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One more nail in the Carona coffin

Posted by Janine Kahn in Breaking News, Carona Watch

February 8, 2008 2:37 PM

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The Associated Press reports that the Feds filed a partial transcript in court today with snippets of a wiretapped conversation between former OC Sheriff Mike Carona former assistant sheriff Don Haidl:

In the partial transcript, Haidl and Carona discuss cash and gifts Carona received from Haidl and what they would do if other witnesses testified about them to the grand jury.
They also talked about whether George Jaramillo, another assistant sheriff, witnessed Haidl giving cash to Carona in July 2002, when Haidl's son was arrested, and whether federal prosecutors would be able to trace the money, according to the court documents.

"I don't give a (expletive) if George was in the room, whatever we did, as long as our stories are straight, I'm okay, as long as I know there's no trail anywhere," Haidl told Carona, according to the transcript.

Carona replied, "No trail anywhere," the transcript said.

When Haidl needed further assurance, Carona added, "Period. Period. In fact, not even close to being a trail."

When Carona worried that Jaramillo would testify to the grand jury about Haidl's alleged gifts to Carona, the former sheriff said: "The answer is .... (it) didn't happen. It didn't happen. ... Well, here's the beauty on this one Don, they're not going to get to play both sides against the middle on this," according to the transcript.

Read the whole thing here, and do download a PDF of the transcript.

Comments (1)

Hunch says:
February 8, 2008 17:37

Something tells me that whatever cash payment changed hands in July 2002 may or may not be related to Greg Haidl's arrest.... there were lots of other SENSITIVE issues plaguing the OC Sheriff and the OC District Attorney at the time.

Wasn't this about the same time the OC Sheriff Department's Reserve program went under the microscope and the public began to learn about all those political donors who were automatic members of the OC Sheriff Reserve program? Money for badges.... favors for money.... the good 'ol boy OC Republican GOP network!!!!