Consistent with The Leslie Brodie Report’s commitment to integrity and adherence to the highest level of ethical journalism, and in order to report on both sides of the story, Rory Little (Professor, Hastings College of Law, Special Prosecutor in the matter of In Re Girardi, and spouse of Keker & Van Nest’s Jan Little) is hereby asked to reply/comment on recent allegation presented to a federal court that Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi improperly attempted to influence the prosecutor /outcome of proceedings by abusing his considerable political influence to secure a judicial nomination to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals?
See paragraph 18, below:
Rory Little, Ninth Circuit judicial aspirant and professor of law at U.C. Hastings. Professor Little was appointed special prosecutor in the matter of In Re Girardi by Chief Judge Alex Kozinski. Prior to entering academia, Professor Little served as a federal prosecutor for the Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force, prosecuting cases of labor racketeering, money-laundering, narcotics and other organized criminal activity. (image:courtesy photo)
Judge William Fletcher, a member of the Ninth Circuit panel that adjudicated the matter of In re Girardi, 08-80090, rejected the lenient recommendations of Rory Little. He stated: “with any competent lawyer if you’re omitting part of a document, that is not accidental. That is intentional.” The court adjudicated that the grave misconduct by Walter Lack and Thomas Girardi included “the persistent use of known falsehoods,” and that the “false representations” were made “knowingly, intentionally, and recklessly” during years of litigation.
Please observe that, rather than contacting Rory Little (Professor, Hastings College of Law, Special Prosecutor in the matter of In Re Girardi, and spouse of Keker & Van Nest’s Jan Little) directly, the query is being delivered publicly, here and now.
Any comments, opinion or observation can be sent to lesliebrodie@gmx.com
Please see also developing story @:
http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/03/31/jon-streeter-of-keker-van-nest-rory…
PG&E Former In-House Counsels Joshua Bar-Lev and CPUC’s Frank Lindh (Father of Al Quaeda’s John Walker Lindh) Hereby Asked to Opine on Howard Rice Concurrent Representation of Girardi & Keese and PG&E While Hinkley/Erin Brockovich Matter Still Pending.
Howard Rice represantation of Girardi & Keese and Engstrom Liposcomb & Lack in the matter of Copple v. Astrella, please see @:
http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?page=3&xmldoc=20061271442FSupp2d829_…
Howard Rice representation of PG&E in 2006, please see profile of former Howard Rice partner Ethan Schulman which states:
” Lynch v. California Public Utilities Commission, 311 B.R. 978 (N.D. Cal. 2004), dismissed as moot (2006, 9th Cir.). Successfully represented Pacific Gas and Electric Company on appeal by former members of California Public Utilities Commission from Bankruptcy Court’s order confirming PG&E’s plan of reorganization.” @:
http://www.calappellate.org/Member-Directory?action=view_member&memberID=141
Erin Brockovich matter — Girardi & Keese and Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack represent plaintiff against PG & E in 2006, please see @:
http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/2006-pg-e-agrees-to-295-million-settlement-in
Pacific Gas and Electric on Friday agreed to pay $295 million to settle claims by more than 1,000 residents in several Mojave Desert towns who said they were harmed by groundwater contamination, a case made famous by the film “Erin Brockovich.”
As part of the settlement, the utility apologized to affected residents in the towns where leaks from gas compressor plants in the 1950s through the 1970s polluted the groundwater basin with chromium.
“Clearly, this situation should never have happened, and we are sorry that it did. It is not the way we do business, and we believe it would not happen in our company today,” the utility said.
The apology marked a bittersweet victory in Hinkley, Calif., where residents have blamed cancer deaths and birth defects on the polluted water.
“Well, I think it’s great because a lot of [residents] do have health problems,” said Brenda McIlvain, a bar owner whose ex-husband will benefit from the settlement. “I think it’s great that the ones that signed up on the [lawsuit] will get a little bit of money to help them.”
The settlement comes before the trial was supposed to begin and ends the majority of the claims from Hinkley and other towns, including Kettleman Hills, that said their groundwater was contaminated.
“This closes the books on almost all the claims,” said Jon Tremayne, a spokesman for PG&E. “The settlement provides closure, and it allows us to focus on the future. We’re hopeful it will provide closure for the plaintiffs and allow them to move forward.”
The case dated to 1951, when spent chromium, added to cooling water to reduce corrosion, leaked from unlined retention ponds and seeped into the groundwater under Hinkley, making its way into community wells. The plaintiffs’ attorneys claimed that some of the town’s water supply was tainted with 140 times the amount of chromium allowed under government standards. They suggested that most of the cancers were caused when children played in the water and inhaled particles.
In July 1996, PG&E agreed to pay $333 million to about 650 people who blamed cancer and other diseases on polluted water leaking from a gas pumping station.
Please continue @:
BREAKING NEWS: News Media Platforms Maintained by The Leslie Brodie Report Sabotaged to Exclude Search Results Dealing with Energy Giant PG&E — A Client of Keker & Van Nest and Howard Rice — PG & E Involved in Shady Bankruptcy Proceedings, Sham Entity CaliforniaALL, El Paso / CPUC Litigation
Effected sites:
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Support and research platform @ lesliebrodie.wordpress.com
Please see below:
BREAKING NEWS: News Media Platforms Maintained by The Leslie Brodie Report Sabotaged to Exclude Search Results Dealing with Energy Giant PG&E — A Client of Keker & Van Nest and Howard Rice — PG & E Involved in Shady Bankruptcy Proceedings, Sham Entity CaliforniaALL, El Paso / CPUC Litigation
Effected sites:
http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/
Support and research platform @
lesliebrodie.wordpress.com
Today’s testimony of Keker & Van Nest’s Jon Streeter on behalf of Jayne Kim, please see @:
http://lesliebrodie.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/keker-van-nests-jon-streeter-tes…
Developing story, please see @:
http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/05/22/lance-armstrong-andre-birotte-tony-…
Howard Dickstein, a widely-known but controversial figure within California’s Tribal Gambling industry, has been named a defendant in a suit seeking unspecified monetary damages. Also named as defendant is Dickstein’s wife, Sacramento-based lobbyist Jeannine English.
The lawsuit alleges that Dickstein and English executed a scheme that caused injury to the Plaintiff, a Southern California resident who claims his privacy and constitutional rights were “egregiously violated.” Specifically, the suit alleges that in order to camouflage a scheme and make it appear as though it is purely a mundane action by a governmental agency and was not designed to conceal Dickstein’s and English’s own acts of malfeasance, greed, and betrayal, defendants resorted to abusing their considerable “political and legal clout.” This clout was presumably obtained as a result of the funneling of hundreds of millions of dollars from myriad Tribal Casinos to various state and local governmental agencies/officials, as well as from English’s position as a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors, and the fact that the president of the State Bar of California, Jon Streeter, and his firm of Keker & Van Nest, represent Howard Dickstein. This , the plaintiff alleges, shows “malice and oppression” on the part of defendants sufficient to justify an award of punitive damages. Dickstein , who is no stranger to litigation, has been previously named a defendant in a suit advanced by his client, members of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nations (formerly known as the Ramsey Band of Wintun Indians), which owns and operates the Cache Creek Casino in Brooks, California, an unincorporated community in Yolo County. In that action, the plaintiffs — who were represented by Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and legal ethics expert Michael Boli — alleged that Dickstein engaged in myriad fraudulent conduct, concealment, conversion (i.e. a non-criminal term referring to the act of theft), breaches of fiduciary duties, misrepresentations, and unjustly enriching himself with tribal money by defrauding the tribe of millions of dollars over more than a decade. While the suit was pending, further allegations of grave misconduct were leveled against Dickstein and his attorneys of San Francisco-based Keker & Van Nest including claims that evidence was “manufactured.” Later, Dickstein and his lawyers of Keker & Van Nest (presumably, John Keker, Elliot Peters, and Jon Streeter) falsely advertised and misled the public into believing that the Yocha Dehe tribe had only sued Dickstein for conduct which was “negligent” in nature. Dickstein and his legal team neglected to reference the allegations of defrauding the tribe of millions of dollars over more than a decade through fraudulent conduct, concealment, conversion, breaches of fiduciary duties, and misrepresentations which the tribe had leveled against their own attorney. In nearby Placer County, situated between the cities of Roseville and Lincoln, 50 miles east of Yolo County, where the United Auburn Indian Community operates the Thunder Valley Casino, allegations of greed and betrayal were also leveled against Howard Dickstein by the former chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community, the Honorable Jessica Tavares and long-time tribal council member Dolly Suehead. According to media reports, Tribal Administrator Greg Baker — a Dickstein confederate — disallowed a tribe-funded mailing of a campaign mailer that claims the United Auburn Indian Community has been “bamboozled by an attorney [Howard Dickstein] more interested in filling his garage with Ferraris than serving the interest of our tribe, and the greed of a tribal council that rubber stamps his decision and no longer looks after our best interests.” Baker, who as it turned out was involved in a separate and unrelated financial scheme, was recently suspended following on the heels of an IRS investigation into allegations of fraud and money-laundering. In affidavits filed by an IRS investigator, it was alleged that Baker was part of a scheme to over-bill the casino/tribe by more than $18 million, which would later be “kicked-back.” Roman Porter — a long time ally and confederate of California Democratic Party operative Joseph Dunn of embattled online publication Voice of OC who now serves as the executive director of the State Bar of California — was recently hired as Thunder Valley Casino’s new tribal administrator.Please see article Re Keker/Justice Kathryn Werdegar @:
lesliebrodie.posterous.com/in-prince-v-pacific-gas-electric-company-just
A public utility with a power line easement is immune from the property owner’s claim for indemnity in an action by a person injured as a result of contact with the power line, the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled yesterday.
The justices, reversing the Sixth District Court of Appeal, held that Pacific Gas & Electric Company cannot be held liable for implied contractual indemnity on a claim as to which it was held statutorily immune from direct liability.
Suit was filed against PG&E after 10-year-old Joshua Jackson was seriously injured using an aluminum pole to try to dislodge a kite from an electrical power line. The line traversed property owned by Eve Prince, the grandmother of a friend with whom Jackson was playing.
Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar, in a separate concurrence, said the “unwieldy doctrine of implied contractual indemnity…should be abandoned” since the need for the rule has been obviated by the development of equitable indemnity.
The case is Prince v. Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 09 S.O.S. 1666.
See source @:
Amazon Defense Coalition’s Karen Hinton is hereby asked to comment on alleged racketeering activities at the Los Angeles-based Bet Tzedek Legal Services.
As was previously reported, using a law originally enacted to combat the mafia, a Marina Del Rey-based legal scholar recently took the rare step of suing “Bet Tzedek,” a Los Angeles-based Jewish non-profit entity, under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law (“RICO”).
Also named as part of the alleged racketeering enterprise were banker Alan Rothenberg, David Pasternak, Sandor Samuels, Ronald George, and his son Eric George (who serves as a member of Bet Tzedek’s Board of Directors).
RICO is a federal law that authorizes a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be held civilly liable for the crimes that they ordered others to commit or which they assisted in committing.
The lawsuit alleges that various defendants misused Bet Tzedek as vehicle for the purpose of bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and tax-evasion with the intended outcome of siphoning the money into off-shore accounts. According to sources, the various accounts are located in Switzerland and at the Vatican.
Specifically, and in connection with some of Bet Tzedek’s alleged racketeering activities, the suit maintains that Sandor Samuels — CEO and President of Bet Tzedek and former Chief Trial Counsel at embattled Countywide Financial Services — was appointed President and CEO of Bet Tzedek largely due to his working knowledge of how to operate an enterprise which engages in myriad financial crimes.
The suit also asserts that other individuals engaged in racketeering activities, including David Pasternak — a Los-Angeles based “receiver,” as well as an officer of both Bet Tzedek and the Chancery Club — who allegedly used Bet Tzedek as forum to meet, collude, and otherwise bribe various judges and lawyers for the purpose of further appointing Pasternak as “receiver.”
The complaint also contains allegations that Ronald George — former Chief Justice of the State of California — unlawfully transferred funds from entities that were under his control (such as the California Administrative Office of the Courts (“AOC”) intended for the CCMS computer system) into various accounts that were specifically maintained in Alan Rothenberg’s bank — 1st Century — a bank which Eric George owns in part. Said funds, as the suit alleges, were later embezzled.
As part of maintaining the scheme, the suit alleges, AOC employees Ronald Overholt and William Vickery were bestowed with various gifts, trips, kickbacks, bribes, excessive salaries, and the like. Similarly, and also as part of guarding the scheme, the suit alleges that defendants, at times, resorted to utilizing the services of Tom Layton — a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff/Senior State Bar of California investigator — to “illegally gather detrimental dirt” on various individuals who would oppose and/or object to the existence of said arrangements.
According to sources, Layton is part of an ongoing “ambulance chasing” scheme that the Girardi Syndicate operates in San Bernardino County vis-a-vis a satellite office located in San Bernardino and managed by Thomas Girardi’s son-in-law, David Lira.
Additionally, and per the sources, Layton has been previously utilized by the Girardi Syndicate to “assist” Sharon Major Lewis in selecting the names of nominees to be appointed as judges by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and to garner the support of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in endorsing judicial candidate the Girardi Syndicate deemed worthy of such an endorsement.
The suit also alleges that defendant Holly Fujie — an officer of both Bet Tzedek and the Chancery Club — engaged in various acts of misconduct while assisting Ronald and Eric George to transfer funds from both the California Bar Foundation (where she serves as vice-president) and the State Bar of California (where she served as a member of a committee responsible for distribution of funds) to Bet Tzedek totaling hundreds of thousand of dollars.
Bet Tzedek is based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1974, and is an affiliated agency of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Bet Tzedek is the exclusive provider of free legal services to low-income seniors through contracts with the City and County of Los Angeles.
Please observe that, rather than contacting Amazon Defense Coalition’s Karen Hinton directly, the query is being delivered publicly, here and now.
Any comments, opinion or observation can be sent to lesliebrodie@gmx.com
Originally published on January 6, 2012
The State Bar of California denied it has received a formal ethics complaint against its own executive director Joe Dunn — creator of online publication “Voice of OC.”
The complaint alleged that a request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests. As such, the failure of Senator Dunn to comply with the law, as well as his utter and complete indifference to the law of the land, mandates that discipline be imposed.
Moreover, and according to the complaint, the fact that Senator Dunn is the Executive Director of the State Bar of California should only serve as a factor for enhanced discipline, as his conduct should be beyond reproach and he should fully comply with all laws and regulations. This is particularly true because those documents were sought as part of an inquiry into circumstances involving a charity known as CaliforniaALL, in the context of events surrounding Voice of OC.
The State Bar of California, which controls and operates the California Bar Foundation, quietly transferred $780,000 to CaliforniaALL, a charitable entity created by former BOG member Ruthe Catolico Ashley. CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns.
Likewise, the Foundation never acknowledged this transfer to CaliforniaALL — the largest grant it ever bestowed — via publications issued by its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where Senator Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. That month, Senator Dunn publicly launched his online publication, ” Voice of OC.” Public sources have stated that the Voice of OC was financed by various foundations, unions, and the like.
Events surrounding the State Bar of California, California Bar Foundation, CaliforniaALL, Voice of OC, and UCI Foundation, as well as the fact that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL (i.e. Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac and Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in his capacity as BOD member of Cal Bar Foundation, as well as BOG members who voted to endorse CaliforniaALL) were also involved with the creation of Voice of OC (Morrison & Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi ) created the appearance of suspicious activities that funds were misappropriated by Voice of OC, vis-a-vis CaliforniaALL.
Additionally, the belief is heightened given various events’ proximity in time — as noted above, Ruthe Ashley left CaliforniaALL in the same month Mr. Dunn launched “Voice of OC” (as though her mission had been completed).
Moreover, the recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” ( as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences), the refusal of SAL-UCI to disclose the amount it receive from CaliforniaALL, the simulated RFP, and CaliforniaALL’s pre-selection of the UCI Foundation as a recipient of funds only reinforce the suspicion. This is heightened by Mr. Thomas Girardi’s lack of credibility (pursuant to findings made by a panel of federal judges), and the friendship Mr. Dunn shares with Mr. Girardi.
The above is an image of the complaint which was electronically mailed to the Intake Office of the State Bar of California, Ms. Jayne Kim as well as to Mr. Robert Hawley. Below are images of various prior communications between the complainanat and the State Bar of California confirming a new policy by which ethics complaints may be submiited via electronic mail. For more about the complaint against Voice of OC and Joe Dunn, please see Here and Here
TLR is closely monitoring the situation and will keep readers apprised of any new developments.
SAN RAMON, Calif., May 14, 2012 – The Southern District of New York today issued an order upholding Chevron’s complaint for racketeering, fraud, conspiracy and New York Judiciary Law 487, which provides for civil damages against an attorney who engages in deceit or collusion with intent to deceive a court, against U.S. plaintiffs’ lawyer and RICO defendant Steven Donziger, related to the long-running environmental case against the Company in Ecuador.
As the Court noted in its opinion, Chevron “alleges that the RICO defendants are executing a multi-faceted, extortionate scheme that included not only bringing the Lago Agrio case, but also intimidating of Ecuadorian judges, fabricating evidence, making false statements to U.S. courts, Congress, the SEC, and the media, and bringing false criminal charges, all for the purpose of coercing Chevron ‘into paying to stop the campaign against it.’” Judge Kaplan, in his order, also ruled that “Chevron’s extortion allegations are more than sufficient.” Furthermore, the order rejected all of Donziger’s challenges to Chevron’s allegations under the federal RICO statute, finding that Chevron had adequately stated claims for mail and wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. The Court also held that Chevron had stated valid claims under common law fraud and the New York Judiciary Act, which creates civil liability for lawyers who attempt to deceive courts.
”Chevron is pleased with the Court’s order, which upholds the core of Chevron’s RICO claim on every predicate criminal act asserted by the company,” said Hewitt Pate, Vice president and General Counsel. “We are eager to move forward with our racketeering case to hold the perpetrators of this unprecedented fraud and misconduct accountable.”
In a separate order also issued today, the court declined to grant Chevron’s motion to attach the defendants’ assets. In response to this order Pate continued, “Chevron will continue to use all means at its disposal to defend against the fraud being perpetrated by the plaintiffs’ lawyers.”
Source of press release, please see @:
http://www.chevron.com/chevron/pressreleases/article/05142012_southerndistric…
U.S. Attorney’s Office May 10, 2012
Source : http://tinyurl.com/7olej2f
An attorney for the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is among four people who have been indicted on federal bribery and money laundering charges for allegedly participating in scheme in which associates of the lawyer hired to provide assistance to the tribe paid kickbacks to the attorney.
The 48-count grand jury indictment returned yesterday afternoon names:
All four defendants have agreed to appear for arraignments tomorrow in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, Kovall advised the tribe to create a limited liability company to purchase real estate, and the attorney convinced the tribe to hire Heslop as the company’s manager. Kovall and Heslop then recommended that the tribe hire Bardos to act as the tribe’s “owner’s representative” in several construction projects at the Spotlight 29 Casino. When additional construction or construction oversight became necessary in relation to casino projects, Bardos submitted proposals to perform the work, and Kovall persuaded the tribe to give Bardos the contracts. After being paid by the tribe, Bardos paid kickbacks to Heslop who, in turn, paid kickbacks to Kovall though Shambaugh.
The indictment alleges that in 2007 Bardos paid Heslop more than $186,577, most of which was then funneled to Shambaugh.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to the prosecution of corruption and fraud in all of their guises,” said United States Attorney André Birotte, Jr. ‘This case demonstrates that our commitment extends to vigorously pursuing cases against unscrupulous individuals who abuse their positions to take advantage of Native American tribes.”
The indictment charges all four defendants with conspiracy. Additionally, Kovall, Bardos, and Shambaugh are charged with eight counts of bribery, while Heslop is charged with 16 counts of bribery. In addition to the conspiracy and bribery charges based on the kickback scheme, Bardos is charged with eight counts of money laundering, Heslop is charged with seven counts of money laundering, and Shambaugh is charged with two counts money laundering.
“IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to aggressively investigating those individuals who conspire to commit bribery and launder those illicit funds to hide their criminal activities,” said Leslie P. Demarco, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge for the Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to ensure that all who secure lucrative contracts play by the same rules.”
Steven Martinez, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, stated, “The charges allege the defendants in this case deprived the victims—the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians—of honest leadership and took advantage of their positions of trust by lining their own pockets with the tribe’s money, including government funding designated for necessary services. The FBI will continue to work with our partners at the IRS and the United States Attorney’s Office to protect groups targeted through corrupt practices and investigate those responsible.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.
If they are convicted of all counts in the indictment:
The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
==============================================================
TLR Note:
Sources familiar with the situation theorized the above mentioned indictment came about as part of a scheme involving Assistant US Attorney Angela Davis, confederates Howard Dickstein/Jeannine English, John Keker ; as well as other operatives within the Democratic Party.
The objective of said scheme: 1) John Keker will be summoned as defense counsel. 2) Howard Dickstein to assume control of the Tribe/Casino. 3) As consideration, Keker/Dickstein will funnel money to Diane Fienstein’s re-election campaign. The Leslie Brodie Report rejects the above, to wit: While It is common knowledge that Assistant US Attorney Angela Davis is under the control of John Keker/Jon Streeter/Thomas Girardi and is otherwise a confederate of Jeannine English — spouse of tribal gambling attorney Howard Dickstein — TLR nevertheless reject the above mentioned plausible scenario as only recently the FEDS/IRS also investigated a similar scheme at Thunder Valley Casino — which is otherwise under the control of Howard Dickstein.Please see @: http://tinyurl.com/bpjuulu
2010 – Judge Otis Wright’s Partiality in US vs. KB Home’s Bruce Karatz (TLR Note: 1- Keker & Van Nest – Ron Burkle Connection 2- Keker Frequent Seller In Best Defense Fraudsters Buy 3- Flexible, In SF on Side of Prosecutor Kamala Harris)
Source:
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/judge-slams-backdating-prosecutors-in-…
A federal judge in Los Angeles lambasted federal prosecutors late Wednesday at the sentencing of Bruce Karatz, the former chief executive of KB Home, who was given five years’ probation following his conviction on charges related to backdating stock options.
Judge Otis D. Wright II, in rejecting the government’s argument to send Mr. Karatz to prison for six and a half years, called the government’s sentencing memorandum “mean-spirited and beneath this office.”
Prosecutors said in a filing last month that sentencing Mr. Karatz to home detention in his “24-room Bel-Air mansion” would suggest “a two-tiered criminal justice system, one for the affluent … and a second for ordinary citizens.”
“To promote respect for the law, the public must be assured that a wealthy, well-connected individual, regardless of his station, array of prominent friends and associates, history of private success or acts of public largess, will be subject to the same standard of criminal justice as those less fortunate,” prosecutors wrote.
Judge Wright did not appreciate the government’s take on things.
“But what was even more disturbing was the inflammatory language in the government’s report that if this court did not impose a harsh sentence that it was evidence of a two-tiered justice system, one of the rich and one for everyone else,” the judge said. “To invite public ridicule and scorn on this institution, I think, is unspeakable.”
His remarks were reported by news wire services and confirmed to DealBook by two people who attended the courtroom hearing. Federal prosecutors told reporters that the government “respectfully disagreed” with the judge’s decision.
Judge Wright ordered Mr. Karatz to serve eight months of his probation in home detention with electronic monitoring, pay a $1 million fine and perform 2,000 hours of community service. His sentence followed the United States probation office’s sentencing recommendation.
Mr. Karatz, who was represented by John Keker of Keker & Van Nest, was convicted in April of fraud and making false statements in connection with backdating. He was acquitted of 16 charges, including a securities fraud charge that related to the actual stock-options backdating.
“I don’t care, sir, whether or not you have a pot to piss in,” Judge Wright said to Mr. Karatz. “What you get here is fairness.”
Please continue @:
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/judge-slams-backdating-prosecutors-in-…
TLR’s previously published article of February 2012 “Amid New Revelations Multi-Prong Inquiry Into Douglas Winthrop, Amy Margolin, PG & E, Justice Kathryn Werdegar, Keker & Van Nest, Geoffrey Brown, and CaliforniaAll Intensifies” (see @ http://tinyurl.com/dydqndd ) alluded to a breakthrough in connection with evens relating to Howard Rice, Douglas Winthrop, Amy Margolin, Justice Kathryn Werdegar, Keker & Van Nest, CPUC, Geoffrey Brown, CaliforniaAll and in connection with circumstances surrounding PG & E, and related actions.
As of today, May 10, 2012 TLR has been given the permission to also disclose that a red flag has been raised over Jon Streeter of Keker & Van Nest due to his involvement in legal proceedings dealing with California’s energy crisis. Specifically, litigation involving an action PG & E had filed against Houston-based El Paso Corp. Separately, and as was reported @ http://tinyurl.com/bw8c5w2 , Keker & Van Nest was also part of PG & E bankruptcy proceedings. TLR is closely monitoring the situation, and will continue to keep readers apprised of any developments as they become available.Attorney General Eric Holder: formerly of Covington & Burling law firm, in 2008 Holder himself represented big banks such as UBS and MBNA Bank. Holder was Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign co-chairman and raised $50,000 for the president’s campaign.
Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli: a managing partner at Jenner and Block law firm, whose clients include Merrill Lynch, Perrelli stepped down from his number-three position at DOJ in March. A former member of Obama’s National Campaign Finance Committee, Perrelli bundled $500,000 in campaign contributions.
Deputy Associate Attorney General Karol Mason: Karol Mason of Alston & Bird previously chaired the firm’s public finance group. She also bundled $500,000 for Obama. Holder awarded her a “Distinguished Service Award” for her work at the Department of Justice. Now, after almost three years at the Department of Justice, she has returned to Alston & Bird to work on their real estate finance and capital markets group.
Associate Attorney General Tony West: West was a partner at Morrison and Foerster law firm, whose clients include MF Global, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America. West was also co-chairman of Obama’s campaign and, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “was instrumental in helping the candidate raise an estimated $65 million in California.” Formerly the head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, West is now number three at the DOJ and bundled $500,000 for the president’s campaign.
Despite Holder and Obama’s “get tough” rhetoric against Wall Street, to date, there has not been a single criminal charge filed by the federal government against any top executive of the elite financial institutions.
Please continue @:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/08/top-doj-officials-obama-bu…
During the investigation, tribal representatives refused to participate in the process or respond to the grand jury’s findings, citing their status as “a sovereign governmental entity that is immune to the jurisdiction and process of state and local authorities.”
Representatives from the Yocha Dehe tribe also refused to provide up-to-date membership figures when requested for this story, but the grand jury report estimated adult membership at fewer than 25 people.
While tribal casinos present challenges to rural counties, some believe their value as an economic engine can’t be denied.
Steve Smith, the human resources director for the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians — the Sonoma tribe operating River Rock —said that the casino employs roughly 600 people, making it one of the top 20 employers in the county.
Cache Creek employs more than 2,300 people, said Mike Traum, the casino’s communications manager. The figure makes the casino the second largest employer in Yolo County, behind only the University of California, Davis.
Noting the effects that such large-scale gaming operations can have on rural areas, the tribes operating Cache Creek and River Rock have entered into intergovernmental agreements with Yolo and Sonoma counties, respectively.
Both agreements resulted in multimillion-dollar windfalls of mitigation payments for the two counties.
In Yolo County, the Yocha Dehe tribe has shelled out more than $32 million in mitigation between 2002 and 2010, with healthy portions going toward the sheriff’s department and the district attorney’s office.
Please see source:
http://www.standupca.org/tribes/Rumsey%20Rancheria/rural-indian-casinos-bring…
TLR Note:
Howard Dickstein — a Sacramento-based Indian gambling attorney is highly corrupted, greedy at the extreme, and has been compared by many to Jack Abramoff.
Dickstein two main clients are Cache Creek Casino / Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation located in Yolo County, and Thunder Valley Casino/ United Auburn Indian Community located in Placer County. Only recently, Arizona Senator John McCain has called for an investigation concerting Dickstein ‘s alleged unlawful business practices. Similarly, Madame Jessica Tavares — former chair of United Auburn Indian Community which owns Thunder Valley Casino — accused Dickstein of duping the tribe into paying his firm $26 million in fees over six years. Previously, the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians which owns Cache Creek Casino had sued Dickstein. The lawsuit ( http://tinyurl.com/cs77wqm) alleged “Greed & Betrayal” vis-via causes of actions for: (1) BREACH OF CONTRACTFor example, on one hand, Walter Lack and Pierce O’Donnell — who despite a well documented trail of repeated acts of misconduct — have no or very little displined imposed by the State Bar of California, respectively. On the other hand , Phil Kay , Ron Gottschalk, Dan Dydzak , and many other were treated unjustly, and in accordance with said policy.
In the wake of the Komen-Planned Parenthood controversy, Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, champion cyclist and Livestrong founder and chairman announced that his cancer group will donate $100,000 to the nation’s biggest abortion business.
He issued the following statement:
Please continue @:
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/03/lance-armstrongs-livestrong-to-donate-100k…
Supporters of Prop 29
A coalition, “Californians for a Cure”, was formed to campaign in support of the measure. This campaign is co-chaired by two cancer survivors: the 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, and retired President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, Don Perata. Perata authored the measure.[3] The campaign’s steering committee also includes the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Laura Ziskin (co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer), Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and several surgeons and directors of California cancer research institutions including Nobel Laureate Dr Elizabeth Blackburn and Congressional Gold Medal Nominee Dr Balazs Bodai. Tom Torlakson, the California Superintendent of Public Instruction, is also a supporter.
Please see @:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_29,_Tobacco_Tax_…
AND @:
Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong is pedaling into California’s ballot wars.
Armstrong announced Wednesday that his Livestrong Foundation is making a $1.5 million contribution to support a June ballot measure that would increase the state’s tobacco tax to raise money for cancer research and anti-smoking programs.
Armstrong, a cancer survivor, also supported the drive to put Proposition 29 on the ballot. He said the measure “will save lives, stop kids from smoking” and support the search for cancer cures.
See source @:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/16/4267754/the-buzz-lance-armstrongs-foundation…%20and%20California
Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) — Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice — is under scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; CaliforniaALL’s Kamala Harris ; Willie Brown and protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam, as well as CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon also of CaliforniaALL.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general who was part of sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
Originally published in November of 2011
As public service to the community, The Leslie Brodie Report publishes* a complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) against Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency DBA Voice of OC, below:
Internal Revenue Service
Exempt Organizations Unit
1100 Commerce St.
Dallas, TX 75242-1198
Re: A referral for noncompliance with tax laws against exempt organization “Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency” (dba “Voice of OC”):
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:
In lieu of using IRS Form 13909 (Tax-Exempt Organization Referral Form), please consider this communication a formal complaint (referral) against an Orange County, California not-for-profit entity known as “Orange County Nonprofit Investigative News Agency,” which operates an online publication under the name “Voice of OC” (located at www.voiceofoc.org).
On September 1, 2011, Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency and Voice of OC (collectively, “Voice of OC”) were duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023. (See Exhibit 1.) To date, this request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests within 30 days. As such, reluctantly, the undersigned makes this referral.
INTRODUCTION OF ACTORS:
1. Mr. Joe Dunn in his role as the creator of online publication “Voice of OC” – Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency.
2. Mr. Joe Dunn in his role as Trustee of the UCI Foundation (an entity which obtained funds from a separate charitable entity known as CaliforniaALL (FEIN Number 51-0656213).
3. Mr. Joe Dunn in his role as Executive Director of the State Bar of California – an entity which also controls and maintains a foundation known as the California Bar Foundation. The California Bar Foundation very quietly transferred close to $780,000 to CaliforniaALL.
4. Mr. Joe Dunn in his role as a politician and business partner of Martha Escutia, who was involved in matters relating to utility companies operating in California.
5. Ms. Gwen Moore – a former Assembly member in the California legislature. Ms. Moore has “clout” over the CPUC and utility companies. Ms. Moore presently serves as a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors; she has previously been the subject of an FBI sting operation.
6. Mr. Geoffrey Brown – a former commissioner with the CPUC and former board member of the California Bar Foundation. During his tenure as a board member of the California Bar Foundation, a hush-hush transfer of $780,000 was made to CaliforniaALL. Subsequent to this transfer, Mr. Brown abruptly quit his position as board member.
7. Mr. Thomas Girardi of Los Angeles-based law firm Girardi & Keese. Mr. Girardi helped Joe Dunn to establish the Voice of OC, and was a member of its board of directors. Recently, he abruptly quit that position. Mr. Girardi is a well-known donor to the Democratic Party and, in particular, to California Senator Barbara Boxer.
8. Mr. Howard Miller of Los Angeles-based law firm Girardi & Keese. Mr. Miller was a member of both the State Bar of California Board of Governors and the California Bar Foundation board of directors when the “hush-hush” transfer of $780,000 from California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL took place.
9. Mr. James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster – Mr. Brosnahan represents utility companies. He – along with Thomas Girardi – helped Mr. Joe Dunn create the Voice of OC, the subject of this complaint. Like Mr. Girardi, Mr. Brosnahan also served as member of Voice of OC’s board of directors, and recently also abruptly quit his position.
10. Ms. Susan Mac Cormac of Morrison & Foerster – Ms. Mac Cormac was part of the legal team that created the legal entity known as CaliforniaALL.
11. Mr. Victor Miramontes – a resident of San Antonio, TX and business partner of former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros. Mr. Miramontes was the chairman of CaliforniaALL.
12. Ms. Ruthe Catolico Ashley – a former employee of McGeorge School of Law who later served as a “Diversity Officer” at CalPERS. Ms. Ashley also served as member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors, and came up with the idea to create CaliforniaALL during a meeting with Sarah Redfield and Peter Arth, Jr. (the assistant to CPUC President Michael Peevey). After CaliforniaALL came into existence, Ms. Ashley, after a simulated search, was selected to serve as CaliforniaALL’s executive director.
13. Ms. Sarah Redfield – a visiting professor at McGeorge School of Law and a member of the State Bar of California Committee. Ms. Redfield was chosen to serve as the “interim executive director” for CaliforniaALL, and later also allegedly served as a consultant to CaliforniaALL. For her services, Ms. Redfield was paid for the year of 2008 close to $160,000 as an “independent contractor.” Even though CaliforniaALL was housed pro bono at the law offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento, there is an entry on CaliforniaALL’s tax return for close to $16,000 for “occupancy.”
14. Ms. Judy Johnson – the former Executive Director of the State Bar of California. For the past 8 years, she has been secretly serving as the president of an entity with a misleading name (“California Consumer Protection Foundation”). This entity absorbed close to $30 million in class action cy pres awards, as well as fines and settlements imposed by the CPUC on utility companies. This entity forwarded those funds to mostly questionable ACORN-like entities. On its website, CCPF claims that it has available information on all grantees going back 10 years. Not so. The information is scattered and extremely difficult to ascertain. In fact, a whole year is missing (2002). During that year, incidentally, CCPF awarded funds to the real ACORN as well as to Eric Moore of Educate LA, who is presumably related to Gwen Moore. Ms. Johnson used her position as executive director of the State Bar of California (which is supposed to supervise and discipline lawyers) as “clout” to obtain cy pres awards from the settlement of class actions prosecuted and defended by countless law firms.
15. Mr. Jeffrey Bleich of Munger Tolles & Olson – presently the U.S. ambassador to Australia and a close friend of President Barack Obama. Mr. Bleich served as member of the BOG when CaliforniaALL was conceived. He is mentioned only in reference because Verizon Communications (which heavily contributed to CaliforniaALL) is a client of Munger Tules & Olson.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND:
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive director for a period of 6 months. Serving as CaliforniaALL’s legal counsel was Susan Mac Cormac of Morrison & Foerster.
California Attorney General RCT reflects that CaliforniaALL obtained its “Charity” status on March 14, 2008 (FEIN Number 510656213). The address for CaliforniaALL is listed as 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400, Sacramento, California. This is actually the address of DLA Piper, where CaliforniaALL resided pro bono.
In June 2008, after a “nationwide search” and aided by a pro bono head-hunting firm in its search for a permanent CEO, CaliforniaALL, not surprisingly, hired Ruthe Catolico Ashley as its chief executive officer.
Also not surprisingly, Ruthe Catolico Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL in September 2009 – the same month Joe Dunn launched his non-profit online publication “Voice of OC.”
CaliforniaALL was abruptly dissolved in June 2010.
CaliforniaALL’s 990 returns for 2008 list Sarah Redfield of Orono, Maine as an “independent contractor.” Her job description is listed as “Program Director.” and she was paid $157,763. It is unknown to the undersigned whether Redfield paid self-employment taxes or any other applicable state income taxes, either in California or Maine. (Incidentally, Redfield falsely states on her resume that she was part of a “curriculum committee” with SAL-UCI, an entity associated with UCI and the UCI Foundation where CaliforniaALL forwarded funds. In addition, Redfield falsely stated that she “launched” SAL-UCI, an entity that was already in existence from 2005.)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub rosa “hush-hush” contribution of $769,247 from the State Bar of California Foundation.
To date, data collected by the undersigned shows that CaliforniaALL (which was supposed to forward most of those funds) transferred between $300,000 to $400,000 to the UCI Foundation (where Joe Dunn serves as trustee), spent an unknown amount to honor Gwen Moore at a lavish dinner held at a luxury hotel in Sacramento, paid for other incidental expenses such as salaries, and subsequent to moving out from the offices of DLA Piper to a more modest location , paid for a UPS Store mail box slot in Citrus Heights. (Later, CaliforniaALL relocated its base to the loft of one Larrisa Parecki in Sacramento.)
Between 2001 and 2007, Geoffrey Brown served as a Commissioner with the CPUC. From 2006 to 2009, Brown served as a director of the State Bar of California Foundation. In 2008, California Bar Foundation quietly transferred $769,247.00 to CaliforniaALL. CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the $769,247.00 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Several months ago, the undersigned asked the State Bar of California Board of Governors to examine the suspicious circumstances surrounding CaliforniaALL (i.e. the hush hush transfer, etc.). While simply presenting facts similar to the above, Geoffrey Brown immediately, as though bitten by a snake, threatened to file legal action against the undersigned even though the communication with the BOG was absolutely privileged and justified, and only made mention of Brown in passing.
The undersigned has met Brown casually once or twice, and was highly impressed with his modest and genteel nature. A group conversation transpired and Brown immediately, without even being asked, volunteered to help and assist. This however, can and will not serve to bar the mentioning of his name as part of the overall description of events (such as in this communication). Such tactics would be unfair to the other individuals and the proper administration of justice. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the undersigned possesses not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Brown somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, other than the convenient circumstances described above.
Due to unsettling circumstances involving the State Bar of California (such as the highly secretive control of CCPF by Judy Johnson, the refusal of the State Bar of California to disclose amounts it transfers to Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles-based entity, the amounts it obtains from “voluntary contributions,” and, in particular, circumstances surrounding CaliforniaALL, Joe Dunn, and the Voice of OC), the undersigned asked Voice of OC to produce its tax returns for the past 3 years.
Specifically, the following circumstances surrounding Voice of OC have caused concerns:
1. Senator Martha Escutia, Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C) also participated in meetings with the CPUC concerning diversity. She is a founding member of The Senators (Ret.) firm, LLP, as is Joe Dunn.
2. The fact that some individuals and entities involved in the creation of CaliforniaALL and the subsequent transfer of $769,247.00 from the Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, were also involved in assisting Joe Dunn with the creation of “Voice of OC” to wit – on one hand Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac as legal counsel for CaliforniaALL; Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in his capacity as BOD member of Cal Bar Foundation, as well as BOG members who voted to endorse CaliforniaALL and consider it to have been a partner of the State Bar of California. On the other hand Morrison &Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi as part of helping Joe Dunn with the establishment of Voice of OC.
3. CaliforniaALL was to transfer funds forward. It did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where Joe Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee. It appears that CaliforniaALL preselected UCI Foundation, making a prior simulated request for proposal (RFP) by Sarah Redfield that led to the grant – a sham process.
4. In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. That same month, Joe Dunn publicly launched his online publication, “Voice of OC.” (as though Ashley’s mission had been completed).
5. The recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” (as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences).
As such, several months ago, on September 1, 2011, the Voice of OC was duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023. (See Exhibit 1 attached) Additionally, said request was delivered to Joe Dunn.
To date, this request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests. As such, reluctantly, the undersigned filed this complaint.
As such, I urge you to investigate this matter to determine whether Voice of OC who ignored the request to produce said tax returns violated IRS rules and regulations. I ask that you impose appropriate sanctions against any and all involved, if supported by the results of your investigation.
I look forward to your response. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.
*Links and photos inserted by The Leslie Brodie Report.
In Washington, Justice Department officials were aware beforehand Andre Birotte was planning to decline to prosecute Lance Armstrong (TLR Note: If one of DOJ Official is Tony West = BINGO = Prima Facie Evidence/ Probable Cause to Beleive Blackmail of Tony West by Keker & Van Nest)
Source @:
In Washington, Justice Department officials were aware beforehand Mr. Birotte was planning to decline to prosecute, a person familiar with the matter said.
Mr. Birotte’s decision doesn’t preclude another jurisdiction from pursuing the case, though that now seems unlikely.
Mr. Birotte couldn’t be reached for comment.
“We cannot and will not discuss the internal deliberations and the basis on which the U.S. attorney, after consulting with his management team, made the decision not to proceed in the case,” said Mr. Mrozek, who added that “the decision was made [with] a full and fair consideration of all the relevant evidence and law.”
In the past, Mr. Armstrong has strongly denied using performing-enhancing drugs and has questioned the integrity and motives of his accusers.
“Character assassination is wrong. The rule of law has won out, and will win out again,” said Elliot Peters, a lawyer at Keker & Van Nest LLP who represents Mr. Armstrong.
Andre Birotte Re Lance Armstrong: “No Discussion” (TLR Note: Alternative theory to collision between Jon Streeter – Angela Davis May Be Keker & Van Nest Pressure/Blackmail of DOJ ‘s Tony West Re Sham Entity CaliforniaALL)
Source @:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/did-u-s-attorneys-disagree-on-whether-to-clos…
The report then goes on to suggest that Birotte was unwilling to consult with his team further on the matter, saying “that his decision was final and that there would be no discussion” according to a source “close to the investigation”.
The two assistant U.S. attorneys in Los Angeles on the case, Douglas M. Miller and Mark Williams, declined to comment while Birotte could not be reached.
Cyclingnews spoke to a source who co-operated with the federal investigation. The source indicated that the NPR reports held weight.
“I talked to someone within the investigation but the reason why the case was shut down was due to a one-man decision. The evidence against those involved was absolutely overwhelming. They were going to be charged with a slew of crimes but for reasons unexplained he closed the case saying it wasn’t open for discussion,” the source said.
FBI, FDA, and U.S. Postal Service were ‘shocked, surprised and angered’ by U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. decision Re Lance Armstrong (TLR Note: 1- Betsy Andreu may have been correct Re DOJ 2- John kekerJon Streeter and Angela Davis under mild scrutiny by TLR )
Source:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/concerns-over-closure-of-federal-investigatio…
US radio station National Public Radio (NPR) has raised concerns over the decision that saw the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles close down a two-year investigation into allegations of fraud and doping that involved the US Postal Service Team and Lance Armstrong. Armstrong has denied ever taking performance enhancing and welcomed the decision to close the case. He may still face investigation from USADA.
NPR has alleged that sources in the FBI, FDA and US Postal Service were ‘shocked, surprised and angered’ and that federal authorities only had 30 minutes notice before the United States Attorney’s Office released a press release to the media on Friday afternoon.
According the NPR, sources indicated that charges were close to being brought against a number of individuals, which included fraud, witness tampering, mail fraud, and drug distribution. One source, NPR says, said there were ‘no weaknesses in the case’.
Andre Birotte Jr. , US Attorney for the Central District of California, and Keker & Van Nest’s John Keker / Elliot Peters Hereby Asked to Disclose Role, If Any, of Assistant US Attorney Angela Davis in Inquiry Into Doping Allegations Against Lance Armstrong.
Please observe that, rather than contacting the parties directly, the query is being delivered publicly, here and now.
Any information may be sent to lesliebrodie@gmx.com
Andre Birotte Jr. , US Attorney for the Central District of California, and Keker & Van Nest’s John Keker / Elliot Peters Hereby Asked to Disclose Role, If Any, of Assistant US Attorney Angela Davis in Inquiry Into Doping Allegations Against Lance Armstrong.
Please observe that, rather than contacting the parties directly, the query is being delivered publicly, here and now.
Any information may be sent to lesliebrodie@gmx.com
Amid Suspicious Circumstances, The Leslie Brodie Report to Launch Journalistic Inquiry Into Allegations of Attorney Misconduct Leveled by Betsy Andreu Against US Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. and Keker & Van Nest’s John Keker and Elliot Peters in Connection with the Decision to Not Criminally Prosecute Tour de France Champ Lance Armstrong.
The U.S. attorney who closed a nearly two-year investigation into the racing team of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong rejected a recommendation from his assistants that he pursue criminal charges in the case.
A spokesman for the office said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. made the decision not to pursue a prosecution after reviewing the evidence and consulting with his top lieutenants. Investigators looked at whether Mr. Armstrong and other officials of his former U.S. Postal Service team may have committed fraud by collecting money from sponsors for winning the Tour de France while allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs.Betsy Andreu, who with her husband and former Armstrong teammate, Frank, accused the cycling champion of doping, said she was shocked by Birotte’s decision.
‘Our legal system failed us,’ she said. ‘This is what happens when you have a lot of money and you can buy attorneys who have people in high places in the Department of Justice.’
Four of those on the president’s list were caught up in the investigation of the former agriculture secretary Mike Espy, an inquiry that resulted in the acquittal of the ex-cabinet member himself.
Ronald H. Blackley, a former aide to Mr. Espy, was convicted in late 1997 of making false statements about $22,000 in outside income he received while serving as the secretary’s chief of staff. He was sent to prison for 27 months, a sentence Mr. Clinton commuted. John J. Hemmingson, a former chief executive of a Kansas crop insurance company, was convicted in 1997 of laundering a $20,000 campaign contribution to Mr. Espy’s brother, Henry, who was trying to win Mike Espy’s old Congressional seat. Mr. Hemmingson received a presidential pardon. Richard Douglas, the former head of a fruit cooperative, was convicted the same year of giving $7,000 in illegal gifts to the agriculture secretary. He also received a pardon.(emphasis added)
Please see source @:
http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2001/012101e.htm
The defendant Richard Douglas was Senior Vice-President for Corporate Affairs at Sun-Diamond Growers, a large agricultural collective of growers of raisins, walnuts, prunes, figs, and hazelnuts headquartered in Pleasanton, California.1 Douglas was indicted for, among other things,2 two separate counts of providing illegal gratuities to then Secretary of Agriculture Michael Espy in violation of 18 U.S.C. sections 201(c)(1)(A) and 2. Section 201(c)(1)(A) prohibits the giving, offering, or promising of things of value to public officials for or because of any official act performed or to be performed by the public official. Count One charged that between January, 1993 and May, 1994, Douglas provided Espy with meals, luggage, and entertainment in the Northern District of California.
Please continue @:
http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19981965996FSupp969_11852.xml&…
Keker & Van Nest avers :
“United States of America v. Lobbyist: We defended a prominent lobbyist charged with corrupting the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Our client, who was eventually pardoned, was acquitted at trial of all counts except one, which was tossed out in a post-trial motion.” (emphasis added)
See source @:
http://kvn.com/Lawyers/Peters-Elliot
The Leslie Brodie Report (TLR) is carefully following a major developing story out of California relating to Matthew Werdegar of San Francisco-based lawfirm of Keker & Van Nest.
According to knowledgeable sources, Matthew Werdegar, son of David Werdegar – the recently deposed President and CEO of IOA – has also been named as defendant in the lawsuit.
On April, 2011 President and CEO Dr. David Werdegar, Board Chair Anthony Wagner, State Senator Leland Yee, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, and Supervisor Eric Mar attended IOA’s Senior Campus ribbon-cutting ceremony. A substantial portion of IOA’s budget arrives from the City and County of San Francisco which uses IOA and its facilities to care for some its aging population.(Image:courtesy of IOA)
As was reported earlier, in a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, prominent Marina Del Rey-based legal expert Dan Dydzak alleges that California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar obstructed justice by participating in a scheme to boost the financial well-being of an entity (the Institute on Aging or “IOA”) headed by her husband, David Werdegar.
(L-R) Dr. David Werdegar of IOA; California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kathryn Werdegar; Matthew Werdegar of Keker & Van Nest Where Straw Man Jon Streeter Serves as the President of the State Bar of California.
The suit avers that Justice Werdegar failed to inform interested parties of the fact that entities such as brokerhouse Charles Schwab and law firm Morrison & Foerster, for example, are major donors to the IOA, totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
Dydzak alleges that he sustained legal injury due to his role in suing Charles Schwab on behalf of a client — a former paramour of Charles Schwab co-founder, Hugo Quackenbush — and subsequent retaliation by various entities that sought to silence him (and his client), including the now-defunct law firm of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin which previously represented Charles Schwab.
According to Dydzak, once his allegations of retaliation by Howard Rice and others were presented for adjudication before Justice Werdegar, she had an absolute duty to either obtain a waiver from Dydzak or recuse herself because of Charles Schwab’s financial donations to IOA, neither of which she did.
Dydzak further alleges that Werdegar’s failure to take these steps stemmed from a civil conspiracy entered into by the various parties, and specifically Charles Schwab and David Werdegar, by which Justice Werdegar would rule against Dydzak, ipso facto preventing him from further developing the case against Charles Schwab because this would have exposed Charles Schwab’s various alleged unlawful activities while at the same time enriching her husband David Werdegar financially — and, by extension, enriching her as well.
Shortly before Dydzak filed his lawsuit, David Werdegar abruptly resigned from his post as the CEO of IOA.
The Institute on Aging is a San Francisco-based senior care facility. It started as part of Mount Zion hospital (a client of Howard Rice) , and metamorphosed into its current format.
The overwhelming majority of IOA funding is provided by the City and County of San Francisco, which has a contractual relationship with IOA, and by donations by primarily Jewish foundations, such as Lisa and Matthew Chanoff, the Rose and Eugene Kleiner Family Foundation, the Koret Foundation, Bernard and Barbro Osher, and the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund.
Above( L-R) Mr. David Werdegar of IOA; State Bar of California BOG Member Jeannine English; Mr. Thomas Girardi of embattled Voice of OC; Executive Director of State Bar of California Joe Dunn of embattled Voice of OC; California Supreme Court Associate Justice Hon. Kathryn Werdegar; really special prosecutor in matter of In Re Girardi and controversial judicial aspirant Prof. Rory Little; controversial gambling attorney Howard Dickstein (spouse of Jeannine English and a client of Keker & Van Nest), MoFo’s James Brosnahan of embattled Voice of OC; Keker & Van Nest partner Matthew Werdegar – son of David and Kathryn Werdegar; Keker & Van Nest partner Jan Little (spouse of Rory Little); Keker & Van Nest partner Elliot Peters — attorney for Howard Dickstein; California Democratic Party operative and mentor to Willie Brown’s former paramour — Mr. John Keker; Keker & Van Nest partner, attorney for Howard Dickstein, controversial judicial aspirant, and President of the State Bar of California — Mr. Jon Streeter.
The Leslie Brodie Report (TLR) is carefully following a major developing story out of California relating to Matthew Werdegar of San Francisco-based lawfirm of Keker & Van Nest.
According to knowledgeable sources, Matthew Werdegar, son of David Werdegar – the recently deposed President and CEO of IOA – has also been named as defendant in the lawsuit.
On April, 2011 President and CEO Dr. David Werdegar, Board Chair Anthony Wagner, State Senator Leland Yee, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, and Supervisor Eric Mar attended IOA’s Senior Campus ribbon-cutting ceremony. A substantial portion of IOA’s budget arrives from the City and County of San Francisco which uses IOA and its facilities to care for some its aging population.(Image:courtesy of IOA)
As was reported earlier, in a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, prominent Marina Del Rey-based legal expert Dan Dydzak alleges that California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar obstructed justice by participating in a scheme to boost the financial well-being of an entity (the Institute on Aging or “IOA”) headed by her husband, David Werdegar.
(L-R) Dr. David Werdegar of IOA; California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kathryn Werdegar; Matthew Werdegar of Keker & Van Nest Where Straw Man Jon Streeter Serves as the President of the State Bar of California.
The suit avers that Justice Werdegar failed to inform interested parties of the fact that entities such as brokerhouse Charles Schwab and law firm Morrison & Foerster, for example, are major donors to the IOA, totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
Dydzak alleges that he sustained legal injury due to his role in suing Charles Schwab on behalf of a client — a former paramour of Charles Schwab co-founder, Hugo Quackenbush — and subsequent retaliation by various entities that sought to silence him (and his client), including the now-defunct law firm of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin which previously represented Charles Schwab.
According to Dydzak, once his allegations of retaliation by Howard Rice and others were presented for adjudication before Justice Werdegar, she had an absolute duty to either obtain a waiver from Dydzak or recuse herself because of Charles Schwab’s financial donations to IOA, neither of which she did.
Dydzak further alleges that Werdegar’s failure to take these steps stemmed from a civil conspiracy entered into by the various parties, and specifically Charles Schwab and David Werdegar, by which Justice Werdegar would rule against Dydzak, ipso facto preventing him from further developing the case against Charles Schwab because this would have exposed Charles Schwab’s various alleged unlawful activities while at the same time enriching her husband David Werdegar financially — and, by extension, enriching her as well.
Shortly before Dydzak filed his lawsuit, David Werdegar abruptly resigned from his post as the CEO of IOA.
The Institute on Aging is a San Francisco-based senior care facility. It started as part of Mount Zion hospital (a client of Howard Rice) , and metamorphosed into its current format.
The overwhelming majority of IOA funding is provided by the City and County of San Francisco, which has a contractual relationship with IOA, and by donations by primarily Jewish foundations, such as Lisa and Matthew Chanoff, the Rose and Eugene Kleiner Family Foundation, the Koret Foundation, Bernard and Barbro Osher, and the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund.
Above( L-R) Mr. David Werdegar of IOA; State Bar of California BOG Member Jeannine English; Mr. Thomas Girardi of embattled Voice of OC; Executive Director of State Bar of California Joe Dunn of embattled Voice of OC; California Supreme Court Associate Justice Hon. Kathryn Werdegar; really special prosecutor in matter of In Re Girardi and controversial judicial aspirant Prof. Rory Little; controversial gambling attorney Howard Dickstein (spouse of Jeannine English and a client of Keker & Van Nest), MoFo’s James Brosnahan of embattled Voice of OC; Keker & Van Nest partner Matthew Werdegar – son of David and Kathryn Werdegar; Keker & Van Nest partner Jan Little (spouse of Rory Little); Keker & Van Nest partner Elliot Peters — attorney for Howard Dickstein; California Democratic Party operative and mentor to Willie Brown’s former paramour — Mr. John Keker; Keker & Van Nest partner, attorney for Howard Dickstein, controversial judicial aspirant, and President of the State Bar of California — Mr. Jon Streeter.
Google set off a furor on Tuesday when it added posts, photos, conversations and profiles from its Google Plus social network to search results, a feature it calls Search Plus Your World.
The latest complaint came Thursday, when the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a research and advocacy group on Internet privacy, sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating Google over antitrust complaints and earlier this year penalized Google for privacy violations related to its Buzz social network.
Please see full article @:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/googles-new-search-results-raise-pri…
California Bar Foundation 2012 BOD (Note: 1- Error Re Year 2011 ; 2- Notice Judge Holly Fujie VP Despite Discrimination on Basis of Race 3- Notice Raj Chatterjee, Jon Streeter, Alec Chang and – of course – Douglas Winthrop)
Source:
http://calbarfoundation.org/about/board.html
2011 Board of Directors (2011 should be 2012)
Douglas A. Winthrop, President
Arnold & Porter LLP
Hon. Holly J. Fujie, Vice President
Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Joan Kupersmith Larkin, Vice President
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Frederick Brown, Secretary
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
David Grove, Treasurer
Vaquero Capital
Sonia Gonzales, Executive Director
California Bar Foundation
Raul Ayala
Office of the Federal Public Defender
Ronald L. Blanc
Arnold & Porter LLP
Debora Buljat
General Dynamics NASSCO
Alec Y. Chang
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
S. Raj Chatterjee
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Julia De Beers
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Hon. Marguerite D. Downing
Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Nancy L. Fineman
Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy
Sandra S. Fujiyama
Sidley Austin LLP
Steven H. Goldberg
Downey Brand
Martha K. Gooding
Jones Day
Dean Hansell
Dewey & LeBoeuf, LLP
Ray Hartman
DLA Piper LLP (US)
Geoffrey Holtz
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Robert D. Infelise
Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP
Paul V. Konovalov
Latham & Watkins LLP
Justin T. Miller
BNY Mellon Wealth Management
Amy M. Ross
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Thomas Silk
SILK NONPROFIT LAW
Dianne Baquet Smith
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Jon Streeter
Keker & Van Nest
Christy Susman
Jack Daniels Properties, Inc.
Julie Taylor
Keesal, Young & Logan
Paul Tepper
Western Center on Law and Poverty
Mary Ann Todd
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Richard Tom
Southern California Edison
Karen E. Walter
Rutan & Tucker, LLP
Nancy Whang
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Shawn Williams
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
California Bar Foundation — 180 Howard Street — S
Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) — Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice — is under scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; CaliforniaALL’s Kamala Harris ; Willie Brown and protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam, as well as CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon also of CaliforniaALL.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general who was part of sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
Voice of OC
Due to unsettling circumstances surrounding CaliforniaALL, Joe Dunn, and the Voice of OC), the complainant asked Voice of OC to produce its tax returns for the past 3 years.
Specifically, the following circumstances surrounding Voice of OC have caused concerns:
1. Senator Martha Escutia, Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C) also participated in meetings with the CPUC concerning diversity. She is a founding member of The Senators (Ret.) firm, LLP, as is Joe Dunn.
2. The fact that some individuals and entities involved in the creation of CaliforniaALL and the subsequent transfer of $769,247.00 from the Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, were also involved in assisting Joe Dunn with the creation of “Voice of OC” to wit – on one hand Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac as legal counsel for CaliforniaALL; Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in his capacity as BOD member of Cal Bar Foundation, as well as BOG members who voted to endorse CaliforniaALL and consider it to have been a partner of the State Bar of California. On the other hand Morrison &Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi as part of helping Joe Dunn with the establishment of Voice of OC.
3. CaliforniaALL was to transfer funds forward. It did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where Joe Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee. It appears that CaliforniaALL preselected UCI Foundation, making a prior simulated request for proposal (RFP) by Sarah Redfield that led to the grant – a sham process.
4. In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. That same month, Joe Dunn publicly launched his online publication, “Voice of OC.” (as though Ashley’s mission had been completed).
5. The recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” (as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences).
On September 1, 2011, Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency and Voice of OC (collectively, “Voice of OC”) were duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023. To date, this request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests within 30 days.
Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) — Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice — is under scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; CaliforniaALL’s Kamala Harris ; Willie Brown and protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam, as well as CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon also of CaliforniaALL.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general who was part of sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
Voice of OC
Due to unsettling circumstances surrounding CaliforniaALL, Joe Dunn, and the Voice of OC), the complainant asked Voice of OC to produce its tax returns for the past 3 years.
Specifically, the following circumstances surrounding Voice of OC have caused concerns:
1. Senator Martha Escutia, Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C) also participated in meetings with the CPUC concerning diversity. She is a founding member of The Senators (Ret.) firm, LLP, as is Joe Dunn.
2. The fact that some individuals and entities involved in the creation of CaliforniaALL and the subsequent transfer of $769,247.00 from the Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, were also involved in assisting Joe Dunn with the creation of “Voice of OC” to wit – on one hand Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac as legal counsel for CaliforniaALL; Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in his capacity as BOD member of Cal Bar Foundation, as well as BOG members who voted to endorse CaliforniaALL and consider it to have been a partner of the State Bar of California. On the other hand Morrison &Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi as part of helping Joe Dunn with the establishment of Voice of OC.
3. CaliforniaALL was to transfer funds forward. It did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where Joe Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee. It appears that CaliforniaALL preselected UCI Foundation, making a prior simulated request for proposal (RFP) by Sarah Redfield that led to the grant – a sham process.
4. In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. That same month, Joe Dunn publicly launched his online publication, “Voice of OC.” (as though Ashley’s mission had been completed).
5. The recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” (as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences).
On September 1, 2011, Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency and Voice of OC (collectively, “Voice of OC”) were duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023. To date, this request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests within 30 days.
Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) — Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice — is under scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; CaliforniaALL’s Kamala Harris ; Willie Brown and protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam, as well as CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon also of CaliforniaALL.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general who was part of sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
Voice of OC
Due to unsettling circumstances surrounding CaliforniaALL, Joe Dunn, and the Voice of OC), the complainant asked Voice of OC to produce its tax returns for the past 3 years.
Specifically, the following circumstances surrounding Voice of OC have caused concerns:
1. Senator Martha Escutia, Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications (EU&C) also participated in meetings with the CPUC concerning diversity. She is a founding member of The Senators (Ret.) firm, LLP, as is Joe Dunn.
2. The fact that some individuals and entities involved in the creation of CaliforniaALL and the subsequent transfer of $769,247.00 from the Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, were also involved in assisting Joe Dunn with the creation of “Voice of OC” to wit – on one hand Morrison & Foerster’s Susan Mac Cormac as legal counsel for CaliforniaALL; Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller in his capacity as BOD member of Cal Bar Foundation, as well as BOG members who voted to endorse CaliforniaALL and consider it to have been a partner of the State Bar of California. On the other hand Morrison &Foerster’s James Brosnahan and Girardi & Keese’s Thomas Girardi as part of helping Joe Dunn with the establishment of Voice of OC.
3. CaliforniaALL was to transfer funds forward. It did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where Joe Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee. It appears that CaliforniaALL preselected UCI Foundation, making a prior simulated request for proposal (RFP) by Sarah Redfield that led to the grant – a sham process.
4. In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. That same month, Joe Dunn publicly launched his online publication, “Voice of OC.” (as though Ashley’s mission had been completed).
5. The recent abrupt departure of Thomas Girardi and James Brosnahan from ‘Voice of OC” (as though they were fleeing the scene with guilty consciences).
On September 1, 2011, Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency and Voice of OC (collectively, “Voice of OC”) were duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023. To date, this request to produce Voice of OC’s tax returns has been ignored, despite the clear mandate by the Internal Revenue Service to fully comply with such requests within 30 days.
| Eric Holder | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 82nd United States Attorney General | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office February 3, 2009 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David Ogden James Cole |
| Preceded by | Michael Mukasey |
| Deputy Attorney General of the United States | |
| In office June 13, 1997 – January 20, 2001 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Jamie Gorelick |
| Succeeded by | Larry Thompson |
| United States Attorney for the District of Columbia | |
| In office October 1993 – June 13, 1997 |
|
| Nominated by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | J. Ramsey Johnson[1] |
| Associate Judge on Superior Court of the District of Columbia | |
| In office October 1988 – October 1993 |
|
| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. January 21, 1951 Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Sharon Malone |
| Children | Maya Brooke Eric |
| Alma mater | Columbia University (A.B.) Columbia Law School (J.D.) |
| Profession | Attorney at Law |
| Religion | Episcopal |
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. (born January 21, 1951) is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first black American to hold the position,[2] serving under President Barack Obama.
Holder previously served as a judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a United States Attorney. In that office he prosecuted Congressman Dan Rostenkowski (Democrat, Illinois) for corruption charges related to his role in the Congressional Post Office scandal. Later, he was Deputy Attorney General of the United States and worked at the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. He was senior legal advisor to then-Senator Barack Obama during Obama’s presidential campaign and one of three members of Obama’s vice-presidential selection committee.
Contents[hide] |
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. was born in the Bronx, New York, to parents with roots in Barbados.[3][4][dead link][5] Holder’s father, Eric Himpton Holder, Sr. (1905–1970) was born in Saint Joseph, Barbados and arrived in the United States at the age of 11.[6][7] He later became a real estate broker. His mother, Miriam, was born in New Jersey, while his maternal grandparents were immigrants from Saint Philip, Barbados.[7] Holder grew up in East Elmhurst, Queens, and attended public school until the age of 10. When entering the 4th grade he was selected to participate in a program for intellectually-gifted students.[8] In 1969, he graduated from Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan and attended Columbia University, where he played freshman basketball and was co-captain of his team. He earned a A.B. degree in American history in 1973.[9] Holder received his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, graduating in 1976. He worked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund during his first summer and the United States Attorney during his second summer.[8]
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Holder
| Eric Holder | |
|---|---|
|
|
| 82nd United States Attorney General | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office February 3, 2009 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David Ogden James Cole |
| Preceded by | Michael Mukasey |
| Deputy Attorney General of the United States | |
| In office June 13, 1997 – January 20, 2001 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Jamie Gorelick |
| Succeeded by | Larry Thompson |
| United States Attorney for the District of Columbia | |
| In office October 1993 – June 13, 1997 |
|
| Nominated by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | J. Ramsey Johnson[1] |
| Associate Judge on Superior Court of the District of Columbia | |
| In office October 1988 – October 1993 |
|
| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. January 21, 1951 Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Sharon Malone |
| Children | Maya Brooke Eric |
| Alma mater | Columbia University (A.B.) Columbia Law School (J.D.) |
| Profession | Attorney at Law |
| Religion | Episcopal |
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. (born January 21, 1951) is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first black American to hold the position,[2] serving under President Barack Obama.
Holder previously served as a judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a United States Attorney. In that office he prosecuted Congressman Dan Rostenkowski (Democrat, Illinois) for corruption charges related to his role in the Congressional Post Office scandal. Later, he was Deputy Attorney General of the United States and worked at the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. He was senior legal advisor to then-Senator Barack Obama during Obama’s presidential campaign and one of three members of Obama’s vice-presidential selection committee.
Contents[hide] |
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. was born in the Bronx, New York, to parents with roots in Barbados.[3][4][dead link][5] Holder’s father, Eric Himpton Holder, Sr. (1905–1970) was born in Saint Joseph, Barbados and arrived in the United States at the age of 11.[6][7] He later became a real estate broker. His mother, Miriam, was born in New Jersey, while his maternal grandparents were immigrants from Saint Philip, Barbados.[7] Holder grew up in East Elmhurst, Queens, and attended public school until the age of 10. When entering the 4th grade he was selected to participate in a program for intellectually-gifted students.[8] In 1969, he graduated from Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan and attended Columbia University, where he played freshman basketball and was co-captain of his team. He earned a A.B. degree in American history in 1973.[9] Holder received his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, graduating in 1976. He worked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund during his first summer and the United States Attorney during his second summer.[8]
Source:
http://www.calbarjournal.com/February2012/TopHeadlines/TH3.aspx
Bringing with her a deep understanding of disparities within the American justice system, Sonia Gonzales’ self-imposed goal as the new executive director of the California Bar Foundation is to listen.
 |
| Sonia Gonzales |
Listening, explained the former acting head of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, is key to expanding the universe of those who support the foundation’s mission to increase access to justice. Gonzales’ official first day with the foundation was January 17.
“The legal community as a whole has a responsibility to help improve access to appropriate legal services for all Californians, especially those from low-income or ethnic minority communities,” said Gonzales, a product of Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Law. “We will be judged on how we treat the least among us.”
After joining the Lawyers’ Committee in January 2010 as managing director, Gonzales led an organization-wide rebuild, including the development and implementation of the first new strategic plan in a decade. She was named interim executive director in August 2011.
She currently serves on the board of Centro Legal de la Raza, and was a member of the Civil Rights Task Force for Attorney General Kamala Harris’ transition team.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area dates back to 1968 and is affiliated with the national Lawyers’ Committee in advancing, protecting and promoting the rights of communities of color, immigrants and refugees. Recent projects include advocacy on behalf of the minority-owned businesses and formerly incarcerated, plus work to help implement the protections of the California Voting Rights Act.
Before joining the Lawyers’ Committee, Gonzales served as assistant director of the ACLU of Northern California, where she helped manage the largest ACLU affiliate in the United States, with a staff of 60, a board of directors of 50 and more than 53,000 members.
Previously, she worked at the Morrison & Foerster firm in San Francisco and, as a law student, at the National ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project and the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman firm.
Prior to law school, Gonzales served as a political director for a major presidential campaign in 2004 and for the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., and as a legislative assistant and press secretary in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The success of the Bar Foundation’s mission depends on the collective effort of our board and staff, donors and grantees, plus the State Bar and other community partners that recognize the importance of helping California’s most disadvantaged residents,” Gonzales added. “This has everything to do with equality under the law.”
In a scary development, a major Obama fundraiser who defended a convicted al Qaeda terrorist will become the third highest ranking official at the Department of Justice (DOJ), which, ironically, is charged with defending the interests of the United States.
Northern California lawyer Tony West has been named Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, making him the No. 3 guy at the agency. In 2009 West, who helped Obama raise tens of millions of dollars as finance co-chairman of his first presidential campaign, was appointed to help run the DOJ’s civil division which represents the government, Congress and presidential cabinet officers and handles cases dealing with significant policy issues.
In a statement announcing the promotion this week, Attorney General Eric Holder says West has served the department with “professionalism, integrity and dedication.” Holder also mentions West’s work before coming to the DOJ a few years ago, including a stint as a Special Assistant Attorney General in California and a lengthier career at a large San Francisco law firm.
Conveniently omitted in the press release is that West represented convicted al Qaeda terrorist John Walker Lindh, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Lindh was captured in Afghanistan in 2001 while fighting against the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance as a member of the Taliban army. He actually pleaded guilty to aiding the Taliban and carrying explosives while fighting U.S. troops in the region.
Please see story @:
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2012/03/al-qaeda-defense-atty-no-3-at-obama…
As was previously reported on The Leslie Brodie Report Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) — Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice — is under scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; CaliforniaALL’s Kamala Harris ; Willie Brown and protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam, as well as CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon also of CaliforniaALL.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general who was part of sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
Mr. Derek Anthony West (AKA Tony West) Acting Associate Attorney General, the third highest official at the United States Department of Justice. He joined Morrison & Foerster in 2001. While at MoFo, West represented “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh alongside partners James Brosnahan and Raj Chatterjee. His sister-in-law, Kamala Harris, is the California attorney general.
Mr. West shares a laugh with sister-in-law Kamala Harris former paramour who is like an albatross hanging around her neck — Willie Brown ( an otherwise a confederate of CPUC insider and State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore.)
From left, Ms. Lateefah Simon (spouse of CPUC Commissioner and Golden Gate University Professor Timothy Alan Simon); Mr Tony West; Mr. John Burris, a well-known and well-respected civil rights attorney whom TLR previously introduce to its readers in connection with former crack-addict Mike Nisperos during a trip to CNMI HERE.
CaliforniaALL
Ms. Ruth Ashley, a former member of the State bar of California Board of Governors, arranged with others the subrosa transfer of $769,247.00 from the State Bar to a chritable entity — CaliforniaALL — which was under her control. (Photo: courtesy)
In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by CalPERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with CalPERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a diversity officer at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield.
In April 2007, Ashley, along with Sarah Redfield, met Peter Arth (Chief of Staff to CPUC President Michael Peevey) at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting the idea to create CaliforniaALL was conceived. According to Ashley, all three arrived for the “brainstorming session” without any notepads; they quickly improvised and resorted to recording notes on a paper napkin which were the cornerstones of CaliforniaALL. See an excerpt from CaliforniaALL’s now defunct website below:
Urban legend notwithstanding, Ashley’s version of events is slightly inaccurate, as Sarah Redfield (a visiting professor from New Hampshire who Ashley met at McGeorge School of Law) is not a member of the California Bar, and was not representing any governmental agency. In actuality, Ruthe Ashley acted on behalf of both the State Bar California and CalPERS — where she was at the time employed as a Diversity Officer. Pete Arth, an attorney with the CPUC, spoke on behalf of the CPUC.
On June 26, 2007, Ruth Ashley presented to the BOG the concept of California ALL, and recommnended that the State Bar support the organization.
Eventually, CalPERS, CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.
Serving as CaliforniaALL legal counsel were two partners from Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate. See below:
Morrison & Foerster Team (L-R) Ms. Dian Grueneich — Former Commissioner with California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”); Mr. Raj Chatterjee — current board member of the Foundation of State Bar of California (DBA California Bar Foundation, entity headed by Arnold & Porter’s Douglas Winthrop formerly of Howard Rice) ; Ms. Susan Mac Cormac — part of legal team which created entity CaliforniaALL, Mac Cormac was recently awarded “Rainmaker of the Year” by James Brosnahan’s alleged former mistress Marty Africa of Major Lindsey & Africa; Mr. Tony West; Mr. James J. Brosnahan of “Voice of OC” who represented El Paso Corp during California energy crisis opposing Pierce O’Donnell, Joe Cotchett, and Thomas Girardi of Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC; Ms. Annette Carnegie, formerly member of the board of California Bar Foundation during the Hush-Hush subrosa transfer of $780,000 to CaliforniaALL; Ms. Diane Pritchard who practiced extensively before the CPUC while at MoFo. (image: courtesy photo)
In the meantime, with a green light to proceed with the plan and with the credibility of state agencies behind her, Ruthe Ashley marched on. Ashley, however, wanted to maintain a low profile AND make it appear that her subsequent hiring was purely coincidental. As such, she delegated the task of forming the entity to be known as CaliforniaALL to Sarah Redfield and Victor Miramontes.
Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, Texas is associated with CityView, a Los Angeles-based entity controlled by former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Papers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaAll’s interim-executive-director for a period of 6 months. See below:
Sarah Redfield, one of the three lawyers who met at the San Francisco restaurant and who acted as CaliforniaALL’s Interim Executive Director was paid $157,763 while misclassified as an “independent contractor” in tax-returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See excerpt below from 2008 CaliforniaALL’s tax return.
Thus, it was now time for Ruthe Ashley to make her appearance. She did so in June of 2008. CaliforniaALL issued multiple press releases announcing that Ruthe Ashley would serve as CaliforniaALL’s CEO.
Incidentally, Ashley and her attorneys represented to the IRS in returns bearing her signature that she was hired after a “nationwide search”, see below:
CaliforniaALL’s was housed at: 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400 Sacramento, California 95814. This adress is actually the adress of the law-offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento. In its publication, CaliforniaALL thanked DLA Piper for offering pro-bono space in the Sacramento office. Yet, in CaliforniaALL’s tax-return signed by Ruthe Ashley, an expense in the amount of $16,457 for “occupancy” is listed. (See two images below)
In its brief existence from 2008 to 2010, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra), including a sub-rosa Hush-Hush contribution of $769,247.00 from the State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation).
Once Ashley assumed the position, the Foundation of the State Bar of California (which is under the complete control of the State Bar of California Board of Governors) made a quiet transfer of approximately $780,000 from Cal Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL.
At the time of the transfer, the individuals controlling the Foundation were Holly Fujie, Girardi & Keese’s Howard Miller, Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, Ex CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, Annette Carnegie of Morrison & Foerster (the one and the same Morrison & Foerster which served as legal counsel to CaliforniaALL through Eric Tate Susan Mac Cormac) , and a few others.
CaliforniaALL never acknowledged receipt of the approximate $780,000 from the Cal Bar Foundation in any of its publications, although it did acknowledge the transfer on its IRS tax returns. Likewise, California Bar Foundation never acknowledged the largest grant it ever bestowed in its newsroom, the California Bar Journal, or similar publications; it did, however, recognize the transfer on its IRS returns, and in a 2 by 2 inch blurb in its annual report.
Below is an image which reflects State Bar of California Foundation (DBA California Bar Foundation) IRS Tax-Return showing a transfer of $774,247 to CaliforniaALL.
Below, California Bar Foundation’s Newsroom, which made no mention of the “hush-hush” sub-rosa transfer to CaliforniaALL.
In 2008, serving as President of the Foundation was Mario Camara. A joint letter published and signed by Camara and Hatamiya also made no mention of the hush-hush transfer. Wasn’t Mr. Camara proud of it, just like he was proud of other money which went to support “pipelines” After all, CaliforniaALL was also intended to support “pipelines”. See below:
Below an image taken from CaliforniaALL own newsletter which alludes to the fact that the State Bar of California is a “Founding Partner” of CaliforniaALL. Stingy with credit and despite the transfer of close to $780,000 from the California Bar Foundation to CaliforniaALL, only utility companies are listed as “Founding Funders.” See below:
As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer those funds forward, it did so by awarding approximately $300,000 in grants to the UCI Foundation, where State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn (future owner of Voice of OC) serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee.
Voice of OC original members of the Board of Directors(L-R) UCI Law Professor Henry Winestein, James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster, Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn, and UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
In September 2009, Ruthe Ashley , as though her mission had been completed, abruptly exited CaliforniaALL. In the same month and year, State Bar of California Executive Director , Mr. Joe Dunn, publicly launched the online publication “The Voice of OC” with the help of Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese and James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster.
Also on September of 2009, CaliforniaALL saw fit to honor State Bar of California Board of Governors member Shrimpscam Gwen Moore — an appointee of Karen Bass and a confederate of fellow BOG member Jeannine English from the Little Hoover Commission:
Shockingly, and to add insult to injury, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California would later claim
“No Bar or Foundation funds were used for CAAL creation (AKA CaliforniaALL – by TLR)
See original source HERE
THE MAKE BELIEF LAUNCHING OF SAL
UCI Foundation allegedly used the money it obtained from CaliforniaALL to launch a “Saturday Law Academy. ” According to Professor Sarah Redfield’s CV, between 2008 and 2009 she “launched” CaliforniaALL, participated in RFP, and “launched” the Saturday Academy of Law at U. C. Irvine.
Similarly, CaliforniaALL’s own publication indicates that with CaliforniaALL’s grant funds, U.C. Irvine developed and implemented the Saturday Academy of Law, and that by 2009 CaliforniaALL’s mission was visibly at work through the program. See below.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, as most transactions involving CaliforniaALL, the California Bar Foundation and the State Bar of California, it is imbued with fraud and egregious acts dishonesty and deception.
Specifically, the Saturday Academy of Law has been in existence for many years, and is part of the University of California Irvine’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP), which has many programs to benefit the community, such as “UCI Saturdays with Sciences,” “Saturday Academy in Mathematics,” and the like.
For example, as part of a field trip to law firms, the photo below was taken in 2005 when the UCISAL group visited the law offices of Sheppard Mullin.
In 2007, UCISAL paid a visit to Allen Matkins. (See below.) We have intentionally blurred the photo to maintain the students’ privacy. Seated on the right is Robert Hamilton. On the far right is Karina Hamilton, a former Allen Matkins associate, wife of Robert Hamilton, and Director of UCISAL.
Please double-click on the photo for full view.
In fact, UCI’s own literature gives no credit to CaliforniaALL. (See below.)
Sources with knowledge, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain a red flag has been raised over West due to the overall circumstances surrounding sham non-profit entity CaliforniaALL; Voice of OC; Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”); MoFo’s James Brosnahan of Voice of OC ; MoFo’s Susan Mac Cormac ; California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) ; State Bar of California executive-director Joe Dunn and Martha Escutia of Voice of OC ; Kamala Harris and mentor — John Keker of Keker & Van Nest; Willie Brown’s protégés — State Bar of California Board of Governors member Gwen Moore of Shrimpscam and CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon.
According to the sources, while there is not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, his prior work with Brosnahan as well as the eerie coincidence that those who were involved with CaliforniaALL and Voice of OC were also in support of his conformation in 2009, requires further understanding of event, if only to examine potential conflict of interests should the DOJ ever investigate Voice of OC and/or CaliforniaALL — both entities with very close ties to Morrison & Foerster, and especially partner James Brosnahan.
*THE LESLIE BRODIE REPORT STRONGLY URGES THE READERS TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AND NOT JUMP TO CONCLUSION REGARDING MISCONDUCT BY ANYONE — it should be noted that TLR possesses not even a scintilla of evidence that demonstrating that Mr. Tony West somehow pocketed any money unlawfully or engaged in any other unlawful activities, other than the convenient circumstances described below involving Morrison & Foerster, James Brosnahan, Susan Mac Cormac, State Bar of California Executive Director — Joe Dunn of Voice of OC, Howard Miller and Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese, and the California Bar Foundation which made a hush-hush sub-rosa transfer of $780,000.00 to sham entity CaliforniaALL.
As mentioned previously, YR suspects money was misappropriated and/or laundered through the California Bar Foundation by James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster (who represented El Paso Energy) and others to assist State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn to launch his publication — Voice of OC . See more HERE and HERE and HERE .
A complete list of letters received in support of the nomination of Mr. Tony West of Morrison & Foerster to the position of Assistant Attorney General of the United States of America
*Commentary by TLR in parenthesis
From left, Gwen Moore of GeM Communication (who, according to confidential sources, was known in Sacramento as a “Shakedown Artist”), Howard Rice’s Douglas Winthrop, and CCPF’s Judy Johnson.
Source:
I am a God-loving, Conservative American Patriot that is extremely concerned about the direction this country is moving in. Since Obama took office on January 20, 2009, the America we all once knew has slowly fallen apart.
I am tired of Obama, his administration and the liberal Democrats in Washington not listening to US. I refuse to sit by and watch our God-given American rights being stripped away from it’s citizens.
I am tired of the media, members of Congress and Vice President Joe Biden calling the TEA Party “terrorists”, “racists” or “violent extremists”. They are the farthest thing from what the TEA Party is and what WE stand for. Last time I checked the legal term used for these type of false accusations is called LIBEL. According to LegalDefinition libel is:
An untruthful statement about a person, published in writing or through broadcast media, that injures the person’s reputation or standing in the community.
Because libel is a tort (a civil wrong), the injured person can bring a lawsuit against the person who made the false statement.
Libel is a form of defamation , as is slander (an untruthful statement that is spoken, but not published in writing or broadcast through the media).
I am tired of Obama and many other people in the U.S. government trying to appease Muslims. The United States of America was founded upon the principles of Christianity… nothing else.
I am tired of our military veterans not getting the recognition they deserve. They never hesitated putting their lives on the line when WE needed them… so why would WE ever hesitate helping them when they need US.
I am tired of so many people in America belonging to the “entitlement” class. The only thing that each U.S. citizen is “entitled” to is the right to be FREE. What you do with that freedom is up to you and no one else. Just because you did not work as hard as I did to try and make something of yourself… does not mean that I should have to pay for you to live the easy life.
“]
My grandfather was a retired Lt. Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam and was a helicopter pilot. Sadly, he passed away on January 11, 2000 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. There is a book written by Marion F. Sturkey called “Bonnie Sue: A Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron in Vietnam”. The book includes a couple of stories about my grandfather during his time in Vietnam. It is definitely a must read book. (In my humble opinion)
My grandmother, a military wife, has always been the rock that kept our family together. Of all the people I have known in my life she is the one that inspires me the most. She has shown me that the strength of a woman can carry the world.
To all of my fellow patriots… Keep fighting the good fight, keep the faith, ‘We the People’ will prevail.
Finally, I would like to say something to all military men & women both past & present… THANK YOU FOR MY FREEDOM!!! Words will never be enough to express my undying gratitude to each and every one of you! America is the land of the free BECAUSE of the brave!
GOD bless our troops and may GOD bless America!
Patriotically yours,
Sarah Roman
Please visit @:
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Presently, Brosnahan is under extreme scrutiny in connection with non-profit entity CaliforniaALL for the alleged suspicious activities of laundering money to State Bar of California Executive-Director Joe Dunn’s Voice of OC vis-a vis the California Bar Foundation, see HERE and HERE
Below ( L-R) Mr. David Werdegar of IOA; State Bar of California BOG Member Jeannine English; Mr. Thomas Girardi of embattled Voice of OC; Executive Director of State Bar of California Joe Dunn of embattled Voice of OC; California Supreme Court Associate Justice Hon. Kathryn Werdegar; really special prosecutor in matter of In Re Girardi and controversial judicial aspirant Prof. Rory Little; controversial gambling attorney Howard Dickstein (spouse of Jeannine English and a client of Keker & Van Nest), MoFo’s James Brosnahan of embattled Voice of OC; Keker & Van Nest partner Matthew Werdegar – son of David and Kathryn Werdegar; Keker & Van Nest partner Jan Little (spouse of Rory Little); Keker & Van Nest partner Elliot Peters — attorney for Howard Dickstein; California Democratic Party operative and mentor to Willie Brown’s former paramour — Mr. John Keker; Keker & Van Nest partner, attorney for Howard Dickstein, controversial judicial aspirant, and President of the State Bar of California — Mr. Jon Streeter.
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