Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/orange-county-district-attorney/)
Tom Conklin, an investigator for the Orange County District Attorney who filed a complaint in May claiming he has faced retaliation for whistleblowing, was placed on administrative leave July 13.
The move, which had been expected for years, set the stage for what is anticipated to be an intense election campaign.
The donations were made in 2016 at Rackauckas’ request to the office’s nonprofit, the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP). He filed the reports more than six months after the deadline.
With many insiders scratching their heads about the recent grand jury report on jailhouse snitches, focus is increasingly on the upcoming race for DA in 2018. Amidst lingering questions about current DA Tony Rackauckas’ leadership and the judgment of his challenger, Supervisor Todd Spitzer, a third option has arisen out of Chapman University’s law school, Professor Mario Mainero.
Orange County’s civil grand jury said ongoing court hearing about possible misuse of jailhouse informants have turned into a “witch-hunt,” and should stop after the grand jury determined there is no “systemic, widespread informant program.”
In a live radio interview, the DA said the rulings against his office came from “one judge” who allowed an extensive search through cases that “had nothing to do with” the trial he was presiding over.
Orange County District Attorney officials interfered in political corruption investigations and a murder trial, according to two government claims filed against the County of Orange on Friday.
Spitzer requested the federal takeover Monday, citing “continuing revelations of scandal” under DA Tony Rackauckas. Rackauckas’ office fired back, accusing Spitzer of using his position as county supervisor to campaign for his own run for District Attorney.
In a segment for the CBS television news program 60 Minutes that aired Sunday, OC District Attorney Tony Rackauckas called allegations that his department has a system of jailhouse informants a “false narrative.”
State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and county District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Tuesday the DA’s office charged 26 California medical professionals in a $40 million insurance fraud scheme that includes a Costa Mesa pharmacy and four Orange County doctors.