Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/leon-page/)
U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter angrily reprimanded Orange County’s top lawyer Wednesday night for failing to prevent a mix-up that allowed Sheriff’s deputies to move into a homeless encampment on the northeast bank of the Santa Ana Riverbed before county healthcare workers arrived to offer homeless people housing and services.
County officials and lawyers for homeless people said they planned to work over the three-day holiday weekend to help ensure any homeless people who want motel rooms before the Tuesday deadline can quickly move into them.
The policy says officials may “at any time” destroy emails and text messages they consider to be internal memos or “working notes.”
Orange County officials are accepting they are “financially and legally responsible” for the Sheriff-Coroner’s misidentification of a dead body that resulted in a family unknowingly holding a funeral for a stranger.
County Counsel Leon Page said Tom Conklin and Abraham Santos’ claims of wrongdoing were found to be false in an independent investigation. Their attorney disputes the investigation and says his clients will be filing suit.
County Supervisors Tuesday unanimously voted to pay Voice of OC $121,396 in legal fees after losing a Superior Court case for refusing to release public records about Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s handcuffing a preacher at a Wahoo’s restaurant.
Fire Authority officials say they’ve been performing air rescues for over 20 years and are well-equipped for the job, but that in recent years sheriff’s helicopter crews have been racing to the scene and taking control.
Among those who will be subject to enforcement by the commission are the county supervisors and their election opponents. The changes would make it so commissioners “serve at the pleasure of the supervisor” who appointed them, said Supervisor Andrew Do, who supports the effort.
Some supervisors criticized Todd Spitzer’s request as pointless and misguided, while Spitzer called on his colleagues to take action when they learn of corruption allegations.
The policy resulted in a Voice of OC reporter being threatened with arrest for trying to report on officers removing a homeless activist from the Board of Supervisors meeting room.