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Breaking News: Sordid John Burton — California Democrat Party Chairman — Compares Paul Ryan, GOP to Nazis

The chairman of the California Democratic Party reportedly compared Paul Ryan and the Republicans today to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, John Burton made these remarks about the GOP vice presidential nominee before the California delegation met for breakfast this morning at the Democratic National Convention:

“They lie and they don’t care if people think they lie. …Joseph Goebbels it’s the big lie, you keep repeating it,” Burton said Monday before the Blake Hotel breakfast. He said Ryan told “a bold-faced lie and he doesn’t care that it was a lie. That was Goebbels, the big lie.”

Please continue @:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/09/democrat-john-bu…

    • #California Democratic Party
    • #California Democratic Party Chairman
    • #John Burton
    • #Paul Ryan
  • 8 months ago
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Michael Shames,San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff McDonald,San Diego Reader’s Don Bauder,UCAN’s Kim Malcolm Hereby Asked to Opine on “California Emerging Technology Fund’s Sunne McPeak $350,000.00 Salary

Michael Shames,San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff McDonald,San Diego Reader’s Don Bauder,UCAN’s Kim Malcolm Hereby Asked to Opine on “California Emerging Technology Fund’s Sunne McPeak $350,000.00 Salary.

As mentioned recently, excessive compensation paid to executives at the San Francisco-based California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) sparked an outcry as well as accusations of cronyism and mismanagement.

“At a time when folks across California are struggling to make ends meet, I think CEO Sunne Wright McPeak annual salary of $350,000.00 sends a terrible message,” a source seeking anonymity stated.

Sunne Wright McPeak is the Action Fund chairwoman for California Forward. She will speak Tuesday, Jan. 10, in downtown Davis. Courtesy photo
Sunne Wright McPeak, CEO and President of California Emerging Technology Fund (image: courtesy)

“There is a certain level of disconnect and attitude of business as usual on the part of CETF directors Michael Peevey, Martha Escutia, Jeff Campbell, and Sam Overton to authorize such salary for the CEO of an entity which, for the most part, absorbs questionable money from utility companies to only forward the money to the same old familiar entities say, for example, the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce and Little Tokyo Service Center,” the source continued.

According to its web site, the California Emerging Technology Fund (“CETF”) has been established as a non-profit corporation pursuant to orders from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in approving the mergers of SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI in 2005. As a condition of approval of the mergers, AT&T and Verizon are required to contribute to CETF a total of $60 million over 5 years for the purpose of achieving ubiquitous access to broadband and advanced services in California, particularly in underserved communities, through the use of emerging technologies by 2010. AT&T will contribute $9 million per year and Verizon will contribute $3 million per year. The CPUC also directed that at least $5 million should be used for telemedicine projects.

“With all due respect, as someone who lives in Sacramento region and who is ubiquitously disastisfied with AT&T U-Verse, I wonder how my access to broadband differs from that of Asian-Americans who live in the region to justify the movments of money from CETF to the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce,” the source concluded.

For more about CETF, please visit:

http://www.cetfund.org

    • #California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF)
    • #California Public Utilities Commission
    • #CPUC
    • #Don Bauder
    • #Kim Malcolm
    • #Martha Escutia
    • #Michael Peevey
    • #Michael Shames
    • #San Diego Reader
    • #San Diego Union-Tribune's Jeff McDonald
    • #Sunne Wright McPeak
    • #UCAN
  • 8 months ago
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Orly Taitz Hereby Asked to Opine — Jeff Bleich on Birthers; Director of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Accused of Graft As Justice Ming Chin Urged to Resign; Lorna Brown Faces New Allegations

Jeff Bleich: ‘ridiculous’ to try to contain China, and about those birthers…

Jeffrey Bleich is concerned about the internet. Not concerned in the traditional, the-internet-is-the-end-of-the-world way — he is confident that eventually our media landscape will be able to meet the needs of the “much more sophisticated consumers” it is producing — but about what will happen along the way. He sees similar challenges for the media and for diplomats …

Please continue @:

http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/08/30/bleich-ridiculous-to-try-to-contain-china…

++++++++++

As the wide network of Asian Pacific Islanders (“API”) operatives allegedly involved in myriad financial schemes on behalf of utility companies and their law firms continue to grow, a new wrinkle was recently added as California Supreme Court Associate Justice Ming W. Chin’s tenure has been shaken by revelations of alleged bribery by Edison International (“EIX”), Southern California Edison (“SCE”), and the law firm which represents them — Munger Tolles & Olson (“MTO”).

A source familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintain that “overwhelming and undisputed” evidence shows that for a period of several years, both SCE and MTO poured large amounts of money into a questionable non-profit entity for which Justice Chin served as an official adviser, albeit secretly so.

  Ronald L. Olson of Munger Tolles & OlsonHolly Fujie, Buchalter Nemer, State Bar of California Judy Johnson - CopyLeslie Hatamiya  Ruthe Ashley   

From Left, Ron Olson, Holly Fujie, Judy Johnson, Leslie Hatamiya, and Ruthe Ashley. Olson, a director of both Edison International and Berkshire Hathaway, is presently under extreme scrutiny in connection with various financial schemes in seeking to corrupt public officials on behalf of himself, his firm, and his clients. In doing so, Olson often resorts to the use of API and AA  (image:courtesy photo)

The non-profit at issue is Pasadena-based Center for Asian-American United for Self Empowerment (“CAUSE”), which allegedly spends the money it collects for the purpose of voter-registration of API, as well as to lobby for furthering the appointments of APIs to various governmental positions.

While Justice Chin’s clandestine involvement with CAUSE began in approximately 2004, the source maintain the inquiry is focused on the years prior to the recent election by which Justice Chin was up for re-election, and during the time period one alleged wrongdoer - API Fred Rowley of MTO - served as the middleman and conduit of bribes in his capacity as director of CAUSE.

This, according to the source, creates not only the appearance of improprieties but actual misconduct as bestowing anything of value on a judicial officer by SEC and MTO to sponsor an entity which will register as many as APIs as possible who would, in turn, vote for the retention of Chin in the upcoming election, is prohibited.

As mentioned earlier, Justice Chin abruptly quit CAUSE in the midst of an inquiry by the California Commission on Judicial Performance subsequent to a complaint which alleged that Chin’s long-standing involvement with the entity — which caters exclusively to APIs — is prohibitive due to CAUSE’s invidious discrimination against those who are non-API. At that time, those were the only allegations lodged, and no mention was made of alleged improprieties by EIX, SCE, or MTO.

Following his abrupt departure, it is alleged that Justice Chin conspired with Fred Rowley, MTO, SCE, and others to defraud and mislead the California Commission on Judicial Performance as well as the public by creating the false impression that he was not an official adviser by causing the retroactive removal of his name from CAUSE’s web-site.

The reckless pursuit of easy money originating from utility companies by a handful of public servants who suppose to serve the public — rather than enrich themselves or their own racial groups — is slowly but surely destroying the reputation of California’s judicial branch and I call upon Justice Chin to resign, the source concluded.

This latest revelation brought to four the number of sham non-profit entities created at the urging of the California Public Utilities Commission which absorbed money from utility companies under highly suspicious circumstances, to wit, CaliforniaALL, CCPF, CAUSE, and CETF.

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Lorna Brown Yusef Bey IV lawyer Aug 28
Lorna Brown Yusef Bey IV lawyer

The State Bar of California has filed new disciplinary charges against the former lawyer for former Your Black Muslim Bakery leader Yusuf Bey IV which allege that she illegally smuggled documents out of his jail cell.

The State Bar, in charges filed on Thursday, accuses Lorna Brown, 66, of Berkeley, of failure to comply with laws for allegedly smuggling documents without the permission of jail officials and of moral turpitude by allegedly lying to investigators and concealing the documents

Please continue @:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/attorney-faces-new-allegations-she-smuggled-bey…

    • #Berkshire Hathaway
    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF)
    • #cause
    • #ccpf
    • #Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment
    • #edison
    • #Fred A. Rowley
    • #Fred Rowley
    • #Holly Fujie
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Judy Johnson
    • #Justice Ming Chin
    • #Leslie Hatamiya
    • #Lorna Patton Brown
    • #Ming Chin
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #orly taitz
    • #Ron Olson
    • #Southern California Edison
    • #Warren Buffett
  • 8 months ago
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California Emerging Technology Fund Executive Compensation Sparks Outcry as Scrutiny Looms

Excessive compensation paid to executives at the San Francisco-based California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) sparked an outcry as well as accusations of cronyism and mismanagement.

“At a time when folks across California are struggling to make ends meet, I think CEO Sunne Wright McPeak annual salary of $350,000.00 sends a terrible message,” a source seeking anonymity stated.

Sunne Wright McPeak is the Action Fund chairwoman for California Forward. She will speak Tuesday, Jan. 10, in downtown Davis. Courtesy photo
Sunne Wright McPeak, CEO and President of California Emerging Technology Fund (image: courtesy)

“There is a certain level of disconnect and attitude of business as usual on the part of CETF directors Michael Peevey, Martha Escutia, Jeff Campbell, and Sam Overton to authorize such salary for the CEO of an entity which, for the most part, absorbs questionable money from utility companies to only forward the money to the same old familiar entities say, for example, the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce and Little Tokyo Service Center,” the source continued.

According to its web site, the California Emerging Technology Fund (“CETF”) has been established as a non-profit corporation pursuant to orders from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in approving the mergers of SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI in 2005. As a condition of approval of the mergers, AT&T and Verizon are required to contribute to CETF a total of $60 million over 5 years for the purpose of achieving ubiquitous access to broadband and advanced services in California, particularly in underserved communities, through the use of emerging technologies by 2010. AT&T will contribute $9 million per year and Verizon will contribute $3 million per year. The CPUC also directed that at least $5 million should be used for telemedicine projects.

“With all due respect, as someone who lives in Sacramento region and who is ubiquitously disastisfied with AT&T U-Verse, I wonder how my access to broadband differs from that of Asian-Americans who live in the region to justify the movments of money from CETF to the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce,” the source concluded.

For more about CETF, please visit:

http://www.cetfund.org

 

    • #AT&T U-Verse
    • #California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF)
    • #California Public Utilities Commission
    • #CPUC
    • #HENRY WEISSMANN
    • #Little Tokyo Service Center
    • #Martha Escutia
    • #Michael Peevey
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Ron Olson
    • #Sam Overton
    • #Sunne Wright McPeak
    • #verizon
  • 8 months ago
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Keker & Van Nest’s John Keker On Roger Forbes: “why this girlie club guy is going to try to take away a San Francisco institution”; John Keker on Client Jeannette Etheredge: “Everybody knows she’s a pain in the ass”

Photo credit: Andy/Ho Hokus on flickr

Tosca Cafe, the North Beach hangout where Caruso croons on the jukebox, Francis Ford Coppola drinks in the back room and red vinyl booths haven’t gone out of style, may be evicted.

Eight years short of its 100th anniversary, the iconic watering hole on Columbus is engaged in a rent dispute that could close the doors. Attorney John Keker, who is representing Tosca owner Jeannette Etheredge, says the landlord, strip club owner Roger Forbes, is playing hardball.

Please continue @:

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/North-Beach-hangout-may-be-strip…

AND @:

http://sfist.com/2012/08/22/legendary_tosca_cafe_facing_possibl.php#photo-1

    • #Keker & Van Nest
    • #Jeannette Etheredge
    • #John Keker
    • #Roger Forbes
    • #Tosca Cafe
  • 8 months ago
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Craig Martin - Black Attorney Challenges California Bar, Lucy Armendariz (TLR Note: Per Sources, CM Also Retaliated For Suing Bank of America. Examines BoA, MTO, Bet Tzedek, Burkle, Villaraigosa - Armendariz ; Prediction - J. Fletcher Dismisses Appeal

Craig K. Martin

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Craig K. Martin, a San Francisco attorney, today filed a 50-page Opening Brief in federal court appealing the dismissal of his discrimination lawsuit filed against the State Bar of California and Judge Lucy Armendariz.

Martin, an African American who successfully practiced law for 33 years and was disbarred, alleges that exculpatory evidence was withheld by the State Bar during his trial in which he was charged with and found negligent of professional misconduct and subsequently disbarred in January 2010, with only 3 days’ notice.

Martin alleges that the State Bar and Judge Armendariz knowingly and willfully withheld exculpatory documents that prove another attorney was liable for his client’s substantial loss in a probate matter, for which Martin was charged with misconduct and subsequently disbarred.

According to a “Personal and Confidential” letter that was made public and discovered by Martin, the State Bar after a three-year investigation, found no evidence of misconduct by the other attorney who is Caucasian, and closed the matter.

However, the Probate Judge in the case found a litany of violations, fraud and professional misconduct committed by the Caucasian attorney over a period of 15 years, which substantiates Martin’s claims.

Please continue @:

http://tricountysentry.com/blog/african-american-attorney-challenges-state-ba…

Related stories, please see @:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/09/21/state-bar-of-california-california-…

AND @:

lesliebrodie.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/sources-disappointment-in-joseph-zernik-of-human-rights-alert-ngo-in-re-berkshire-hathaway-charlie-munger-sustain-daily-journal-bank-of-america-wells-fargo-bank-state-bar-of-california-be/

 

    • #Bank of America
    • #Berkshire Hathaway
    • #Antonio Villaraigosa
    • #Bet Tzedek
    • #Craig K. Martin
    • #Lucy Armendariz
    • #Maria Lucy Armanderiz
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Ninth Circuit
    • #State Bar of California
    • #William Fletcher
  • 8 months ago
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Complaint Against Edison International, Southern California Edison, Edison International Foundation Submitted to Internal Revenue Service

As public service to the community, staff members of The Leslie Report shall publish a copy of a complaint YR submitted to the IRS, below:

August 31, 2012

Internal Revenue Service
Exempt Organizations Unit
1100 Commerce St.
Dallas, TX 75242-1198

Re:  A referral for noncompliance with tax laws against exempt organizations Edison International Foundation EIN:95-4383002; Southern California Edison Co Veba Represented Trust Ein: 95-4372790; Southern California Edison Co Veba Non Represented Trust EIN: 95-4372792
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:

In lieu of using IRS Form 13909 (Tax-Exempt Organization Referral Form), please consider this communication a formal complaint (referral) against Rosemead, California-based Edison International , Southern California Edison; Edison International Foundation EIN:95-4383002; Southern California Edison Co Veba Represented Trust Ein: 95-4372790; Southern California Edison Co Veba Non Represented Trust EIN: 95-4372792. On August 22, 2012  Edison International (“EIX”) and  Southern California Edison (“SCE” — collectively, “Edison”) were duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023.  (See Exhibit 1.)

Specifically, the request stated in part: “Please consider this communication a formal request to SCE and EIX (including, but not limited to, all subsidiaries and foundations owned and maintained by SCE/EIX)  to produce their IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, as well  Form 1023. ” In a letter dated August 30, 2012 (see attachment), Edison (through their senior attorney Allan D. Johnson) informed me that they will not comply with the request.  Edison wrote:  “EIX and SCE are unaware of any authority that would obligate them to produce these documents to you.”  Furthermore, Edison also wrote: “Neither EIX nor SCE plan to take any  further action in response to your request.”

In view of Edison’s anticipatory failure to comply, the undersigned reluctantly makes this referral. 
INTRODUCTION:

Close to one year ago, I fortuitously stumbled upon unusually large and highly peculiar financial transactions in conjunction with what appeared to me to be clear attempts to conceal and mislead involving the California Bar Foundation, CaliforniaALL, as well as utility companies Southern California Edison, PG&E, AT&T, Sempra, and Verizon.In my opinion, and based on the information I’ve discovered, it appears that funds were misappropriated and/or laundered through the misuse of non-profit entities  California Bar Foundation and CaliforniaALL.   Although other potential explanations certainly exist, based on these individuals’ involvement in the “OBAMA FOR AMERICA” 2008 presidential campaign, one likely possibility is that funds originating from utility companies were unlawfully misdirected to that campaign by representatives of those utility companies (i.e.  Edison International, Southern California Edison) who supported then Senator Barack Obama in hope he would expand the Smart-Grid and clean energy initiatives.


INTRODUCTION OF ACTORS:1. AMBASSADOR JEFFREY BLEICH — Mr. Bleich served as a director with the Foundation in approximately 2007-2008, as well as president of the State Bar of California.

In 2007, Mr. Bleich established “OBAMA FOR AMERICA” National Finance Committee and served as its Chair.He is a personal friend of President Obama, who served as President Obama’s personal attorney and subsequently was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Australia. Prior to joining the Obama administration, Mr. Bleich was a partner with the San Francisco office of Munger Tolles & Olson, which represents clients Edison International, Southern California Edison, and Verizon Wireless.

Out of close to 230,000 lawyers in California, also serving as a director with the California Bar Foundation in approximately 2007-2008 was another attorney from Munger Tulles Olsen, Mr. Bradley Phillips. Presently, Ms. Mary Ann Todd (also of Munger Tolles & Olson) and Richard Tom of Southern California Edison are directors with the California Bar Foundation.2. DEREK ANTHONY WEST OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE — Mr. West, who goes by the name “Tony West,” presently serves as third in command within the Department of Justice below Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer.

Around 2007-2008, Mr. Tony West also served as Chair of the “California Finance Committee” of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA.”Prior to joining the DOJ, Mr. West was a partner at the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster, the law firm which assisted with the legal aspects of creating CaliforniaALL.

Along with attorneys Raj Chaterjee and Susan Mac Cormac, Mr. West was part of senior partner James Brosnahan’s clique. For example, it was Brosnahan, West, and Chaterjee who defended John Walker Lindh, who is more widely known as the “American Taliban.” (It should be noted that it was actually Mr. Brosnahan who initially agreed to the representation since he knows Lindh’s father — Frank Lindh — who served as in-house Chief Legal Counsel at PG&E; Mr. Lindh is presently the Chief Legal Counsel of the CPUC.)Mr. West is married to Maya Harris, sister of Kamala Harris, who was part of CaliforniaALL.


3. STEVEN CHURCHWELL OF DLA PIPER — Mr. Churchwell is a partner at the Sacramento office of DLA Piper, where non-profit CaliforniaALL was housed free of charge.  Churchwell served as Treasurer, draft committee of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA” — also housed at the Sacramento offices of DLA Piper, adjacent to its roommate — CaliforniaALL.DLA Piper represents client Sempra Energy which owns San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).


4. RON OLSON OF MUNGER TOLLES & OLSON — Mr. Olson is a partner with the Los Angeles office of Munger Tolles & Olson, which represents clients Edison International, Southern California Edison, and Verizon Wireless.   In addition to representing Edison, Olson  is also a board member of Edison International and Southern California Edison, as well as the board of Berkshire Hathaway, City National Corporation, The Washington Post Company, Western Asset Trusts, RAND Corporation, the Mayo Clinic, and the Council of Foreign Relations.As of 2008, in-house general counsel for Edison International and Southern California Edison is Mr. Robert Adler — former managing partner of Munger Tolles & Olson.

Around 2007-2008, Ron Olson was also part of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA.” 
5. JAMES J. BROSNAHAN OF MORRISON & FOERSTER - Mr. Brosnahan is presently a senior partner at the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster.

He considers himself to be the “mastermind behind the Democratic Party.” CaliforniaALL was created by Morrison & Foerster, under the supervision of Mr. Brosnahan (known as the prosecutor of Caspar Weinberger). Specifically Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate assisted with the legal aspects of creating the entity. Mr. Brosnahan represented utility companies during California’s energy crisis (which Joe Dunn, Martha Escutia, and Geoffrey Brown were investigating) opposite Thomas Girardi.Later, Dunn, Escutia, Brosnahan, and Girardi launched the online publication known as Voice of OC.

6. CHRISTOPHER JACOB YOUNG OF KEKER & VAN NEST — Mr. Young, commonly known as “Chris Young,” is currently listed on the State Bar of California’s database as an associate with Keker & Van Nest. Around 2007-2008, Mr. Young was an associate at Morrison & Foerster.Around 2007-2008, Mr. Young served as “Northern California Deputy Finance Director” for “OBAMA FOR AMERICA.”

As noted above, State Bar of California records still show that Chris Young is an employee of Keker & Van Nest. However, very recently, Keker & Van Nest ( at the direction of partners John Keker and Jon Streeter, who also worked on the 2008 campaign as a “bundler” and is presently a director with the Foundation) abruptly removed Chris Young’s name from its web-site.7. ANNETTE CARNEGIE — Ms. Carnegie is presently employed at the Kaiser Foundation. Around 2007-2008, she was a partner at Morrison & Foerster and served as a director of the California Bar Foundation. In 2008, the Foundation poured into CaliforniaALL the large sum of $774,247; by comparison, most other donations were around $10,000 to $20,000. As shown below, the transfer of said money appears to be imbued with fraud and secrecy, especially in connection with four utility companies (Verizon, PG&E, Edison, and AT&T).

8. KAMALA HARRIS — In around 2007-2008, Ms. Harris served as the District Attorney in San Francisco while at the same time she was also Co-Chair of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA.” Ms. Harris was part of CaliforniaALL’s “Advisory Council.” She is the sister of Maya Harris, who is married to Tony West. Media reports provide that parliamentarian Willie Brown served as mentor to both Tony West and Kamala Harris, and was Ms. Harris’s paramour. John Keker of Keker & Van Nest (known as the prosecutor of Oliver North) is also considered to be a “mentor” of Kamala Harris. (Incidentally, State Bar of California Board of Governor member Gwen Moore — also a “mentee” of Willie Brown — was honored by CaliforniaALL at a lavish dinner in a Sacramento hotel. Parliamentarian Moore is no stranger to your agency, having been the target of a sting operation known as Shrimpscam.)9. OPHELIA BASGAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (“HUD”) — In around 2007-2008 , Ms. Basgal was Vice President of Civic Partnership and Community Initiatives at PG&E, where she managed the company’s $18 million charitable contributions program, and oversaw its community engagement programs and partnerships with community-based organizations. Separately, around that time she surprisingly served as “Treasurer” with the “California Supreme Court Historical Society.” In that role, she presumably had contact with many judges, including those who were handling matters dealing with PG&E, such as Justice (Ret.) Joseph Grodin who acted as the mediator in a case Attorney General Bill Lockyer advanced against PG&E, which Jerry Brown (cousin of Geoffrey Brown) later dismissed in his capacity as the new Attorney General for California.

Ms. Basgal served as a director of CaliforniaALL.10. VICTOR MIRMAONTES — Mr. Victor Miramontes, a resident of San Antonio, TX and business partner of former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros in an entity known as CityView, was the chairman of CaliforniaALL.

Mr. Miramontes has various connections to Orange County, and is otherwise familiar with its various legal circles.11. SARAH E. REDFIELD — Ms. Redfield is presently a professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, and served as the interim director of CaliforniaALL. Events surrounding Redfield, as shown below, also appear to be imbued with fraud and deceit, and it appears her role was to create a subterfuge to justify the existence of CaliforniaALL. Since CaliforniaALL’s main achievement was the purported creation of a “Saturday Academy of Law” at UC Irvine (“SALUCI”), Ms. Redfield pretended to have engaged in Requests for Proposals (“RFP”), as well as falsely claiming that she “launched” SALUCI. For her services as interim executive director and an alleged consultant of CaliforniaALL, Professor Redfield was paid approximately $160,000 as an “independent contractor.” She gave very little, if anything, in return for the $160,000 she was paid. In fact, she took credit for the extremely hard work of others, especially that of Rob Vacario of Santa Ana who co-founded SALUCI several years earlier.

12. JUDY JOHNSON – Ms. Johnson is the former Executive Director of the State Bar of California. Ms. Johnson (along with Robert Hawley and Starr Babcock) is no stranger to financial schemes. For the past 8 years, she has been quietly serving as the president of an entity with a misleading name (California Consumer Protection Foundation AKA “CCPF”). This entity absorbed close to $30 million in class action cy pres awards, as well as fines and settlements imposed by the CPUC on utility companies. CCPF forwarded those funds to mostly questionable ACORN-like entities in South Los Angeles or to an entity headed by Michael Shames known as UCAN — presently under federal grand jury investigation in San Diego. It appears that Ms. Johnson used her position as executive director of the State Bar of California (which is supposed to supervise and discipline lawyers) as “clout” to obtain cy pres awards from the settlement of class actions prosecuted and defended by various law firms in courts and before the CPUC. In addition, while never prosecuted for the scheme, some have speculated that Johnson and cohorts Hawley (whom Johnson labeled the “Wizard of OZ”) and Babcock were “in” on a financial scheme perpetrated by former State Bar employee Sharon Pearl, who was lightly prosecuted by then-attorney general Jerry Brown, cousin of Geoffrey Brown.Ms. Johnson was part of CaliforniaALL’s Advisory Council and was responsible for maintaining secrecy over the project by misleading the public, including a quadriplegic law-student, litigant Sara Granda.

13. RUTHE CATOLICO ASHLEY — Ms. Ashley is a former employee of McGeorge School of Law who later served as a “Diversity Officer” at Cal PERS. Ms. Ashley also served as member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors alongside Mr. Bleich, and came up with the idea to create CaliforniaALL during a meeting with Sarah Redfield and Peter Arth, Jr. (the assistant to CPUC President Michael Peevey). After CaliforniaALL came into existence, Ms. Ashley, after a simulated search, was selected to serve as CaliforniaALL’s executive director.14. SONIA GONZALES — Ms. Gonzales presently serves as the Foundation’s executive director as of earlier this year, after the former executive director (Ms. Leslie Hatamyia) suddenly quit. Ms. Gonzales is a close friend and confidante of Ms. Maya Harris, the wife of Mr. Tony West.

She presently serves the same function as current Foundation directors Mary Ann Todd of Munger Tolles & Olson, Jon Streeter of Keker & Van Nest, Douglas Winthrop of Howard Rice, Richard Tom of Southern California Edison, and Raj Chatterjee of Morrison & Foerster. 15.  JOE DUNN — Mr. Dunn is  the creator of online publication “Voice of OC” – Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency. He is also a  Trustee of the UCI Foundation (an entity which obtained funds from a separate charitable entity known as  CaliforniaALL  (FEIN Number 51-0656213). Presently, Dunn serves as Executive Director of the State Bar of California – an entity which also controls and maintains a foundation known as the California Bar Foundation.   The California Bar Foundation very quietly transferred close to $780,000 to CaliforniaALL. Previously, In his role as a politician and business partner of Martha Escutia, Dunn was involved in matters relating to utility companies operating in California.

16 . GEOFFREY BROWN – a former commissioner with the CPUC and former board member of the California Bar Foundation.  While at the CPUC, Brown was the assigned commissioner in the application Edison International/ Southern California Edison — owners of  San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) — submitted to the CPUC for authorization: (1) to replace SONGS 2 & 3 steam generators; (2) establish ratemaking for cost recovery; and (3) address other related steam generator replacement issues.Messrs. Geoffrey Brown, Michael Peevey, and Peter Arth were also involved in countless proceedings involving California energy crisis.  Those proceedings were mainly litigated by the law offices of Munger Tolles & Olson (representing Southern California Edison), Morrison & Foerster, Keker & Van Nest (representing PG&E), DLA Piper (representing Sempra Energy — owner of San Diego Gas & Electric). At times, said proceedings concluded in settlements worth billions of dollars.

Previously,  I asked the State Bar of California to investigate this matter. Within a few hours of sending the request, Geoffrey Brown sent me a demand to cease and desist from insisting that he had done anything wrong under threat of litigation. In essence, Brown wanted me to ignore the circumstances dealing with the fact that he was both a CPUC Commissioner and a Director with the Foundation when it quietly made the largest grant in its history to an entity that was conceived by CPUC’s Peter Arth to absorb hundreds of thousands of dollars from utility companies.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND:

In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by Cal PERS as a “Diversity Officer.” Prior to her employment with Cal PERS, Ms. Ashley was employed as a career counsel at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. While at McGeorge, Ms. Ashley met diversity expert Sarah Redfield. At that time, Jeffrey Bleich of Munger Tolles & Olson was serving as President of the State Bar. Both Bleich and Ashley are politically active, and were supporting the 2008 campaign of Barack Obama for President. Ruthe Ashley was involved in the Asian-Americans for Obama branch in Sacramento.In April 2007, Ashley and Sarah Redfield were urged to meet Peter Arth, Jr. of the California Public Utilities Commission at a restaurant in San Francisco. During that meeting, the idea to create CaliforniaALL (initially named CaAAL or CaALL) was conceived. Eventually, Cal PERS, the CPUC, and the State Bar of California endorsed in principle the creation of CaliforniaALL – a Section 501(c)(3) entity that would raise funds to be used to support a more diverse workforce in California.

At that time, both Ashley and Redfield were also part of the State Bar of California’s Council on Fairness and Access, as well as a separate project by the State Bar of California known as The Diversity Pipeline Task Force, through which both presumably amassed vast amounts of data and information on the topic of diversity pipeline projects.Subsequent to the meeting with Peter Arth, on June 26, 2007 State Bar BOG member Ruthe Catolico Ashley and Patricia Lee presented to the entire BOG a proposal (see http://www.scribd.com/doc/48713393/1-In-June-26-2007-Member-of-State-Bar-Board-of-Governors-Ruthe-Ashley-Presents-to-the-State-Bar-Board-the-Concept-of-CaliforniaALL ) urging the BOG to support the creation of California Aspire Achieve Lead Pipeline Project (CaAAL), later named CaliforniaALL.

For reasons that are not clear to me, Jeffrey Bleich saw fit to call an urgent, emergency-like meeting of the State Bar of California Board of Governors, Committee on Operations in order to appoint Peter Arth of the CPUC as member of the State Bar of California’s Council on Fairness and Access.  See:   http://www.scribd.com/doc/103136304/2nd-Upload-of-Document-Peter-Arth-Assistant-of-CPUC-s-Michael-Peevey-Emergency-Appointment-by-State-Bar-of-California-Board-of-Governors-InclPapers were filed with both state and federal agencies to allow CaliforniaALL to operate as a tax exempt entity. Victor Miramontes listed himself as Chairman of the Board, and Sarah E. Redfield served as CaliforniaALL’s interim executive director for a period of 6 months. Serving as CaliforniaALL’s legal counsel were Susan Mac Cormac and Eric Tate of Morrison & Foerster.

Despite the fact that she served as interim executive director, and despite the fact that it was a given that Ruthe Catolico Ashley would be hired as the permanent CEO, Sarah Redfield nevertheless apparently engaged in an RFP (request for proposal) which was closed just as quickly as it started even before Ms. Ashley was hired as the permanent CEO.CaliforniaALL’s web site (www.calall.org) stated:

“Saturday Law Academy RFPPLEASE NOTE:

The application process for this RFP is closed. Please contact Sarah Redfield at sarah.redfield@gmail.com or (207) 752-1721.RFP PROPOSAL INFORMATION

California ALL seeks proposals to implement its law career pathway starting with the 2008-09 academic year (AY).The following and attached document describes a program area in which California ALL has particular interest based on its initial research. An additional RFP will follow for college level prelaw work. Self generated proposal for other parts of the pipeline will also be considered, and another round of RFPs is possible. California ALL has not attached a specific dollar amount to the RFP, though cost effectiveness and the presence of a competitive match will be part of its consideration. California ALL has some funding in hand from a generous grant from Verizon for the Saturday Academy and intends to seek additional funding as needed to support programs selected. It is anticipated that funding will be provided for year one of the (3 year) proposal, with following years contingent on successful completion of the prior year(s). “

**The California Attorney General RCT reflects that CaliforniaALL obtained its “Charity” status on March 14, 2008 (FEIN Number 510656213). The address for CaliforniaALL is listed as 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2400, Sacramento, California. This is actually the address of the law firm of DLA Piper, where CaliforniaALL resided free of charge courtesy of partner Steven Churchwell - an attorney specialized in the representation of political entities.

CaliforniaALL’s 2008 tax-return shows an expense of around $16,000 for “occupancy.” See http://www.scribd.com/doc/48714110/6-CaliforniaALL-2008-Tax-ReturnIn June 2008, after a nationwide search and aided by a pro bono head-hunting firm in its search for a permanent CEO, CaliforniaALL not surprisingly hired Ruthe Catolico Ashley as its chief executive officer. (See Press Release http://www.scribd.com/doc/48717715/5-California-ALL-Announces-Hiring-of-Ruthe-Ashley-as-CEO-on-June-4-2008 )

As the purpose of CaliforniaALL was to transfer funds forward, it did so by awarding small grants to the UCI Foundation (FEIN Number 952540117), where State Bar of California executive director Joe Dunn serves as trustee and chair of the Audit Committee, for the purported purpose of establishing a Saturday Law Academy at UC Irvine known as SALUCI.Sarah Redfield’s CV, which states (falsely) that she launched SALUCI, can be found at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/48772426/10-Resume-CV-of-University-of-New-Hampshire-School-of-Law-Professor-Sarah-E-Redfield

In September 2009, Ruthe Catolico Ashley exited CaliforniaALL (http://www.scribd.com/doc/48713268/7-Ruthe-Ashley-Announces-Departure-from-CaliforniaALL-in-September-of-2009 ), the entity which she previously proclaimed to Diane Curtis that it “will change the face of the future in the workplace and of our leaders,” “will be a model for other states,” and “is here to stay for the foreseeable future.”Ultimately, the following events prompted me to ask Voice of OC to make its tax returns available for my review, as required by IRS regulations: the sham RFP by Sarah Redfield, who pre-selected the UCI Foundation as the only recipient of funds from CaliforniaALL; Joe Dunn served as chair of the UCI Foundation audit committee; in September 2009 Ruthe Ashley abruptly exited CaliforniaALL; in September 2009 Joe Dunn (together with his business partner Martha Escutia, James Brosnahan — who created CaliforniaALL, and Thomas Girardi of In Re Girardi, Erin Brokovich, and the one who James Towery appointed his personal attorney (Jerome Falk of Howard Rice) to act as special prosecutor against him) launched an online “news agency” known as Voice of OC. I also suspected that James Brosnahan of Morrison & Foerster (who represented various utility companies during California’s energy crisis) may have engaged in a scheme with Joe Dunn, as Dunn was the person investigating those utility companies and California’s energy crisis. In fact, Dunn was discredited by the media for claiming that he was the one who “cracked” Enron.

Voice of OC ignored my request for its tax records, whereupon I filed a complaint with the IRS. To date, I have not received a response from the IRS indicating that it has taken any steps to help me obtain those much needed records and impose the appropriate sanctions against Voice of OC.Nevertheless, I continued with the inquiry as large pieces of the puzzle were missing. Later, when Mr. Tony West was appointed third in command at the DOJ, I learned of his identity due to wide media coverage and his association with Morrison & Forester and James Brosnahan. From there, it became harder to ignore the common denominator of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA” involving  James Brosnahan, Tony West, Chris Young, Annette Carnegie, and Susan Mac Cormac (of Morrison & Foerster) Geoffrey Bleich, Ron Olson (of Munger Tolles & Olson) Steven Churchwell ( of DLA Piper) in conjunction with Kamala Harris — which is that money originating from utility companies was misappropriated or laundered through the California Bar Foundation / CaliforniaALL to the campaign of “OBAMA FOR AMERICA.”

Other then collecting close to $2 million directly from utility companies (including the “hush-hush” transfer of $774,247, comprised of one installment of $5000 and another contribution of $769,247 from the Foundation which was never mentioned in the Foundation’s “newsroom” or by any other of its publications such as the California Bar Journal or by any of the newsletters and alerts published by CaliforniaALL), CaliforniaALL appears to have been be a sham, phantom entity from its inception in 2008 to the day it began to slowly be dissolved in approximately 2009, subsequent to the election of Barack Obama as president of the U.S. Its only alleged achievement was providing some money for the creation of the Saturday Academy of Law at UC Irvine (“SALUCI”) in approximately 2008-2009. Here too vast and intense suspicious circumstances exist as the funds from CaliforniaALL actually went to the UC Irvine Foundation, where the present executive director of the State Bar of California (Senator Joe Dunn) serves as a member of the audit committee, and it turns out that the SALUCI was actually already created in 2005 and was fully operational before CaliforniaALL arrived on the scene. In addition, some records seem to indicate that Verizon Wireless funneled the money directly to SALUCI , while CaliforniaALL took the credit. Specifically, the Foundation reported to the IRS that REVENUE LESS EXPENSES in 2007 equaled plus +$373.842.00. However, in 2008, the Foundation reported to the IRS that REVENUE LESS EXPENSES equaled minus -$537,712.    In its 2008 Annual Report (See page 9 : http://www.scribd.com/doc/48712884/3-2008-Annual-Report-of-Foundation-of-the-State-Bar-of-California-Foundation-AKA-California-Bar-Foundation ), the Foundation alludes to CaliforniaALL by stating:

“In 2007-2008, the Foundation supported the launching of CaliforniaALL and, as the project filed for incorporation and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, served as CaliforniaALL’s fiscal sponsor. A collaboration between the California Public Employment Retirement System, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Department of Insurance, and the State Bar of California, CaliforniaALL was created in an effort to close the achievement gap among California students from preschool to the profession and, specifically, to bolster the pipeline of young people of diverse backgrounds headed for careers in law, financial services, and technology. Once CaliforniaALL obtained its tax-exempt status and was able to function as a fully independent nonprofit organization, the foundation granted the balance of funds raised for the project – totaling $769,247 – to the new entity.”Also cleverly buried in the California Bar Foundation’s 2008 annual report was the following sentence :

“We thank the following corporations for their gifts in support of CaliforniaALL:AT & T

Edison InternationalPG & E Corporation Foundation

Verizon”See page 24 : http://www.scribd.com/doc/48712884/3-2008-Annual-Report-of-Foundation-of-the-State-Bar-of-California-Foundation-AKA-California-Bar-Foundation

While I was able to ascertain from California Bar Foundation’s tax records an “exit” of the $774,247 in 2008 (the apparent source of which was allegedly the above-referenced 4 utility companies), I was unable to ascertain when and where the Foundation reported to the IRS — either in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 or 2005 — an “entry” of those funds which it allegedly held in trust for CaliforniaALL.(Later, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California, in a letter she sent to me dated July 28, 2011 claimed that “….No State Bar or California Bar Foundation funds were used for CaliforniaALL creation…The California Bar Foundation served as CaliforniaALL’s escrow holder only to hold fundraising funds before its formal incorporation… Once CaliforniaALL was formed as a non-profit entity, the funds were paid over to it…”

Most troubling, however, is the fact that Verizon did not report to the IRS either in 2007 or 2008 that it had contributed any money to the California Bar Foundation or CaliforniaALL. See :http://www.scribd.com/doc/102325087/Verizon-Foundation-IRS-990-Year-2007
http://www.scribd.com/doc/102325330/Verizon-Foundation-IRS-990-Year-2008


As such, several days ago, on August 22, 2012, in search of the truth, Edison was duly served with a request for production of IRS Form 990, Form 990 Schedule A, and Form 1023.   On August 30, 2012  Edison stated that it does not plan to comply with the request.In view of the above, I urge you to investigate this matter to determine whether Edison’s refusal  violated IRS rules and regulations.  I ask that you impose appropriate sanctions against any and all involved, if supported by the results of your investigation.

I look forward to your response.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.
    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #DLA Piper
    • #Keker & Van Nest
    • #Morrison & Foerster
    • #Allan Johnson
    • #California Bar Foundation
    • #Christopher Jacob Young
    • #Edison
    • #Geoffrey Brown
    • #James Brosnahan
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Jill Sperber
    • #Joe Dunn
    • #Kamala Harris
    • #Martha Escutia
    • #Michael Peevey
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Obama for America
    • #Peter Arth
    • #PG & E
    • #Robert Adler
    • #Ron Olson
    • #Ruthe Catolico Ashley
    • #Sarah Redfield
    • #Southern California Edison
    • #Steven Churchwell
    • #Tony West
    • #University of New Hampshire School of Law
    • #verizon
    • #Voice of OC
  • 8 months ago
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APA Judicial Officer Caught in Financial Scheme Involving Utility Company, Law Firm ; Judicial Council Watcher: Courts Need to Re-Think Workarounds for Civil Bar

Questions are being raised about the secretive relationship involving a utility company, a law firm, and a California judicial officer who stands united with Asian-American more so than he does for the population as a whole.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources maintain California Supreme Court Associate Justice Ming Chin’s clandestine involvement with the Center for Asian-American United for Self Empowerment (“CAUSE”) is “far from over,” because new revelations now implicate Southern California Edison (“SCE”) and power-house Munger Tolles & Olson (“MTO”).


Mr Ming W. Chin, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. Ming, not a stranger to The Leslie Brodie report, partook in the “60 Days Suspension Scandal,” (See Part 1 and Part 2) wherein a lawyer with a prior criminal history engaged in a pogrom in a San Francisco synagogue, yet was only suspended for 60 days due to his political connections within the Democratic party, and courtesy of Judy Johnson, former crack-addict Mike Nisperos, and JoAnn Remke. (Photo:courtesy)

Wholly separate and apart from CaliforniaALL, at issue are funds bestowed on CAUSE by MTO and SCE while Justice Chin served as an official adviser to CAUSE during  the time period representatives of both SCE and MTO were members of CAUSE board of directors.

“For whatever reason, Ron Olson has a propensity to create those double wide loops where one person from SCE and one person from MTO would serve on the board of a non-profit that he has an interest in corrupting.  For example, at CAUSE he positioned Fred Rowley and Ben Wong  .  At the  California Bar Foundation he  positioned Mary Ann Todd and Richard Tom.  If I would be asked to speculate, I would say it is a form of an insurance, a way to ensure that SCE would stand by his side as co-defendant, say if a class-action is filed against MTO alleging that it misused a certain non-profit to bribe a CPUC commissioner for the purpose of allowing SCE to charge higher rates, for example.” a source seeking anonymity maintained.

As previously reported, Chin’s long-standing involvement with the entity which cater exclusively to Asian-American was the subject of a complaint with the California Commission on Judicial Performance due to CAUSE’s invidious discrimination against those who are non Asian-American.   That complaint also alleged that the associate justice must be disciplined due to CAUSE involvement in the political-process, conduct that Chin is otherwise prohibited in engaging in pursuant to Canon 5.

The complaint alleged Justice Chin’s clandestine nature and undisclosed involvement is particularly troubling based on facts as they relate to Mr. James Hsu — CAUSE’s treasurer as well as a board member of a (now defunct) sham charitable entity known as CaliforniaALL — as matters relating to CaliforniaALL would soon be considered by the California Supreme Court.

The complaint further alleged that  without the  “fortuitous discovery ” by the petitioner, he would not have known that Justice Chin and Hsu are involved with CAUSE as to seek the recusal of Justice Chin in matters relating to CaliforniaALL.

Similarly, the complaint alluded to  a State Bar of California petition in the matter of Sander vs. State Bar of California which is currently pending before the California Supreme Court.  In that case, the State Bar seeks review of a decision that established a common law right of access to data concerning minorities which the State Bar possesses.  Hence, the complaint alleges, there is an impression that Justice Chin may exercise his power in such a way which would benefit minorities, much like his involvement with CAUSE conclusively establishes that he stands united with APA.

The latest allegations came as racial minorities in position of trust are routinely accused of intentional misrepresentation by failing to fulfill their duties to avoid any and all appearance of, let alone real, improprieties, and usually involving entities which are on the receiving end of money from large corporations, and usually utility companies. Most notable of which are “Shakedown Artist” Gwen Moore, Judy Johnson, Leslie Hatamiya, Ruthe Catolico Ashley, Maria Lucy Armendariz-Antonio Villaraigosa, Alec Chang, Lawrence Yee, former crack-addict Mike Nisperos. Pat McElroy, and U.S. District Court Judge Morrison C. England. “

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

One of the most striking examples of how to attract  the attention of 190,000 attorneys in this leadership crisis was how the Ministry of Truth artfully employed bar associations and the state bar to make this fight all about the Judicial Council and the AOC getting more budget. Of course, we have to believe that based on the propaganda spewed forth by the death star that 87% of any budgetary increases would go to the trial courts. Early on, we saw what appeared to be a cooperative effort between those that were looking at possible years between paychecks step up and defend the judicial branch literally at the expense of the trial courts.

They did this because by and large, attorneys don’t fully understand the arguments being made. They know of cuts to the judicial system and cuts to their local courts but what they don’t know is what we know here and what legislators in Sacramento know. As the saying goes, all politics is local and it was the local bars backed by many of their largest law firms that stepped forward and suggested higher fees and absorbing more costs to keep their avenue to their next pay check this year free and clear. Oh, it doesn’t matter that in some counties that the little guy can’t have his case heard in small claims. Another way to enrich the sharks is to force small claims cases into the hands of lawyers by closing small claims courts so it’s all good.

What we feel is missing here is that this is supposed to be a justice system that is accessible to all. While there are those who have argued the issues of accessibility, none have been pro-pers who are going about living life. Who is making the accessibility argument are lawyers. Lawyers that want to ensure that their avenue to a pay check through their local court system isn’t interrupted by the shennagins in Sacramento, completely missing the boat on where the money goes after the legislature votes and the governor signs.

Not one dime goes directly to the courts dear lawyers. It all goes to the Judicial Council’s administrative office, the AOC. From there, it is parsed out on a “me first, you next” basis with the brown-nosing courts getting a fast pass to the front of the line.

Please continue @:

http://judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/editorial-courts-need-…

JusticeCalifornia avers:

The lawyers are not going to do anything to help this situation.

For the most part they are not at all informed about the nuts and bolts of what is going on. With a precious few exceptions those that do know what is going on are behaving like Matthai and Krinski, although things are undeniably worse for clients right now then they were a few short years ago, when fees were lower, court reporters were commonplace and the courts were open during normal business hours.

The public is mad as hell about fines and fees and what is going on in the courts, but they are not going to understand or really care about internal issues regarding democratization– their agenda is necessarily different.

Sorry, the judges and court employees and interested others are going to have to do the heavy lifting here in getting the legislature to pay attention and step up. The Judicial Council must be democratized.

Branch members are getting a little taste of what it is like to be stuck in a corrupt court system (like Marin), presenting hard evidence of misconduct, and yet nothing at all is done to change the system. Instead, misconduct is covered up or excused and the perps get rewarded.

Handwringing does not cut it in this war.

    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #Ben Wong
    • #California Bar Foundation
    • #cause
    • #Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment
    • #CPUC
    • #Edison
    • #Fred A. Rowley
    • #Fred Rowley
    • #Judicial Council Watcher
    • #Mary Ann Todd
    • #Ming Chin
    • #Ming W. Chin
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Richard Tom
    • #Ron Olson
    • #Southern California Edison
  • 8 months ago
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BREAKING NEWS: California Supreme Court Appoints David Pasternak as Member of State Bar of California Board of Trustees

The California Supreme Court appointed has appointed David Pasternak of Los Angeles-based Pasternak Pasternak & Patton to a three-year term on the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California, the state agency which regulates the practice of law in California.

Pasternak, a somewhat controversial figure, served as court Receiver since 1982.  He currently serves as the federal court Receiver in a $150 million mortgage fraud case in which he has possessed some 85 expensive homes in California and Wyoming, as well as an array of other assets, including fine wines, art, jewelry, home furnishings, firearms, and various interests in high-end West Los Angeles home developments.

He is an officer of both Bet Tzedek and the Chancery Club.  Recently, Pasternak has been named as one of the defendants in a RICO suit advanced by Marina Del Rey-based legal scholar Dan Dydzak.  According to the suit, Pasternak uses Bet Tzedek as forum to meet, collude, and otherwise bribe various judges and lawyers for the purpose of further appointing Pasternak as “Receiver.” 

Also named as defendant was Sandor Samuels — CEO and President of Bet Tzedek and former Chief Trial Counsel at embattled Countywide Financial Services . Dydzak maintains that Samuels was appointed President and CEO of Bet Tzedek largely due to his working knowledge of how to operate an enterprise which engages in myriad financial crimes. The lawsuit alleges that various defendants misused Bet Tzedek as vehicle for the purpose of bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and tax-evasion with the intended outcome of siphoning the money into off-shore accounts. According to sources, the various accounts are located in Switzerland and at the Vatican.   The complaint also contains allegations that Ronald George — former Chief Justice of the State of California — unlawfully transferred funds from entities that were under his control (such as the California Administrative Office of the Courts (“AOC”) intended for the CCMS computer system) into various accounts that were specifically maintained in Alan Rothenberg’s bank — 1st Century — a bank which Eric George owns in part. Said funds, as the suit alleges, were later embezzled.

According to the California Supreme Court it “anticipates appointing individuals to the board over the next three years, following legislation (SB 163) changing the composition of the board. The legislation took effect in January and will gradually reduce the current 23-member board to 19 members by October 31, 2014. The new board will include six elected lawyers, one from each of the state’s six appellate court districts; five attorneys appointed by the state Supreme Court; six nonlawyer members chosen by the Legislature and the Governor’s Office; and two attorneys appointed by the Legislature and the Governor’s Office. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Noreen Evans, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Supreme Court appointees will be chosen after the court considers recommendations and ratings of applicants by the court’s Committee on the Application and Evaluation of Nominees Committee (AENC). The AENC currently reviews applicants for the State Bar Court. Because of time constraints for this first appointment, the court requested that the AENC assist it. The court is considering a new rule and appointment of a separate committee to review applicants for the court’s appointments to the Board of Trustees.The existing AENC, appointed by the court, generally comprises seven members, four active attorneys, two active or retired judges, and one public member. Two of the attorneys are members of the State Bar Board, and in this process, the court has requested that the AENC act without their participation. By statute, staff of the State Bar assists the AENC in processing the recommendations for the court.

Applicants must be active members of the State Bar and have their principal place of business in California. The term of the appointment is three years and the appointment may be extended by the Court for an additional three years.”
    • #1st Century Bank
    • #Alan Rothenberg
    • #Bet Tzedek
    • #Board of Governors of State Bar of California
    • #California Supreme Court
    • #Chancery Club
    • #David Pasternak
    • #Sandor Samuels
    • #State Bar of California Board of Trustees
  • 8 months ago
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Online Publication San Diego Reader May Soon Face Suit Over San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Depublished Article

Depublishing an article which raised the possibility of public corruption dealing with the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) may soon be the subject of legal proceedings, TLR has learned.

According to sources seeking anonymity, an article YR had posted on a blog platform maintained by the San Diego Reader has been removed without just cause, allegedly.

“The actions of San Diego Reader management are ‘outrageous’, especially since it is a relevant topic of monumental public concerns,” YR stated.These sources maintained YR is contemplating a legal action which will allege, among others, a violation of Business & Professions Code Section 17200, declaratory relief, negligence, civil conspiracy, breach of contract, interference with contractual relations, as well as violation of the freedom of speech clause guaranteed by the California constitution.

The San Diego Reader is the largest alternative press paper in the county of San Diego, distributed free in stands and private businesses throughout the county, funded by advertisements. It frequently presents an opposing viewpoint to the San Diego Union Tribune, the primary printed newspaper in the city.As public service to the community, TLR shall publish YR’s depublished commentary, below:


GOOD Ol’ BOYS

Ronald Leroy Olson is a man proud of his humble Iowa background.  Like his two close friends and business partners from across the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska — Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger —Olson prefers to not flash his wealth and engage in conspicuous consumption. 

Given the opportunity, Olson will boast about his upbringing in Iowa, which he claims instilled in him an honest work ethic. To hear him talk, one would often believe that Olson is a good-ol’ country farmer who sweats profusely while tilling the land and fears the limelight lest it fade his suit,  rather than the shrewd, well-connected attorney who sits on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison,  City National Corporation, The Washington Post Company, Western Asset Trusts, RAND Corporation, the Mayo Clinic, and the Council of Foreign Relations, or the attorney who in his spare time practices law out of Los Angeles-based Munger Tolles Olson on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison, Western Asset Trust, and many other entities such as The Yucaipa Company, Hollywood studios, and other major banks and utility companies.  (A similar tactic is used by Warren Buffett, who portrays himself as the harmless average Joe who drinks 5 cans of Cherry Coke a day and spends his time playing bridge.)  Gold?  That’s for Jews to sew into their garments, Charlie Munger declared recently.  We are into value investing in productive and honest businesses.  Greed ? Speculation? Hollywood? Churning ? Control and influence over banks, monetary policies, the media, utilities, and the government?  Not us, no sirree Bob.WAR STORY TIME

The second-in-command at Berkshire Hathaway — Charlie Munger — is not currently actively practicing law, although he holds the position of  “of counsel” at Munger Tolles & Olson — a firm previously described by various media outlets as the best  law firm in the country with an army of lawyers ready to wage war, and whose client list includes Berkshire Hathaway, Verizon Communication, and Southern California Edison.Those warring lawyers often win various awards and designations by major California legal newspapers such as the “Los Angeles Daily Journal” and “San Francisco Daily Journal,” coincidentally owned by Charlie Munger, one of the founding fathers of Munger Tolles & Olson.

Other corporate law firms operating in California with large books of business from major utility companies include Northern California-based  Morrison & Foerster (PG&E, El Paso), Keker & Van Nest (PG&E), DLA Piper (Sempra Energy, owner of San Diego Electricity ), and now-defunct Howard Rice (PG&E),  which is now part of Arnold & Porter.Beginning in 2000, these law firms were busy defending utility companies in the countless lawsuits and monumental proceedings stemming from California’s energy crisis.   A unique features of those law firms is a tendency to obscure their corporate practices (i.e. defending tobacco companies, banks, utilities, mortgage companies) from public view.  Instead, they would rather publicize their effort to promote diversity, and their alleged contributions to equal rights for all.  For example, in the “Prop 8 marriage cases” Keker & Van Nest, Munger Tolles & Olson, Howard Rice, and Morrison & Foerster played pivotal roles.  However, and although I may be mistaken, a quick review of Morrison & Foerster’s website listings for its California offices does not show even one male, African-American attorney working in California; moreover, Howard Rice has been sued for rescinding an offer of employment to a Latina attorney on the grounds of downsizing, only to continue to hire white men. 

Those firms which represented the utility companies during California energy crisis, and the class-action plaintiffs’ firms who sued on behalf of consumers (such as Girardi & Keese and Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy)  developed a penchant for congregating around the State Bar of California, and more specifically the California Bar Foundation.  At times, strange though it may seem, two representatives from the same firms would serve as directors of the California Bar Foundation, as was the case in 2007-2008 when Jeff Bleich and Bradley Phillips of Munger Tolles & Olson served as directors, or currently where there are two directors from Arnold Porter.
A GOLDEN CAPED SUPERMAN

In 2007, Jeffrey Bleich was a ready-to-wage-war attorney working for Ronald Leroy Olson at Munger Tolles & Olson who was dubbed by some media outlets as Superman. Bleich (if you believe Charlie Munger, while he had gold sewed into his cape) launched and co-chaired the national finance committee of Obama for America.  Other attorneys from law firms representing utility companies seeking to place Obama in office because they hoped he would support the Smart-Grid and clean energy initiatives followed suit.  Steven Churchwell of DLA Piper in Sacramento , James Brosnahan, Tony West and Chris Young  of Morrison & Foerster, Kamala Harris (a protege of Willie Brown - a lackey of PG&E), and Doug Scrivner (who served as chief legal counsel of Accenture- a relatively unknown yet powerful entity) organized to push for the election of Barack Obama on behalf of those seeking to promote green energy.

At that time, Bleich was on a mission to put Obama in office on behalf of utility companies.  The cover story was that Bleich and Obama are “good friends” ever since Bleich was asked to recruit Obama as clerk for appellate court Justice Abner Mikva.Bleich — while serving as member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors and as  director of the California Bar Foundation (alongside another war ready, gold sewing attorney from Munger Tolles, Bradley Phillips) — was a man on a mission.


SMART GREEDWhile an officer at the State Bar of California, Jeffrey Bleich and James Brosnahan were instrumental in pushing for the urgent creation of a non-profit entity known as CaliforniaALL.

My inquiry into CaliforniaALL began close to one year ago when I stumbled upon unusually large and highly peculiar financial transactions in conjunction with what appeared to me to be clear attempts to conceal and mislead.   In order to deflect potential allegations that I am motivated by politics, I wish to assure the readers that my inquiry into these issues was not and is not motivated by politics. In fact, the only actor that I have ever met is James Brosnahan, who I met once for a short period of time while a volunteer with BASF - VLSP, a volunteer organization that awarded me a volunteer of the year award. In 2010, the United States Federal Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit issued its final ruling in the disciplinary matter of In Re Girardi by imposing close to $500,000 in sanctions on Walter Lack of Engstrom Lispcomb & Lack and Thomas Girardi of Girardi & Keese stemming from an attempt to defraud the court and cause injury to Dole Food Company in the underlying litigation. You may have heard of Walter Lack and Thomas Girardi as they are the lawyers who were featured in the movie “Erin Brokovich” involving utility company PG&E.

The court ruled that Walter Lack (who stipulated to special prosecutor Rory Little that his prolonged acts of misconduct were intentional) and Thomas Girardi intentionally and recklessly resorted to the use of known falsehoods for years. The Ninth Circuit ordered Girardi and Lack to report their misconduct to the State Bar of California.The State Bar of California disqualified itself from handling the matter since Howard Miller (of Girardi & Keese) served at that time as its president, and had also made the decision to hire then-chief prosecutor, James Towery.

Mr. Towery, in turn, appointed Jerome Falk of Howard Rice (now Arnold & Porter) as outside “special prosecutor” to determine whether or not to bring charges against Girardi and Lack. (Mr. Falk is a colleague of Douglas Winthrop, and both represented PG&E in its massive bankruptcy proceedings.)Mr. Falk, in turn, exercised prosecutorial discretion and concluded that he did not believe Lack acted intentionally and that no charges will be brought against the two attorneys.

Within days of Mr. Falk’s decision, I filed an ethics complaint with the State Bar of California against Jerome Falk, James Towery, Howard Miller, and Douglas Winthrop (managing partner of Howard Rice and then-elected president of the Foundation), alleging that it was improper for Mr. Towery to appoint Mr. Falk given the close personal relationship between Howard Miller and Douglas Winthrop. Specifically, Howard Miller — in his capacity as president of the State Bar — had appointed Douglas Winthrop as president of the California Bar Foundation, a foundation maintained and controlled by the State Bar. (Much later I also discovered that Jerome Falk is actually the personal attorney of Thomas Girardi, and that Howard Rice and Jerome Falk represented Walter Lack, Thomas Girardi, Engstrom Lispcomb & Lack, and Girardi & Keese in approximately 2007, and for a period of 2 years, in a malpractice action.)As such, while at the time I was not familiar with those individuals, I reviewed the Foundation’s annual reports to familiarize myself with the names of the Foundation’s board of directors, and to try to resolve various inconsistencies regarding who was serving as the Foundation’s president and why Robert Scott Wylie appeared to be the president when data showed that he had relocated to Indiana in 2006. I checked the Foundation’s tax returns and it was then that I fortuitously stumbled upon the fact that the Foundation ended 2008 close to $500,000 in the negative. Specifically, the Foundation reported to the IRS that REVENUE LESS EXPENSES in 2007 equaled plus +$373.842.00. However, in 2008, the Foundation reported to the IRS that REVENUE LESS EXPENSES equaled minus -$537,712.

In its 2008 Annual Report (See page 9 :  http://www.scribd.com/doc/48712884/3-2008-Annual-Report-of-Foundation-of-the-State-Bar-of-California-Foundation-AKA-California-Bar-Foundation ), the Foundation alludes to CaliforniaALL by stating:”In 2007-2008, the Foundation supported the launching of CaliforniaALL and, as the project filed for incorporation and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, served as CaliforniaALL’s fiscal sponsor. A collaboration between the California Public Employment Retirement System, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Department of Insurance, and the State Bar of California, CaliforniaALL was created in an effort to close the achievement gap among California students from preschool to the profession and, specifically, to bolster the pipeline of young people of diverse backgrounds headed for careers in law, financial services, and technology. Once CaliforniaALL obtained its tax-exempt status and was able to function as a fully independent nonprofit organization, the foundation granted the balance of funds raised for the project – totaling $769,247 – to the new entity.”

Also cleverly buried in the California Bar Foundation’s 2008 annual report was the following sentence :”We thank the following corporations for their gifts in support of CaliforniaALL:

AT & TEdison International

PG & E Corporation FoundationVerizon”

See page 24 :  http://www.scribd.com/doc/48712884/3-2008-Annual-Report-of-Foundation-of-the-State-Bar-of-California-Foundation-AKA-California-Bar-Foundation
***While I was able to ascertain from Foundation’s tax records an “exit” of the $774,247 in 2008 (the apparent source of which was allegedly the above-referenced 4 utility companies), I was unable to ascertain when and where the Foundation reported to the IRS — either in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 or 2005 — an “entry” of those funds which it allegedly held in trust for CaliforniaALL.

(Later, Jill Sperber of the State Bar of California, in a letter she sent to me dated July 28, 2011 claimed that “….No State Bar or California Bar Foundation funds were used for CaliforniaALL creation…The California Bar Foundation served as CaliforniaALL’s escrow holder only to hold fundraising funds before its formal incorporation… Once CaliforniaALL was formed as a non-profit entity, the funds were paid over to it…”Most troubling, however, is the fact that Verizon did not report to the IRS either in 2007 or 2008 that it had contributed any money to the California Bar Foundation or CaliforniaALL. See :

http://www.scribd.com/doc/102325087/Verizon-Foundation-IRS-990-Year-2007
http://www.scribd.com/doc/102325330/Verizon-Foundation-IRS-990-Year-2008Ultimately, by conducting further research into the actors and events surrounding the Foundation, CaliforniaALL, and related entities, individuals, and events, I unearthed what appears to be a lengthy trail of attempts to mislead and defraud.

CaliforniaALL - Obama for America

In approximately 2007, Ruthe Catolico Ashley — an attorney from Sacramento and a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors — was employed by Cal PERS as a “Diversity Officer.”  Jeffrey Bleich of Munger Tolles & Olson was serving as President of the State Bar. Both Bleich and Ashley are politically active, and were supporting the 2008 campaign of Barack Obama for President. Ruthe Ashley was involved in the Asian-Americans for Obama branch in Sacramento.In April 2007, Chief of Staff to CPUC’s President Michael Peevey, Peter Arth, Jr. urged Ruthe Catolico Ashley to meet him at a restaurant in San Francisco.  During that meeting, the idea to create CaliforniaALL (initially named CaAAL or CaALL) was conceived.

In its brief existence, CaliforniaALL collected close to $2 million from utility companies (AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, Sempra, Southern California Edison), including a sub-rosa “hush -hush”contribution of $769,247.00 from the California Bar Foundation — —CaliforniaALL appears to have been be a sham, phantom entity.CaliforniaALL was conveniently housed free of charge at the offices of DLA Piper in Sacramento, alongside the draft committee of OBAMA FOR AMERICA . Steve Churchwell of DLA Piper in Sacramento served as  Treasurer of the draft committee of OBAMA FOR AMERICA. 

Subsequent to the election of Barack Obama, CaliforniaALL was dissolved.As matters presently stand, my inquiry leads me to suspect that in 2008 Morrison & Foerster attorneys:

James Brosnahan (self-proclaimed “mastermind behind the Democratic Party.), Tony West (Barack Obama’s Chair of California Finance Committee),

Chris Young (“Obama for America” Northern California Deputy Finance Director) Annette Carnegie (former director with the California Bar Foundation

In conjunction with:Kamala Harris (Co-Chair, Obama for America ; member of CaliforniaALL)

Jeffrey Bleich (Munger Tolles & Olson, president of the State Bar of California, director with the California Bar Foundation, founding member and Chair of Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee)Steven Churchwell ( DLA Piper, Treasurer, draft committee of OBAMA FOR AMERICA)

Executed a sophisticated financial scheme to misuse all or part of the “hush-hush” $780,000.00 originating from the California Bar Foundation by improperly transferring the money to Barack Obama’s coffers via a separate foundation created ad hoc by Susan Mac Cormac of Morrison & Foerster — CaliforniaALL.
CaliforniaALL - The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

Given the above suspicious circumstantial evidence surrounding CaliforniaALL, due to recent wide media coverage dealing with the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), I begun to also entertain thoughts that the owner of SONGS (Edison International and Sempra Energy) as well as the law firms which represent Edison International and Sempra Energy  (Munger Tolles & Olson and DLA Piper, respectively) may have also taken the opportunity to misuse the California Bar Foundation / CaliforniaALL to  bribe CPUC officials in matters relating to SONGS.Specifically, serving alongside Jeffrey Bleich and Bradley Phillips as director of the California Bar Foundation was also CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, cousin of California Governor Jerry Brown.

See bottom page:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/48712884/3-2008-Annual-Report-of-Foundation-of-the-…As a reminder, while Jeff Bleich, Bradley Phillips and CPUC Commissioner Geoffrey Brown served as director of the California Bar Foundation an unusually large and unexplained sum of money (courtesy of utility companies)  was allocated to be transferred to CaliforniaALL — an entity created through the urging of Peter Arth of the CPUC.

Incidentally, during the same time period, Geoffrey Brown was the assigned commissioner in the application Edison International/ Southern California Edison submitted to the CPUC for authorization: (1) to replace SONGS 2 & 3 steam generators; (2) establish ratemaking for cost recovery; and (3) address other related steam generator replacement issues.
    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #California Bar Foundation
    • #CPUC
    • #Edison
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Michael Peevey
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Obama for America
    • #Peter Arth
    • #Robert Adler
    • #Ron Olson
    • #San Diego Reader
    • #San Onofre Nuclear power plant
    • #Sempra Energy
    • #Southern California Edison
  • 8 months ago
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Claremont University Consortium’s Robert Adler — Edison International Chief Legal Counsel,Ex-Managing Partner of Munger Tolles & Olson — Under Heavy Scrutiny

Edison International and Southern California Edison chief in-house legal counsel, Robert L. Adler, is under heavy scrutiny, staff members of The Leslie Brodie Report contend.

Adler, who until 2008 served as the managing partner of Munger Tolles & Olson, has been identified as potential wrongdoer in matters relating to the alleged  laundering of money from utility companies to Obama for America around 2007-2008 through the California Bar Foundation / CaliforniaALL.  He is also under heavier scrutiny in matters relating to prima facie showing of alleged public corruption relating to the alleged bribery of officials at the California Public Utilities Commission, sources seeking anonymity allege.

Robert Adler

Mr. Robert Adler has been an Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Edison International at Southern California Edison Company since August 1, 2008. Mr. Adler serves as a Professor at Scripps College in Claremont, Calif. He has been Co-Managing Partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP since 1978, where he practiced corporate and business law. He has an extensive involvement and experience with the electric power business and Edison International, (image: courtesy photo; narrative courtesy of business-week)

According to Edison International, “Adler is responsible for the legal affairs of Edison International, which is the parent company of Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, and of Edison Mission Group, which is an independent power producer and provider of capital and financial services.

Prior to joining Edison International, Adler was a co-managing partner of the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, where he practiced corporate and business law beginning in 1975. Beyond his law experience with the electric power business and Edison International, Adler’s practice has spanned many industries, including retail, health care, entertainment, communications, and professional sports.

He is vice chairman of Claremont University Consortium and serves on the Board of Directors of Southern California Public Radio, the Board of Directors of Friends of the Saban Free Clinic and on the Legal Planning Committee of the Edison Electric Institute.”

 

    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #Claremont University Consortium
    • #CPUC
    • #Edison
    • #Geoffrey Brown
    • #Haim Saban
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Michael Peevey
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Robert Adler
    • #Ron Olson
    • #San Onofre Nuclear power plant
    • #Sara Adler
    • #Scripps College
    • #Southern California Edison
  • 8 months ago
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YR on Golden Caped Superman, Ronald Olson, Edison International, Southern California Edison, The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

GOOD Ol’ BOYS

Ronald Leroy Olson is a man proud of his humble Iowa background. Like his two close friends and business partners from across the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska — Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger —Olson prefers to not flash his wealth and engage in conspicuous consumption.

Given the opportunity, Olson will boast about his upbringing in Iowa, which he claims instilled in him an honest work ethic. To hear him talk, one would often believe that Olson is a good-ol’ country farmer who sweats profusely while tilling the land and fears the limelight lest it fade his suit, rather than the shrewd, well-connected attorney who sits on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison, City National Corporation, The Washington Post Company, Western Asset Trusts, RAND Corporation, the Mayo Clinic, and the Council of Foreign Relations, or the attorney who in his spare time practices law out of Los Angeles-based Munger Tolles Olson on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison, Western Asset Trust, and many other entities such as The Yucaipa Company, Hollywood studios, and other major banks and utility companies.

A similar tactic is used by Warren Buffett, who portrays himself as the harmless average Joe who drinks 5 cans of Cherry Coke a day and spends his time playing bridge. Gold? That’s for Jews to sew into their garments, Charlie Munger declared recently. We are into value investing in productive and honest businesses. Greed ? Speculation? Hollywood? Churning ? Control and influence over banks, monetary policies, the media, utilities, and the government? Not us, no sirree Bob.

WAR STORY TIME

The second-in-command at Berkshire Hathaway — Charlie Munger — is not currently actively practicing law, although he holds the position of “of counsel” at Munger Tolles & Olson — a firm previously described by various media outlets as the best law firm in the country with an army of lawyers ready to wage war, and whose client list includes Berkshire Hathaway, Verizon Communication, and Southern California Edison.

Those warring lawyers often win various awards and designations by major California legal newspapers such as the “Los Angeles Daily Journal” and “San Francisco Daily Journal,” coincidentally owned by Charlie Munger, one of the founding fathers of Munger Tolles & Olson.

Please continue @:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/inquiry-of-californiaall/2012/aug/26/co…

    • #Berkshire Hathaway
    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #Keker & Van Nest
    • #Morrison & Foerster
    • #Charlie Munger
    • #CPUC
    • #Edison
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Los Angeles Daily Journal
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Ron Olson
    • #San Onofre Nuclear power plant
    • #Southern California Edison
    • #Warren Buffett
    • #Yucaipa
  • 8 months ago
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YR on Golden Caped Superman, Ronald Olson, Edison International, Southern California Edison, The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

GOOD Ol’ BOYS

Ronald Leroy Olson is a man proud of his humble Iowa background. Like his two close friends and business partners from across the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska — Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger —Olson prefers to not flash his wealth and engage in conspicuous consumption.

Given the opportunity, Olson will boast about his upbringing in Iowa, which he claims instilled in him an honest work ethic. To hear him talk, one would often believe that Olson is a good-ol’ country farmer who sweats profusely while tilling the land and fears the limelight lest it fade his suit, rather than the shrewd, well-connected attorney who sits on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison, City National Corporation, The Washington Post Company, Western Asset Trusts, RAND Corporation, the Mayo Clinic, and the Council of Foreign Relations, or the attorney who in his spare time practices law out of Los Angeles-based Munger Tolles Olson on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway, Edison International, Southern California Edison, Western Asset Trust, and many other entities such as The Yucaipa Company, Hollywood studios, and other major banks and utility companies.

A similar tactic is used by Warren Buffett, who portrays himself as the harmless average Joe who drinks 5 cans of Cherry Coke a day and spends his time playing bridge. Gold? That’s for Jews to sew into their garments, Charlie Munger declared recently. We are into value investing in productive and honest businesses. Greed ? Speculation? Hollywood? Churning ? Control and influence over banks, monetary policies, the media, utilities, and the government? Not us, no sirree Bob.

WAR STORY TIME

The second-in-command at Berkshire Hathaway — Charlie Munger — is not currently actively practicing law, although he holds the position of “of counsel” at Munger Tolles & Olson — a firm previously described by various media outlets as the best law firm in the country with an army of lawyers ready to wage war, and whose client list includes Berkshire Hathaway, Verizon Communication, and Southern California Edison.

Those warring lawyers often win various awards and designations by major California legal newspapers such as the “Los Angeles Daily Journal” and “San Francisco Daily Journal,” coincidentally owned by Charlie Munger, one of the founding fathers of Munger Tolles & Olson.

Please continue @:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/inquiry-of-californiaall/2012/aug/26/co…

    • #Berkshire Hathaway
    • #CaliforniaALL
    • #Keker & Van Nest
    • #Morrison & Foerster
    • #Charlie Munger
    • #CPUC
    • #Edison
    • #jeff bleich
    • #Los Angeles Daily Journal
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Ron Olson
    • #San Onofre Nuclear power plant
    • #Southern California Edison
    • #Warren Buffett
    • #Yucaipa
  • 8 months ago
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2011- President Obama to Nominate Edison International’s John Bryson as Secretary of Commerce (TLR Note: 1- Obama - Utility Connection Explains Zeal of Jeff Bleich, Ron Olson 2- Western Asset Owned by Charlie Munger)

President Obama will announce that he is nominating John Bryson to be his next Secretary of Commerce.

Bryson is former chairman, CEO, and president of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, which provides energy for much of Southern California. In 1970, he was one of two co-founders of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Bryson is also on the board of directors of Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC News.

He has also served as a director of The Boeing Company since 1995, a trustee of the California Institute of Technology, a director of the W.M. Keck Foundation and the California Endowment, and was a director of Western Asset Income Fund from 1986 to 2006. He is a non-executive chairman of the board of BrightSource Energy, Inc. and of the board of overseers of Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

If confirmed by the Senate, Bryson would replace the current Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, whom the president has nominated to be U.S. Ambassador to China.

Please continue @:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/05/president-obama-to-nominate-form…

    • #Barack Obama
    • #Charlie Munger
    • #Edison
    • #jeff bleich
    • #John Bryson
    • #Munger Tolles Olson
    • #Ron Olson
    • #Southern California Edison
    • #Western Asset
  • 8 months ago
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Members of United Auburn Indian Community Complain to National Indian Gaming Commission Against Nefarious Howard Dickstein

Lending significant support to calls for an examination of corruption by Howard Dickstein of Dickstein & Zerbi,  a sharply-worded complaint was filed recently with the National Indian Gaming Commission.

In that complaint, members of the United Auburn Indian Community minced no words in accusing Dickstein of abuse and financial atrocities.   United Auburn Indian Community operates the Thunder Valley Casino, situated between the cities of Roseville and Lincoln, in Placer County, California.

Howard Dicstein, Jerry Brown, Mark Friedman, Doug Elmets

Members of the “J Street Gang of Greed” (L-R ) California Governor Jerry Brown, Howard Dickstein of Dickstein & Zerbi, Mark Friedman of Fulcrum Property and Doug Elmets.  Currently, the Elliott Building is occupied on separate floors by the offices of Howard Dickstein of Dickstein & Zerbi, Fulcrum Property’s Mark Friedman, Arlen Opper, Doug Elmets, Paula Lorenzo of Cache Creek Casino, and The California Tribal Business Alliance (CTBA). Dickstein, Friedman, and Opper were all named defendants in the matter of Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians / Cache Creek Casino v. Howard Dickstein. The penthouse unit is the official residence of California’s first couple — Governor Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr.  and his wife. (Image: courtesy photo) (Image:courtesy photos)

The main complainants against Dickstein are former chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community, the Honorable Jessica Tavares and long-time tribal council member Dolly Suehead.

Tavares is a proud visionary who was the force behind the economic and cultural revival of the tribe — as well as the revival of surrounding communities.  Sadly, Tavares was ultimately betrayed by a fellow member of the tribe and placed on the proverbial iceberg because she chose honor, integrity, and dignity for herself and for the tribe over the greed and divisiveness promoted Dickstein in his quest to obtained millions for himself and by extension for his wife,  Jeannine English.

Since 2006, Jeannine English has served as a “public member” of the State Bar of California Board of Governors, an otherwise governmental entity primarily responsible to disciplining errant lawyers.  Despite allegations that Dickstein has committed countless acts of grave misconduct and ethical breaches, Dickstein has never been disciplined by the State Bar of California.  English’s appointment as a public member was courtesy of her California Democratic Party confederates who control California’s legislative branch.Unfortunately, the two U.S. Senators from California refuse to become involved in these issues despite the fact that  tribal matters fall primarily within federal oversight. Dickstein, in his role as counsel for the tribes, has overseen the tribes’ contributions of millions of dollars to the coffers of the Democratic Party.

Fortunately, Republican Arizona Senator John McCain recently stepped in and called for an investigation of Howard Dickstein.  Similarly, a few months prior to Senator McCain’s announcement, a Yolo County-based rabbi asked the State Bar of California Board of Governors to investigate English and Dickstein.Dickstein, a widely-known but controversial figure within California’s Tribal Gambling industry, has also been named a defendant in a suit seeking unspecified monetary damages. Also named as defendant was Dickstein’s wife Jeannine English

The lawsuit alleges that Dickstein and English executed a scheme that caused injury to the Plaintiff, a Southern California resident who claims his privacy and constitutional rights were “egregiously violated.”Specifically, the suit alleges that in order to camouflage a scheme and make it appear as though it is purely a mundane action by a governmental agency and was not designed to conceal Dickstein’s and English’s own acts of malfeasance, greed, and betrayal, defendants resorted to abusing their considerable “political and legal clout.”

This clout was presumably obtained as a result of the funneling of hundreds of millions of dollars from myriad Tribal Casinos to various state and local governmental agencies/officials, as well as from English’s position as a member of the State Bar of California Board of Governors, and the fact that the president of the State Bar of California, Jon Streeter, and his firm of Keker & Van Nest, represent Howard Dickstein. This , the plaintiff alleges, shows “malice and oppression” on the part of defendants sufficient to justify an award of punitive damages.Dickstein , who is no stranger to litigation, has been previously named a defendant in a suit advanced by his client, members of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nations (formerly known as the Ramsey Band of Wintun Indians), which owns and operates the Cache Creek Casino in Brooks, California, an unincorporated community in Yolo County.

In that action, the plaintiffs — who were represented by Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and legal ethics expert Michael Boli — alleged that Dickstein engaged in myriad fraudulent conduct, concealment, conversion (i.e. a non-criminal term referring to the act of theft), breaches of fiduciary duties, misrepresentations, and unjustly enriching himself with tribal money by defrauding the tribe of millions of dollars over more than a decade.While the suit was pending, further allegations of grave misconduct were leveled against Dickstein and his attorneys of San Francisco-based Keker & Van Nest including claims that evidence was “manufactured.” Later, Dickstein and his lawyers of Keker & Van Nest (presumably, John Keker, Elliot Peters, and Jon Streeter) falsely advertised and misled the public into believing that the Yocha Dehe tribe had only sued Dickstein for conduct which was “negligent” in nature. Dickstein and his legal team neglected to reference the allegations of defrauding the tribe of millions of dollars over more than a decade through fraudulent conduct, concealment, conversion, breaches of fiduciary duties, and misrepresentations which the tribe had leveled against their own attorney.

For a  copy of the complaint adavanced by Tavares, please see @:http://www.scribd.com/doc/100135689/Complaint-Against-Howard-Dickstein-to-the…


For more about Howard Dickstein, please see:http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/howard-dickstein/fullposts/


    • #Keker & Van Nest
    • #Cache Creek Casino
    • #Dickstein & Zerbi
    • #Howard Dickstein
    • #Jeannine English
    • #Jessica Tavares
    • #John McCain
    • #National Indian Gaming Commission
    • #Thunder Valley Casino
    • #United Auburn Indian Community
    • #Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
  • 8 months ago
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