Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/orange-county-sheriff/)
Barnes, who has so far received 57 percent of votes to 43 percent for his opponent, Duke Nguyen, declared victory Wednesday afternoon. The Registrar of Voters still has 418,600 votes to count.
The election comes after years of controversy and scandal for the retiring Sheriff, Sandra Hutchens.
Republican Undersheriff Donald Barnes and Los Angeles District Attorney Investigator Duke Nguyen, a Democrat, are vying to replace retiring Sheriff Sandra Hutchens on Nov. 6, in a contest that will test whether years of scandal and controversies have affected how voters view the embattled department.
Larry Wright, with a 40 year background as a military officer and corporate security manager makes a case as to why Don Barnes should be the next Sheriff of Orange County,
Undersheriff Don Barnes, Aliso Viejo Mayor Dave Harrington and Los Angeles District Attorney detective Duke Nguyen are all vying for the Sheriff’s seat on June 5.
The lawsuit claims the District Attorney and Sheriff continue to use informants illegally as part of a long-standing snitch program, despite official claims that the illegal use of informants is the work of a few rogue deputies.
Orange County’s top law enforcement jobs could be hotly contested races this year as four candidates, including District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, are running for DA and three contenders want to replace Sandra Hutchens as Sheriff.
Former Santa Ana Police Chief and City Manager Paul M. Walters is the new chief of the Investigations Bureau for the Orange County District Attorney, six months after his predecessor departed with claims he was fired for whistle-blowing.
Orange County’s Sheriff Sandra Hutchens’ credibility has been destroyed by Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals. Meanwhile, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas stands accused of political corruption by his own senior investigators. Regional fire service also is in full crisis mode after executives at the Orange County Fire Authority apparently ousted Fire Chief Jeff Bowman against the will of rank and file firefighters.
The question now is, what, if anything, will result from the investigations.