« Floral Park's Segregated Halloween Continues | Main | Barbara Coe Compares Obama To Hitler, Castro »
Mike Carona Pulls An OJ During First Week of Corruption Trial
Posted by R. Scott Moxley in Carona Watch, Crime & Sex, Moxley, Politics
November 2, 2008 9:00 AM
Permalink | Comments (18)
Donning a smile and a spiffy dark blue suit and blue shirt (paid for by unknown persons), indicted ex-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona walked into the federal courtroom last week with the gait of a man who still carried a badge, shook hands as if his name will be on an upcoming ballot, and (some things never change) traded over-animated chit chat with a hot blond legal adviser in front of his wife and one of his mistresses.
It was Halloween and Carona came dressed as himself: a frighteningly weak, perverted and corrupt politician who wrecked the lives of numerous women, shattered his former, undeservedly stellar reputation, shamed the nation’s fifth largest sheriff’s department and embarrassed the citizens of the County of Orange. Of course, the most prominent outward feature of the Carona costume mask is a confident smile exuding a fraudulent aw-shucks demeanor.
Even now, after a brutal first week in his federal corruption trial, Carona has done his damnedest to appear confident, sometimes even cocky. In a stinging 81-minute opening statement by prosecutor Brett Sagel, a jury of 11 men and one woman heard a secret FBI surveillance recording of our then-sheriff bragging in a pre-indictment conversation that federal prosecutors only knew about the “Nigger money. It’s literally nigger money . . . All this shit [the grand jury probe] surrounds nigger money.”
In Carona’s parlance, “nigger money” refers to the tiny-sized bribes it took to get black law enforcement officers in Los Angeles to betray the public trust during a past scandal.
Carona’s reaction to the airing of the sound bite? He adopted O.J. Simpson’s courtroom posture. He lifted his chin, threw his head back and to the right and stared with a hint of a contemptuous smile at the Assistant United States Attorney. About once a minute, he blinked so slowly you’d have thought he was reminiscing about his partying with wealthy crooks and loose women.
Sagel and co-federal prosecutor Ken Julian have done a nice job making the case that there are two Caronas. One is a fast-drinking, foul-mouthed con man (touted by yourself truly since 1999) who can’t be trusted with his badge, your wallet or someone else’s wife. The other, the fake one (touted by certain folks at The Orange County Register), is a “Christian conservative” who likes to publicly profess that God runs his daily life and, when people are watching, prays before restaurant meals.
If you’re undecided which portrait is more accurate, consider trial evidence that Carona took a free, secret private jet ride (one of many) to Las Vegas, went to a Bellagio “21” casino table, held the palm of his hand up, took about $7,000 in gambling chips from a shady businessman, lost it all and opened his palm again to receive a new stack of chips.
Classy.
Or that, in hopes of challenging U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Carona accepted an illegal $250,000 campaign contribution in 2002 from a former Florida narcotics trafficker and then bitched angrily that the contributor, Hank Asher, had shortchanged him from a promised secret, illegal $500,000 check.
Classier.
Or that Carona let Debra Hoffman, one of his mistresses, pay 50 percent of the monthly rent for—these are his words secretly captured by FBI surveillance—“a place to fuck.”
Classiest.
One more brief but character revealing story. According to testimony, in 1998 then-candidate Carona ordered a pilot in a plane dragging a massive Carona campaign banner to fly low, annoying circles over the home of his challenger, Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters, during a weekend; and then told the pilot to hide records not just of the flights but who illegally paid more than $15,000 for them.
But the funniest moment so far in the trial (except for the physical comedy provided by defense lawyer Brian A. Sun, whose feet routinely find computer wires to trip over), took place outside the presence of the jury on Friday. It involved evidence I’d revealed in the Weekly two years ago: sexually-loaded birthday cards Carona sent to Lisa Jaramillo, the wife of his top assistant at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. On at least two occasions, the sheriff signed the cards as from him, his wife, his son and “the little sheriff”—his dick.
The jury got to see photocopies of the cards (not the originals, which I possess). It also heard from Jaramillo that Carona wasn’t just sending her risqué cards, sleeping with mistress Hoffman but also sleeping with her sister, Erica Hill, plus organizing the cover-up of how businessman Don Haidl was illegally funding his campaign to be top cop and accepting monthly cash bribes.
Once the jury left the courtroom, defense lawyers Sun and Jeff Rawitz—who portray Carona as “the victim”—demanded a mistrial because they felt the prosecution shouldn’t have been allowed to get all that information to the jury. Sagel and Julian fired back from their perspective. But in the midst of the heated back-in-forth U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford, who eventually overruled the defense, made this inadvertently hilarious statement: “I didn’t hear a motion to strike the little sheriff!’”
Your honor, allow me to say from the bleachers, that it’s been stricken and is now simply little.
— R. Scott Moxley/ OC Weekly
Comments (18)
OC Weekly Flickr Pool
Notifications
Archives
Entertainment
-
Mira Aesthetic Medical Spa, Costa Mesa, CA, Medical Spa
-
Mira Aesthetic Medical Spa, Costa Mesa, CA, Medical Spa
-
3400 Ave of the Arts
-
3400 Ave of the Arts
Now Click This
November 2, 2008 10:46
Thank God for Scott Moxley and the OC Weekly telling the TRUTH about the Carona trial. Compare that with the Register's Frank Mickadeit, who kisses so much GOP ass that he's growing tusks.
November 2, 2008 15:19
Scott, you're being incredibly presumptuous here.
I mean, for pity's sake, how do you know the little sheriff doesn't LIKE being struck?
Also, you say it's stricken yet you give us no indication of what it's been stricken WITH. Are you making further implications regarding the genital tidiness of one or both Debbies?
Okay, I have to stop, I got some of my own bullshit in my eye. Thank you, R. Scott Moxley, for making me laugh at Mike Carona harder than I thought was still possible.
The laughing was harder - not Mike. What with it being struck. Stricken. Striked. Whatever.
November 2, 2008 18:48
Mr. Moxley, another fine article.
Classic comments made by the above posters. Love the "tusks" comment. Hooo! MOXLEY=GOD nailed it on the head.
November 2, 2008 21:01
Major props to you Scott. Not only are you the best investigative reporter in OC, you're also a pretty damn good comedian. I guess we have Carona errr "The Little Sheriff" to thank for that as well as Judge Guilford. Great article.
November 2, 2008 21:05
Mr. Moxley has the talent, ability, intelligence, know-how, instinct, and BALLS to write the truth about this piece of shit of a lowly man. These holier-than-though motherfuckers ultimately get what they deserve. I still remember an incident that happended about 8 years ago in Sacramento when I ran into this asswipe of a then-sherrif. He had boarded a Southwest flight back to OC and you should have seen the faces that he made everytime a fine piece of ass walked down the aisle. Hey, I have no problem admiring beautiful women but when you are a public figure espousing all that is righteous and divine, well, all I can say is that hypocrisy tends to show its true colors. FUCK YOU Carona. FUCK YOU Mrs. Carona. FUCK your genetic pool and FUCK all of you who supported him and continue to do so. You all deserve who you vote for and, America, you are dumbing yourself down to the gutter (Carona, Bush, GOP, religious right, etc).
November 3, 2008 05:08
Ah, but was Carona and "the little sheriff" wearing their Bruno Magli shoes......
November 3, 2008 07:47
I cannot help but wonder why Rackauckas, Michael and Susan Schroeder and the OC Board of Supervisors appear to be escaping charges for their part in aiding and abetting Carona's public corruption acts. Afterall, they all had full knowledge of what was going on... but did anyone hear any type of request for investigation or corrective action?
Carona has obviously committed public corruption crimes BUT he is not the only one here in the OC! When will the others be held accountable in a federal court of law?
November 3, 2008 09:34
I'm not saying That this is True for Mike.
But alot of our Law enforcement people that work hard and have to deal with all the BS that us citizens dish out and they are trying to raise families and help our communities be safe places also.
Some of our laws just put them is situations where they are treated like idiots and they have to play along. No wonder they get grumpy sometimes.
And get in trouble, and cause troube. we can have fun at thier expense, but there is alot of family tragedies happening out here in never never land.
Besides if you haven't notices they carry guns and have fancy little hotels with bars and free meals.
And our procecutors and courts just love juicy bs true or not to make us guys look like dick weebs when we do really care about our women and children.
I'm not defending Mike cause I don't know his personal circumstances, I've just seen a pattern of Rape, robbery and murder and exploitation. Orange County has a bad rep. Worldwide for excessive Use of Propaganda and abuse of power.
lets see, so mike's a red blooded american male who was a manager of people ooo he so handsome and looks good in a uniform.
Plus He must Up hold the law.
I bet those naughty little blonds who like to sleep around just love our boys in uniform.
Besides if anyone causes them any trouble, because they like to be dominate, They just send Big Daddy law enforcement officer over to talk with who ever it is they don't like or want to get rid of and heck well just steal his money along the way.
And then they can always enjoy the little sherriff, Heck if he doesn't want to play we'll taunt him with some of our girl friends and sleep with his buddies and see if we can drive him crazy.
Heck we don't have to even sleep with them, we can say whatever we want and do whatever we want and point at the Man cause we all no the Girls are smarter than boys.
And once we got them by the lower extremities and eye balls. Their our bitches, We just call on the phone and say oooo please help me MR police man, I'll do anything....
That way we can ruin his life, steal his stuff & wife and kids and throw him in jail.
Hey Mr & Ms California girls & boys have you ever done something kind embarressing when it comes to romance and fun between the sexes?
You know like foolin around in a car or having the hots for someone that you later regretted. I'm
tellin on you.
Or are you perfect lttle angels that need to point and scoff at men who have gotten themselves in troube with a woman.
Maybe someone can post the Debs on the internet so we can evaluate how good they really are.
That way we can give then a performance evaluation.
November 3, 2008 11:47
Great work Mr. Moxley !! I can only imagine how much better it will get with testimony from Jorge Jaramillo, Cavalo, and Haidl.
Let me get this straight. The humiliated little sheriff laid down with dogs, but the fleas on him are not his. Great defense, but I guess you get what you pay for...
Ratfuckus is next and he knows it !! He is a nervous little monkey trying to grab more power, but it's too late.
November 3, 2008 16:39
Hopefully, Ratfuckus will be held accountable too! Nailing Carona, without Rackauckas, isn't sweet enough!
November 3, 2008 20:23
Alec's Burnt-Twatzki:
That's a really disgusting image. Why not go for Anagrams? Alexander Brant-Zawadzki offers so many:
"A blazed, rank, axed rant-wiz"
"Ditz, lax and a zebra wanker"
There is so much to choose from that doesn't reference my charred vaginal tissue.
November 3, 2008 21:08
The "little sheriff", aka, Skippy's dick, is gonna get one hell of a workout once he gets to federal prison. Rumor has it that Skippy's new bunkies are anxiously awaiting his arrival. They have lots of fun activities planned for him!
A fitting next phase for the arrogant, repugnant punk that used to be the county's sheriff! Enjoy yourself Skippy!
November 4, 2008 04:11
Moxley deserves a Pulitzer for his true "watchdog" coverage of the public interest.
November 4, 2008 15:29
OC Register reported that "Lisa Jaramillo once told investigators that OCDA Tony Rackauckas got $50,000 in illegal campaign contributions from a Donna Porter."
Any chance Donna Porter is related to Julie Porter, Esq., from the law firm of Stradling Yocca? Julie Porter, Esq. was appointed by Diocese of Orange as a Financial Advisor and was part of the $100 million settlement in December 2004.
Or, is Donna Porter related to a Robert Porter who was involved in OCSC litigation, Case 03CC05814, relating to KBS Realty, Inc.? It was reported that KBS Realty recently defaulted on millions of dollars in loan payments?
Porter is a comon name.....
November 5, 2008 17:10
Thank you Scott for continuing to unmask this piece of shit who pretented to be a law enforcement officer. Real cops with integrity backed Paul Walters in 1998, but Carona had the political machine behind him. What a shame for OC taxpayers. The sooner that bastard lands in the federal pen the better; he embarasses all professional law enforcement officers.
November 6, 2008 12:48
Since the taxpayer's are paying for Carona's defense, the inmates at the Lacy Facility (just one of the facilities as I understand it) are literally being straved. They get a couple of slices of bread and a slice of lunch meat to eat daily, and are told that is 3500 calories and that is all they get. So let Carona pay for his own defense and stop straving the inmates. I am sick to death of others having to absorb Carona, his buddies, whores, etc. expenses. When we do something wrong we have to pay for it along with suffering the consequences - Carona has been strutting his stuff and living the of luxury, because he never has to actually pay for anything. I hope the bastard gets nailed along with the rest of them. However, he should be held in his own jail instead of being out contaminating the public.
By the way have you read his newletter on the OCSD website - one would think he is coming back!!!!
November 6, 2008 12:54
Have you read Mike Carona's newsletter on "OCSD" website? One would think that he is returning to his position of "Sheriff of Orange County" and this is all just a little bump in the road for him. Just a big ole mistake - aw shucks!
Yes, while Mike Carona is enjoying more time in the spotlight - like he really is above the law inmates at the Lacy Facility, and other facilities are straving - I guess that is in tribute to Carona. After all the taxpayer's of OC are footing the bill for him - but the inmates are told that times are lean so they get a sack lunch daily with two slices of bread and a slice of lunch meat. I don't notice Mike Carona looking like he has missed any meals! Put the bastard in his own jail, along with his mistresses and wife and let them enjoy their own hospitality and food.
God how I want to see that bastard hang!
November 6, 2008 16:15
Is this Dennis guy going to be charged with PUBLIC CORRUPTION? And, why hasn't he been charged???? Is this the same Dennis that was mentioned in the FBI report, the Dennis who called Haidl out of the blue in August of 2007?
SOMETHING SMELLS!