Courthouse Vigil Will Call on Sheriff Carona to Repent

Orange County Pastor Wiley Drake announced today that his church will conduct a prayer vigil at the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse beginning Monday at 5 a.m. in hopes of getting indicted Sheriff Mike Carona to "repent" for his sins.

Good luck, Wiley. You're going to need divine intervention.

Drake, the leader of an unconventional Buena Park church, must have some insight into the extent of Carona's mischief because the vigil will last for 5 hours.

In a statement, Drake also said he wants the public to pray for Carona's co-conspirators, their defense lawyers, prosecutors, the Orange County Sheriff's Department and, of course, "all members of the media."

I appreciate the concern.

Federal prosecutors, the FBI, IRS and a federal grand jury publicized their criminal indictment of the self-described Christian conservative sheriff on Halloween. At the center of the allegations is that Carona used his powerful public office as a means to illegally enrich himself, his wife and one of his mistresses. FBI agents also believe Carona--Calamity Mike, if you ask us--routinely subverted justice and honest administration of the $700 million-a-year department with 4,000 employees.

Drake's action will coincide with the morning of Carona's arraignment.

Last year, Drake was one of several folks who resigned from Scott Baugh's Republican Party of Orange County because they believed the sheriff was corrupt and that party hacks were protecting him.

-- R. Scott Moxley / OC Weekly