Friday, August 17, 2012
Page 11
SNIPPETS (Column)
San Diego Judge-Elect Calls for Arrest of Eric Holder, Impeachment
San Diego Superior Court Judge-Elect Gary G. Kreep, in his capacity as executive director of the United States Justice Foundation, has called upon supporters to send faxes to members of the House of Representatives urging that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder be arrested and impeached.
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His message came in an e-mail sent Wednesday night.
Holder has been found in contempt of Congress for withholding documents relating to Operation Fast and Furious, an intended sting operation aimed at stemming sales of arms to persons in Mexico. More than 2,000 firearms were sold with the hope of tracking them to Mexican drug cartel leaders.
Guns sold as part of the operation were found at the scene of the slaying of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
Kreep’s e-mail says:
“The House of Representatives just filed a meaningless CIVIL suit against Eric Holder in the Fast and Furious case.
“That’s not good enough. Contempt of Congress is a crime. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is dead. Eric Holder must be held to account.
“Please send faxes, IMMEDIATELY, to every Member of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Tell them that the House Sergeant at Arms should arrest Eric Holder, and the House should impeach him.
“This new civil lawsuit will drag on for years. By the time that it is settled, Eric Holder will probably be retired, and living the good life on taxpayer money.”
The e-mail goes on to say:
“Just consider what happened when the House voted to declare Attorney General Holder in contempt.
“Our sleazy Attorney General just laughed off the vote, and, then, he flew down to Disney World to campaign for Barack Obama’s reelection.
“And he probably made this trip on the taxpayer’s dime!
“ Now, Mr. Holder is probably laughing at this silly civil lawsuit. He knows that he is about to get away with one of the greatest political cover-ups in American history.”
•The Administrative Office of the Courts wants the County of Fresno to buy from the state, at fair market value, the Clovis courthouse. That’s a courthouse the county turned over to the state, at no charge, for the purpose of it being maintained as a courthouse, under state court funding.
The Alliance of California Judges is balking at that. It released this statement:
“In the category of ‘you can’t make this stuff up’ comes the following: after bleeding local courts of valuable resources by wasting over a half billion dollars on a failed computer system, the AOC now wants our financially strapped counties to buy back courthouses that have been forced to close due to lack of funds. These are the exact courthouses the counties deeded over to the AOC for as little as one dollar several years ago.
“The Alliance points to the Fresno County courthouse in Clovis as exhibit ‘A’ in the never ending revelations of misplaced priorities, bureaucrats run amok and the dismissive attitude toward our local courts and the communities we serve.”
The Alliance is urging that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee demand an audit of the AOC’s Office of Court Construction and Management.
The Fresno Bee has quoted Fresno Supervisor Debbie Poochigian (wife of Fifth District Court of Appeal Justice Charles Poochigian) as saying:
“They should give the buildings back to us, and what we choose to do with them, that’s up to us.”
•Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is being called to task for violating a pledge to donate $100,000 to an after-school program by his birthday, which was Aug. 12.
In 2008, in revving up for the election the following year for city attorney, Trutanich vowed that he would give that sum to L.A.’s Best if he breached his campaign promise not to seek any other public office during his first term, if elected, or second term, if reelected. He ran this year for district attorney, coming in third in the primary.
An LA Weekly blog on Wednesday recounts that after be became a candidate for DA, he made a new promise in an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez.
In his March 7 column, Lopez reports that Trutanich assured him that the commitment to L.A. Best would be honored. The column tells of the conversation:
“ ‘We’re going to raise $100,000,’ he said.
“Wait a minute. Raise $100,000? That’s pretty sneaky. I reminded him that his 2008 pledge was to write a check from ‘personal funds.’
“ ‘I’m not a rich guy,’ Trutanich said. ‘I gotta raise it.’
“I asked when that would be, and he said by his birthday in August, which of course would conveniently fall after the June primary.”
The LA Weekly blog reports:
“Carla Sanger, the president and CEO of L.A.’s Best, said Tuesday that they still have not received a check from Trutanich.”
•The Armenian Bar Association will be holding a picnic on Sunday at Montrose Park, 3529 Clifton Place, in Glendale, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It will be held in conjunction with the USC Armenian Alumni Association.
An announcement says:
“Enjoy all you can eat Armenian BBQ, soft drinks, etc., mingle with new and old friends, and create great new memories. All friends and family members are welcome to attend (including kids).”
The cost is $20 per person.
Reservations are requested and can be made by e-mailing Lisa@armenianbar.com.
•The Multicultural Bar Alliance of Southern California will stage its “Annual Summer Networking Reception” next Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Taipan Restaurant, 330 S. Hope Street, in downtown Los Angeles.
The theme will be “A Celebration of Diversity on the Bench.”
The keynote speaker will be Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen, the first Asian-American woman on any federal appellate court. She will be introduced by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Holly Fujie.
There will be what is billed as an “all-you-can-eat delicious Chinese food buffet!”
Admission is free for members of the various bar associations affiliated with MCBA.
•The Pasadena Bar Association’s Women’s Focus Group is planning a program for Sept. 12 on “The Etiquette of Networking.”
Topics are to include “How to cancel a business meeting gracefully,” “What to do if you forget a name,” and “You want a client. He wants a date.”
Presenters will Pasadena attorneys Ellen F. Driscoll and Erin K. McCann.
The 6 p.m. dinner program will take place at Red White and Bluezz at 70 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena’s Old Town.
PBA members will be charged $30 and others will pay $40 to attend.
Reservations are obtainable by e-mailing laura.lloyd@usip.com.
•Virginia Keeny, a newly appointed Los Angeles Superior Court judge, is now presiding in Department J of the Van Nuys East Courthouse. Judge Christine C. Ewell has moved from that courtroom to Department 105 of the Van Nuys West Courthouse.
Copyright 2012, Metropolitan News Company