Walters Or Hutchens?
Posted by: Jubal | 06/04/2008 12:26 PM
Frank Mickadeit predicts in today's column: the Board of Supervisors will appoint retired LA Sheriff's Department Division Chief Sandra Hutchens as sheriff.
It's a prediction as bold as it is wrong. I agree with Steve Greenhut that it will be a 4-1 vote for Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters.
As Frank notes, Walters has two votes in corner: Supervisors Chris Norby and Bill Campbell.
Supervisor John Moorlach isn't going to vote for Walters, so the question is what is more likely: Moorlach picking up two more votes for Hutchens, or Norby and Campbell picking up one more vote for Walters?
I've been a friend and supporter of John Moorlach's for years, but with the exception of the 3-at-50 retroactive pension hike lawsuit, he hasn't had much luck in putting together 3 votes on the big issues.
There's no love lost between Supervisors Moorlach and Janet Nguyen. Most people aren't aware John is the only Supervisor who didn't endorse Janet for re-election. I'm skeptical he'll be able to convince Janet to support appointing Hutchens over the police chief of the biggest city in her district.
Without Janet's vote, it doesn't matter whether or not Sup. Pat Bates will support Hutchens.
Bill Campbell is still the center-of-gravity on that board, and it's most adept politician. He's reached out to Janet from the beginning, and his support for Walters simply compounds the existing likelihood of her voting for Walters.
Sup. Bates is smart and inclined toward consensus. I think she would have to have a very compelling reason to choose Hutchens over Walters when it is clear a majority of her colleagues prefer Walters.
I'll join Steve Greenhut in offering a bet to frank on this one -- but make my wager a bottle of Patron Platinum.
It's a prediction as bold as it is wrong. I agree with Steve Greenhut that it will be a 4-1 vote for Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters.
As Frank notes, Walters has two votes in corner: Supervisors Chris Norby and Bill Campbell.
Supervisor John Moorlach isn't going to vote for Walters, so the question is what is more likely: Moorlach picking up two more votes for Hutchens, or Norby and Campbell picking up one more vote for Walters?
I've been a friend and supporter of John Moorlach's for years, but with the exception of the 3-at-50 retroactive pension hike lawsuit, he hasn't had much luck in putting together 3 votes on the big issues.
There's no love lost between Supervisors Moorlach and Janet Nguyen. Most people aren't aware John is the only Supervisor who didn't endorse Janet for re-election. I'm skeptical he'll be able to convince Janet to support appointing Hutchens over the police chief of the biggest city in her district.
Without Janet's vote, it doesn't matter whether or not Sup. Pat Bates will support Hutchens.
Bill Campbell is still the center-of-gravity on that board, and it's most adept politician. He's reached out to Janet from the beginning, and his support for Walters simply compounds the existing likelihood of her voting for Walters.
Sup. Bates is smart and inclined toward consensus. I think she would have to have a very compelling reason to choose Hutchens over Walters when it is clear a majority of her colleagues prefer Walters.
I'll join Steve Greenhut in offering a bet to frank on this one -- but make my wager a bottle of Patron Platinum.
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OC's Next Sheriff
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Once again, Tim summed this up perfectly in his comments yesterday...
Tim Whitacre Says:
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
So this Board of Supervisors just sent a BIG “UP YOURS” to the voters of Orange County by not casting ONE vote for the man responsible for standing up alone and calling attention to the culture of corruption around Mike Carona, Lt. Bill Hunt. Forget the fact Bill Hunt was the second vote getter in the last election. Forget the fact their obvious choice, Paul Walters, endorsed and supported Mike Carona in exchange for special hiring privileges for his son.
This group of “Republicans” wouldn’t know what “Representative Government” means if it hit them smack in the face. By their actions today, they have shown they “Supervise” for special, well-heeled segments of the OCGOP only; the rest of us be damned!
It’s clear the Mike Carona fan club is still calling the shots within Orange County Government. Instead of troubling anyone of the Board with the fact Carona’s consultants are working for free for Paul Walters, it appears that was a plus in the minds of some because they too use the same firm…DOESN’T ANYBODY SEE THE CONNECTION HERE???
I have lived in Santa Ana for 27 years now. I have seen first hand what Paul Walters has done and what he hasn’t done as Chief of Police. While I know him personally, I could never support him for Sheriff nor think he has been fit to continue as Chief in my City for some time now. From the backroom double-dipping of taxpayer coffers to the most recent self-serving endorsement of Carona, in between there are any number of things that should disqualify him from receiving this backdoor appointment to Sheriff. My city is a war zone. If a Chief of Police can’t correct that in 20 years on the job, what makes you think he can do any better for an entire county?
Not that an out of towner from L.A. who didn’t say one thing about the corruption while it was going on here, is anymore deserving of the appointment. She did get the expected PC female votes which was not surprising, but to even be seriously considered for something you didn’t give a damn about less than a year ago, totally baffles my mind.
Next to the Carona debacle my County Party Leadership put us through by ignoring our bylaws and allowing for a re-vote for the Indicted Carona, this ranks a very close second as the saddest day for the Republican Party of Orange County in recent times by watching the Board of Supervisors usurp the will of the voters and cast aside ethical governance for self-serving puposes.
Shame on the lot of you! Orange County, stand by for “Carona, the sequel!”
Semper Fidelis,
Tim Whitacre
This Tim Whitacre guy needs to stop "taking the hill" in electoral losses and just go away.
Anon,
One never "loses" when one tries to do the right thing - regardless of the outcome. I'm not in this to see how many battles I can win and could really care less who gets credit for what. I care about the overall results of my actions and how they might impact future events. In the end, I only need to care about my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ has to say to me when I depart this earth.
Semper Fi,
Tim
Tim the holy warrior,
How are you? It's been a while, but I dare say you haven't changed your stripes. I guess in some ways I respect that but on the other hand it does become a bit redundant. Why is it always the conspiracy to thwart you in your righteous battle? Face facts Tim...Bill Hunt just wasn't as qualified as either finalist. It was as simple as that!
I think I'm going with Frank on this one. I think Frank would be of the opinion that this shouldn't be as much an establishment political popularity contest as it should be what is in the best interest of the County. That's the idea right? Frank had essentially said the "field had grown around Martin" in reference to his previous thoughts about Martin's qualifications.
Greenhut said more than once that Hutchens was well qualified but she had no jail experience(5/4/08) and more recently no "significant" jail experience. In other words, she has jail experience. So now let's switch hats. Hunt had more large instutional experience than all of the candidates yet he had no "Command experience". Hutchens has a much higher level of Command experience (six cities, not one, before she was promoted) than Walters but she has no "significant" jail experience. Last I heard, Sybil Brand was and is much larger than Walters' "pay to stay" jail and always will be. So much for that argument. Greenhut called Hutchens a "Glorified speechmaker". That is beyond weak. The largest Sheriff's agency in the State, which is four times the size of our Sheriff's department, selects an individual to represent it at a National and International level yet Greenhut describes her as a glorified speech maker. At best Walters commands 250 sworn officers (Anaheim is way bigger). Hutchens as a "speechmaker" commanded over 1000. This is not apples and oranges folks. So trying to compel Bates to vote a certain way: "I think she would have to have a very compelling reason to choose Hutchens over Walters when it is clear a majority of her colleagues prefer Walters" is akin to telling her to hold your hand and let's jump. For some reason, I don't think she is going to go there. As an aside, Nguyen can vote anyway she wants. Because in 4 years nobody will care.
Nicely put, Rocket. Hutchens has the jail experience, and her experience is much loftier then Walters. She is by fat the best fit, but we'll see how the board votes. I would think,she has better chance then one thinks. Walters has way too many problems off the field, divorce, debt, etc. Hopefully they will catch it in backgrounds.
If Hutchens' level of jail experience was enough to make her the best candidate for the job then any Deputy who has worked in a jail should be considered for the Sheriff spot. Working in a jail is a far cry from researching, designing, funding, building and maintaining, not 1 but 2 jails. And there is nothing for the background check to find so you can stop hoping that will happen.
Hey Bandini,
Try researching,designing, building and maintaining a Homeland Security Division commanding 1000 employees that is designed to deal with associated agencies at National and International levels. Building a small city jail is far more demanding, I'm sure. As for the background check, you may be right. It's probably a nonissue at this point.
Hey bandani, I mentioned the jail only because thats what everyone was talking about. Hutchens built and created the office of homeland security for LASD. A far cry more then Walters and his bed and breakfast nonsense. Also, you want to talk experience, Walters has a recently retired LAPD guy he is going to bring with him for the job. Wow!!! LAPD guy to work the jails, thats alot of experience. Why do you think flip flop walters is still an acting interim cheif. He is a financial wreck. He won't allow Santa Ana to hire a new chief. And now you guys want him to be the Sheriff, stand by for more Carona stuff.
Hey bandani, I mentioned the jail only because thats what everyone was talking about. Hutchens built and created the office of homeland security for LASD. A far cry more then Walters and his bed and breakfast nonsense. Also, you want to talk experience, Walters has a recently retired LAPD guy he is going to bring with him for the job. Wow!!! LAPD guy to work the jails, thats alot of experience. Why do you think flip flop walters is still an acting interim cheif. He is a financial wreck. He won't allow Santa Ana to hire a new chief. And now you guys want him to be the Sheriff, stand by for more Carona stuff.