Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/tony-rackauckas/page/2/)
A joint task force between the Orange County District Attorney’s office and federal law enforcement agencies aimed at cracking down on local political corruption fell apart last year, after years of festering distrust between local and federal officials, according to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times.
“I think it’s improper for us to talk about, really, that subject matter now,” said supervisors’ Chairman Andrew Do.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin ruled Lenore Albert-Sheridan will remain on the ballot for the June 5 primary election.
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.
The proposed restrictions came amid concerns that supervisors have been using government resources to send what effectively are re-election campaign mailers.
Government watchdog Shirley Grindle and former Orange County Common Cause President Bill Mitchell have sent letters to county Supervisor Michelle Steel and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas demanding they repay taxpayers all costs for 16,000 postcards inviting voters to a “community coffee” that only could accommodate 50 people.
“This was a campaign mailer, plain and simple,” said Supervisor Todd Spitzer. He and supervisors Shawn Nelson and Lisa Bartlett criticized Supervisor Michelle Steel’s handling of the invitations, which featured herself and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and were sent to 16,000 voters at county taxpayer expense, even though the event only could handle 50 people.
Only 50 people could attend the event, prompting one ethics expert to say the mailers appear to be “more about blanketing people with an electoral mailer than actually meeting people.”
More than two dozen protesters demonstrated Thursday night in front of Los Angeles Police Department officer Kevin Ferguson’s Anaheim home, objecting to District Attorney Tony Rackauckas decision not to file criminal charges after a 2017 scuffle with a teenager led to Ferguson firing his pistol but not hitting anyone.