A Simple Challenge to Sheriff Carona

Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona--indicted by federal prosecutors for public corruption--claims that surreptitious wires worn by co-conspirator Don Haidl, a former assistant sheriff, prove his innocence.

Indeed, the sheriff's lawyer says that Carona “is so anxious to fight these charges that we have to hold him back.”

If this is true and not just shameless spin, I challenge Carona to do something in his power: play the contents of the tapes in their entirety for the public now.

Show us that FBI agents are liars, as you claim. Show us that you didn't try to get Haidl to perjure himself about bribes you took for years. Show the Orange County Republican Party that your character is pure. Show the Orange County Sheriff's Department that I've been wrong about you all these years.

Or, as I suspect, are you afraid--no, terrified--of what those tapes reveal?

We're waiting. . . .

P.S. We're familiar with your PR playbook, sheriff. Playing select portions of the tapes for a friendly OC Register reporter/columnist won't meet the challenge.

-- R. Scott Moxley / OC Weekly