hutchens messages being lobbed at Supervisors Pat Bates and Janet Nguyen are being largely orchestrated by political figures.
And there's nothing wrong with that -- let's just be clear about where the politics are.
***
As we get down to it, the deciding votes appear to be in the hands of Supervisor Pat Bates and Janet Nguyen. My hope is they'll make their decision based on who they truly believed to be the most qualified candidate: i.e. the most qualified by experience, temperament and innovativeness - combined with the savvy to win a strong election victory in 2010.
I happen to believe that person is Paul Walters. Other reasonable and intelligent people of good will believe it is Sandra Hutchens.
I would only ask that none of the Supervisors not sully the selection by allowing gender to be a factor in their decision. I would hope we have moved beyond that sort of affirmative action thinking and pick a sheriff based on ability to do the job, rather than a desire to make a "statement."
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Jubal,
You are too funny! Are you taking lessons from Art? My response was to YOUR claim that YOU verified everyting about my Chief of Police and that everything was A-Okay with him; we could just take you word for it... I asked you some reasonable questions and all you can do is try to turn one thing around on me?
Two years ago I stood before the Central Committee and told them Carona might claim he's endorsed by Walters he gets up and speaks after me, but he wasn't as of the night of that meeting. I was right - neither Carona or Samantha Runion's mother or Jon Fleischman disputed what I said nor produced an endorsement that night. It was your blog that produced an endorsement letter two days later and then the whole bogus Carona fiasco began with Walters as a willing accomplice.
It was IN FACT backroom negotiations that led Walters to finally endorse Carona in exchange for hiring his son who failed to make it through his probation period at HBPD. Check out the time period of his hiring and the endorsement. Coincedence? Yeah right!
I have twenty years of experience with my Chief of Police, how many do you have, Jubal? I helped ramp up our Graffiti Task Force that gained National acclaim for its success in the late 80's/early 90's (It sucks now and Graffiti is out of control due to lack of oversight and control by Walters). I have worked as a Mediator handling all the first time arrested Grafitti Vandals in the city through the Victim/Offender Reconciliation Program for years. I dealt directly with SAPD on almost a daily basis for years. I was a Parks & Rec Commissioner for 8 years as well.
I KNOW my City and I KNOW my Chief of Police - better than you; better than the Lincoln Club; better than the BOS. He IS NOT someone we want as Sheriff.
Don't worry though, Jubal. I have no illusions. The reality is Walters will most likey be appointed because he appeases the most insider groups in the County who have the ear of the BOS. Hopefully, I'm wrong and the BOS demonstrates some intestinal fortitude by appointing Hutchins which forces everyone to start with a level playing field for access to the top cop. How refreshing that would be...not likely, but refreshing.
Semper Fi,
Tim
Saw somebody over at TBuzz sum it up:
Walters: Boxcar of baggage
Hutchens: Clean as a whistle
As long as we are having some final thoughts, I think this deserves a re-post:
I think I will expand on my previous post after hearing Greenhut chime in. First of all, Greenhut first said on or about 5/18/08 that Hutchens had "no jail experience". Later Greenhut said Hutchens had no "significant" jail experience. Now, and as above, Hutchens has no experience in running a "sophisticated and low problem jail". The Couty of Orange County doesn't have one of those. We run 66,000 people a year through out jail system. This is not a low volume, brand new City jail that has "pay-to-stay" inmates. Which brings me to my next point. The numerous allegations concerning Walters didn't just pop up last week. They have been on the blogosphere for at least 5 months. All of a sudden, and within a week, "Hutchins' supporters" just came up with this informational sleaze campaign. That is a disingenious claim at best. The divorce and alledged financial problems that are said to flow from it, is fair game. That Walters is part of the "machine", big deal. That Walters would be Carona II is obviously not to say that he is corruptable. It is a clear reference that he is alledgedly capable of providing preferential treatment for political support. That folks is not an illegal act. Greenhut states that that there was an inference from the "real" Hutchens supporters that he was a sexist and thus he uses that to corraborate his belief of a "sleazy whisper campaign". As long as we are talking about that subject, the whole premise to Jubal's and Grenhut's claim is that none of theses allegations had been vetted for the truth prior to posting. Well then, what "vetting" has been done to prove that this "sleazy whisper campaign" is comming from "Hutchen's supporters" as opposed to longstanding and determined Walters detractors? My guess zero and none. Somewhat hypocritical wouldn't you say?
Tim said
"I have twenty years of experience with my Chief of Police, how many do you have, Jubal? I dealt directly with SAPD on almost a daily basis for years. I was a Parks & Rec Commissioner for 8 years as well."
You dealt directly with SAPD as the Parks Commish? Doing what, repoting vandalism and picking out playground equipment. You were just another city department employee and not involved in law enforcement issues.
"I KNOW my City and I KNOW my Chief of Police - better than you; better than the Lincoln Club; better than the BOS. He IS NOT someone we want as Sheriff."
What makes you so much smarter than anyone else? What you don't have is any law enforcement experience. You know your Police Chief? Like any other noisey gadfly, all you do is spend all your waking hours thinking up complaints about public officials. You're not a cop, never were a cop. Get over yourself you don't know anymore then the next guy what kind of sheriff Walters would have been. Bottom line; they are both accomplished police professionals and OCSD would've been fine either way. Your boy lost and your mismanagement of his campaign is a big reason.