Comments on: Grief and Politics http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/ street news, views and stories of justice and injustice Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:08:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Celeste Fremon http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-15016 Celeste Fremon Mon, 19 May 2008 08:57:21 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-15016 Thanks for the rundown and the link, WBC. It sounds pretty interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks for the rundown and the link, WBC. It sounds pretty interesting. I’ll check it out.

]]> By: WBC http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-15006 WBC Mon, 19 May 2008 06:38:53 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-15006 Just saw a 2-part program tonight on "Full Disclosure," local city Ch. 36, hosted by Leslie Dutton, a nice little older lady who hardly looks like a major threat, except apparently to the subject of the show, DA Steve Cooley, who allegedly sent two of his inspector goons to intimidate her from filming the recent Gang Summit hosted by LAPD, the Mayor's office, etc. Tonight's series interviewed Cooley's 2 main challengers, Asst. DA Steve Ipsen, Pres. of the Assn. of Asst. D A's (sounds very credible_ and non-attorney Alberto Robles. They're both in agreement on the main points about Cooley, and paint a pretty scary picture of him running his dept. "like in a Third World country," says Robles, with fear and intimidation. Ipsen confirms that he won't use his hundreds of inspectors to go after controversial criminals, or to ID illegal gangbangers in the jails as he easily could, but instead, sends them to investigate, intimidate and harass his own DA's. Ipsen says Cooley won't touch the issue of illegal criminals, since he never touches anything remotely controversial, confirms what Shaw, Sr. is saying about his trying to intimidate him to back off the Jamiel's Law thing. Ipsen and Robles agree that our gang problems will only become worse if he gets another 4 years. (He's allegedly seeking a third term just for ego, to be "the only one" who's managed it.) He had accused Garcetti of corruption, and incompetence, saying if he hadn't accomplished what he needed to in two terms, he never would; yet Cooley claims he wants another term because he "has unfinished business." Cooley's main contributors are the criminal lawyers who go up against his own staff, which explains why he won't finish the job of nailing the officials in Bell, Cudahy, etc. who are in the pay of MExican drug cartels -- and are repped by his friends and supporters the top criminal lawyers. Ditto with the pedophile priests and Belmont toxic school issue. (The article about Cooley in the Times today quotes him saying that these things were terrible but not illegal, but Ipsen disagrees and says it's his policy.) Cooley has refused to prosecute environmental crimes, or any big companies involved -- has in fact taken the teeth out of enviro laws whenever possible. Ditto with recycling fraud, which costs the county many millions: when one of his crack DA's was going after one perpetrator, Cooley took her off the case, and she's now continuing her job for the feds. He removes any DA from any job if they get too close to anyone remotely politically connected, rich or powerful. He demanded a raise at this critical budget time (but not for his relatively low-paid attorneys) out of sheer vanity, to be the highest paid public prosecutor outside of the Atty General. Allegedly this was granted because he has an understanding with the Supes that he won't investigate them and v.v. (Isn't it curious that the City Council officials and Mayor have come under so much micro-scrutiny by the media, too, but the Supes NOT at all, even though they have 3X the budget, failing hospitals and jails, pretty much everything they'r in charge of -- yet Fujioka (who just got a huge raise, too) and Cooley say everything's just great?) Ipsen alleges Cooley uses his inspectors and DA's as drivers and bodyguards to he can party and drink as he pleases, and generally regards them as personal staff. www.fulldisclosure.net Just saw a 2-part program tonight on “Full Disclosure,” local city Ch. 36, hosted by Leslie Dutton, a nice little older lady who hardly looks like a major threat, except apparently to the subject of the show, DA Steve Cooley, who allegedly sent two of his inspector goons to intimidate her from filming the recent Gang Summit hosted by LAPD, the Mayor’s office, etc.

Tonight’s series interviewed Cooley’s 2 main challengers, Asst. DA Steve Ipsen, Pres. of the Assn. of Asst. D A’s (sounds very credible_ and non-attorney Alberto Robles. They’re both in agreement on the main points about Cooley, and paint a pretty scary picture of him running his dept. “like in a Third World country,” says Robles, with fear and intimidation. Ipsen confirms that he won’t use his hundreds of inspectors to go after controversial criminals, or to ID illegal gangbangers in the jails as he easily could, but instead, sends them to investigate, intimidate and harass his own DA’s. Ipsen says Cooley won’t touch the issue of illegal criminals, since he never touches anything remotely controversial, confirms what Shaw, Sr. is saying about his trying to intimidate him to back off the Jamiel’s Law thing.

Ipsen and Robles agree that our gang problems will only become worse if he gets another 4 years. (He’s allegedly seeking a third term just for ego, to be “the only one” who’s managed it.) He had accused Garcetti of corruption, and incompetence, saying if he hadn’t accomplished what he needed to in two terms, he never would; yet Cooley claims he wants another term because he “has unfinished business.”

Cooley’s main contributors are the criminal lawyers who go up against his own staff, which explains why he won’t finish the job of nailing the officials in Bell, Cudahy, etc. who are in the pay of MExican drug cartels — and are repped by his friends and supporters the top criminal lawyers. Ditto with the pedophile priests and Belmont toxic school issue. (The article about Cooley in the Times today quotes him saying that these things were terrible but not illegal, but Ipsen disagrees and says it’s his policy.)

Cooley has refused to prosecute environmental crimes, or any big companies involved — has in fact taken the teeth out of enviro laws whenever possible. Ditto with recycling fraud, which costs the county many millions: when one of his crack DA’s was going after one perpetrator, Cooley took her off the case, and she’s now continuing her job for the feds. He removes any DA from any job if they get too close to anyone remotely politically connected, rich or powerful.

He demanded a raise at this critical budget time (but not for his relatively low-paid attorneys) out of sheer vanity, to be the highest paid public prosecutor outside of the Atty General. Allegedly this was granted because he has an understanding with the Supes that he won’t investigate them and v.v. (Isn’t it curious that the City Council officials and Mayor have come under so much micro-scrutiny by the media, too, but the Supes NOT at all, even though they have 3X the budget, failing hospitals and jails, pretty much everything they’r in charge of — yet Fujioka (who just got a huge raise, too) and Cooley say everything’s just great?)

Ipsen alleges Cooley uses his inspectors and DA’s as drivers and bodyguards to he can party and drink as he pleases, and generally regards them as personal staff.

http://www.fulldisclosure.net

]]> By: Woody http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14701 Woody Fri, 16 May 2008 17:48:40 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14701 If enforcement was a priority, we wouldn't have 20 million illegals in our nation. If enforcement was a priority, we wouldn’t have 20 million illegals in our nation.

]]> By: Celeste Fremon http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14695 Celeste Fremon Fri, 16 May 2008 16:23:57 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14695 Woody, I actually agree with you. I'm not sure we'd agree on the root problem, but I do agree that dealing with symptoms gets us nowhere, which has been our MO and, as with the war on drugs, we have 8 times as many gangs---by anyone's estimation, what we've been doing, which has been almost exclusively enforcement, has been a collossal failure by anybody's standards.. Woody, I actually agree with you. I’m not sure we’d agree on the root problem, but I do agree that dealing with symptoms gets us nowhere, which has been our MO and, as with the war on drugs, we have 8 times as many gangs—by anyone’s estimation, what we’ve been doing, which has been almost exclusively enforcement, has been a collossal failure by anybody’s standards..

]]> By: Woody http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14684 Woody Fri, 16 May 2008 14:20:34 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14684 Just keep dealing with the consequences rather than the root problem. It's like treating someone with the smallpox disease rather than giving the vaccination to keep it from forming. Political correctness has overtaken common sense. Just keep dealing with the consequences rather than the root problem. It’s like treating someone with the smallpox disease rather than giving the vaccination to keep it from forming. Political correctness has overtaken common sense.

]]> By: Celeste Fremon http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14671 Celeste Fremon Fri, 16 May 2008 06:18:50 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14671 WBC...You know I worried about that headline, but I liked Connie's quote, so I put it in. Nevertheless, I think you're right, it gave the wrong message on first bounce. Not what I intended. As you can see, I changed it. WBC…You know I worried about that headline, but I liked Connie’s quote, so I put it in. Nevertheless, I think you’re right, it gave the wrong message on first bounce. Not what I intended. As you can see, I changed it.

]]> By: star http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14664 star Fri, 16 May 2008 05:42:11 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14664 Dad's T-shirt sure looks really RED to me....almost seems that Red was the color of choice at the funeral...kinda looks like something you would see on a Blood gangmember. Dad’s T-shirt sure looks really RED to me….almost seems that Red was the color of choice at the funeral…kinda looks like something you would see on a Blood gangmember.

]]> By: WBC http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14662 WBC Fri, 16 May 2008 05:28:35 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14662 I see you've quoted Connie Rice, but using it this way in the headline featuring Shaw is out of context and leads to the above interp. As for Sergio Diaz, he sounds like he's living in some fantasy utopia that bears no relationship whatsoever to the realities in this city, as they exist from middle school on up. Not just at places like Markham and Locke and Jefferson etc. etc., but even -- somewhat less violently but very tangibly and overtly -- at Emerson Middle in the heart of Westwood. Diaz's sort of refusal to address reality is just the opposite of what's needed. If only we could clone Dep. Chief Michel Moore from the Valley and bring him where he's needed most. I see you’ve quoted Connie Rice, but using it this way in the headline featuring Shaw is out of context and leads to the above interp. As for Sergio Diaz, he sounds like he’s living in some fantasy utopia that bears no relationship whatsoever to the realities in this city, as they exist from middle school on up. Not just at places like Markham and Locke and Jefferson etc. etc., but even — somewhat less violently but very tangibly and overtly — at Emerson Middle in the heart of Westwood. Diaz’s sort of refusal to address reality is just the opposite of what’s needed. If only we could clone Dep. Chief Michel Moore from the Valley and bring him where he’s needed most.

]]> By: WBC http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-14661 WBC Fri, 16 May 2008 05:19:52 +0000 http://witnessla.com/gangs/2008/admin/grief-and-the-desire-to-strike-out-at-the-other/#comment-14661 What an unfair headline, I don't even want to read the rest right now, too p o'd. Shaw isn't "striking out at the 'other,'" but at a vicious illegal alien gangmember who killed his son for no other apparent reason than gang identity, ordered to make a hit on someone who looked like they might be a member of the rival gang. To twist the headline to make him just sound prejudiced is... beyond the pale. What an unfair headline, I don’t even want to read the rest right now, too p o’d. Shaw isn’t “striking out at the ‘other,’” but at a vicious illegal alien gangmember who killed his son for no other apparent reason than gang identity, ordered to make a hit on someone who looked like they might be a member of the rival gang. To twist the headline to make him just sound prejudiced is… beyond the pale.

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