Category: LegacyImport2

NRA-ILA: Bloomberg Dismisses Texas Hero

Insists It Wasn’t His “Job” to Have a Gun or Decide to Shoot

SUPPORT NRA-ILA

Jack Wilson – a 71-year-old congregant of the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Tex. – is a hero to most Americans. When a deranged man savagely murdered two of Mr. Wilson’s fellow worshippers during a service at the church on Dec. 30,

Wilson took swift action

. He exposed himself to danger to deliver a single shot from his lawfully carried handgun

that instantly ended what undoubtedly would have been even more terrible carnage among the hundreds present.

Other congregants were also seen producing lawfully carried handguns in response to the threat. Several closed in on the fallen assailant to ensure he was neutralized. None of them panicked or acted rashly and no errant shots were fired.

The entire episode was over in six seconds and was captured on the church’s livestream.

The evidence is inescapable and available to anyone who cares to view it. Anybody who has ever tried to justify a public policy proposal on the grounds that it could save “just one life” is now on notice that lawful concealed carry saved many lives in just that one episode.

Yet one person who did not bother to watch the video or acquaint himself with the facts is Democrat presidential contender Michael Bloomberg.

Commenting on the incident

at a campaign stop in Montgomery Ala., Bloomberg did not mention Jack Wilson’s name. Bloomberg did not even acknowledge that the events depicted in video and widely reported in the media – including on

Bloomberg’s self-named news site

– were authentic.

But if they were, he huffed, it didn’t change his mind that only the police (which apparently include the current and former officers on his own armed protection detail) should be able to carry firearms in public.

“It may true, I wasn’t there, I don’t know the facts, that somebody in the congregation had their own gun and killed the person who murdered two other people,” he said. “But it’s the job of law enforcement to, uh, have guns and to decide when to shoot.” He continued, “You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place.”

In the best-case scenario, responding police would still have been minutes away from the violence breaking out in the West Freeway Church of Christ. The shotgun-wielding assailant could have killed many more people in that time had he not faced armed resistance of his own.

But Bloomberg’s own words indicate he would consider that an acceptable price to pay to vindicate his arch-statist and anti-constitutional view that the government should have a complete monopoly on the lawful use of lethal force.

What, in Bloomberg’s mind, make police the only people who can be trusted with firearms?

Does he feel that only law enforcement can effectively and safely use firearms?

Jack Wilson answered that question on Dec. 29, 2019, by delivering a single, precise shot at 15 yards that felled its target and only its target, saving innocent lives.

But somehow that’s still not good enough for Michael Bloomberg because Wilson is not an active-duty police officer.

What lesson are we supposed to learn from Bloomberg’s response to the White Settlement events, other than who shoots whom isn’t as important to him as who gets to decide who lawfully wields lethal force?

Are you willing to helplessly take one for Team Bloomberg’s scheme of law and order if you end up in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Note that Michael Bloomberg isn’t taking that risk himself; his payroll includes plenty of armed men to keep him safe.

The Second Amendment is your guarantee that you need not take the risk either, which is why Michael Bloomberg’s worldview cannot be reconciled with that fundamental liberty.

This stands in stark contrast to President Trump, who understands exactly what the right to keep and bear arms is all about and unabashedly respects that right.

“It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted to protect 242 fellow worshippers,”

President Trump tweeted on Dec. 30

. “Lives were saved by these heroes, and Texas laws allowing them to carry guns!”

Two Defendants Posing as Booking Agents for Famous Entertainers Arrested

Allegedly Claimed They Could Book Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars To Perform at a Concert Benefitting the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation

A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Nancy Jean and Carissa Scott with a scheme to defraud concert investors by falsely claiming to act as booking agents for well-known entertainers, including Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars.  The defendants were arrested yesterday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, and their initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests.

As alleged in the complaint, in September 2019, Jean and Scott were contacted by an investor who was organizing a concert at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, to benefit the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation.  The defendants falsely represented that they could book top-tier musical acts to perform at the concert, and provided the investor with a contract for a total fee of $500,000 that purported to commit Timberlake to perform.  One of the investors then wired a $100,000 deposit to the defendants.  Subsequently, when Timberlake’s social media account failed to mention or promote the event, the investor requested confirmation that Timberlake was booked.  In response, the investor received a telephone call from an unidentified individual who falsely claimed to be Timberlake’s manager.  The unidentified individual stated that Timberlake would perform at the concert, but that the fee would have to be raised to between $800,000 and $1 million.  In November 2019, the defendants sent the investor an agreement stating that Mars would perform at the concert as an alternative to Timberlake for a fee of $600,000.  The investor agreed that Mars could be the headliner, but did not send an additional deposit to the defendants.

Within a month of receiving the original $100,000 deposit, approximately half of the money was used by the defendants for personal expenses or withdrawn as cash.

“As alleged, the defendants viewed a fundraiser for a charity formed to protect children from gun violence as an opportunity to commit fraud and line their own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “Simple stealing is bad enough, this is worse.”

“Nancy Jean and Carissa Scott may have been able to realize a quick profit as a result of their alleged fraudulent booking scheme, but not long after their illegal activity took off, they landed in New York to face federal criminal charges.  It’s discouraging to think these defendants were willing to defraud an investor supporting a charity foundation.  Fortunately, the FBI doesn’t entertain such activity,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Howard Elbert is in charge of the prosecution, and Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Civil Division is handling matters relating to forfeiture.

The Defendants

:

NANCY JEAN

Age: 51

Riverdale, Georgia

CARISSA SCOTT

Age: 41

Fayette, Mississippi

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-16

Caldwell University Agrees To Pay $4.8 Million Plus To Resolve False Claim Allegations

NEWARK, N.J. – Caldwell University has agreed to pay the United States more than $4.8 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a fraudulent scheme to defraud a federal education benefit program, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

“Caldwell University tried to hoodwink the Department of Veterans Affairs and, worse, veterans themselves, by claiming to offer online classes developed and provided by Caldwell that were in fact marked-up offerings by an online correspondence school,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Our veterans should never be treated this way, and we will continue to work to ensure that they receive all of the benefits that they deserve as a result of their service to the country.”

“Caldwell University’s civil settlement, along with the previous criminal convictions, sends a clear message to other educational institutions that VA OIG is dedicated to holding those accountable who would take advantage of VA programs that are intended to assist veterans and their families,” Jeffrey K. Stachowiak, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, said. “Our veterans sacrificed to serve our country and they deserve to receive the full education benefits that they earned through their military service. VA OIG is committed to working closely with our fellow law enforcement partners and thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, for its dedication to this investigation.”

According to the settlement agreement:

From Jan. 1, 2011, through Aug. 8, 2013, Caldwell University submitted false claims for payment to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to receive education benefits and funds pursuant to the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act (Post 9/11 GI Bill) to which it was not entitled. The Post 9/11 GI bill was designed specifically to help veterans who served in the armed forces following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three individuals previously pleaded guilty to separate informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme to defraud the VA. Lisa DiBisceglie, the university’s former associate dean of the Office of External Partnership; David Alvey, founder and president of Ed4Mil LLC; and Helen Sechrist, a former employee of Ed4Mil, admitted their respective roles in the conspiracy to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in tuition assistance and other education-related benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Alvey was sentenced on June 4, 2018, to five years in prison. DiBisceglie and Sechrist were each sentenced on June 5, 2018, to three years of probation. All three defendants were also ordered to pay $24 million in restitution.

According to documents in this case and statements made in court:

Caldwell contracted with Ed4Mil to recruit and enroll eligible military veterans in non-degree fully online classes that were purportedly provided by Caldwell. DiBisceglie helped get approval from Caldwell’s administration to develop and administer a series of non-credit online courses for veterans in Caldwell’s name. In order for the courses to be eligible for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, DiBisceglie, Alvey, and others prepared and submitted an application to the VA stating that the courses were developed, taught, and administered by Caldwell faculty and met Caldwell’s stringent educational standards. The VA approved the online courses for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based upon the representations in Caldwell’s application.

However, Caldwell did not participate in developing or teaching the online courses. The courses were developed, taught, and administered by a sub-contractor of Ed4Mil, an online correspondence school in Pennsylvania that was not approved to receive education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Thousands of veterans were ultimately enrolled in the unapproved online correspondence courses without their knowledge while Caldwell and Ed4Mil profited. Even though Caldwell contributed no content or value to the courses, Caldwell charged the Post 9/11 GI Bill 10 to 30 times the prices charged by the online correspondence school for the same courses. As a result, the government paid over $24 million in tuition benefits to the university.

Allegations of fraud involving a separate government education benefit program were raised in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The qui tam complaint alleges that Caldwell and Ed4Mil fraudulently obtained education benefits under the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program. This settlement resolves federal allegations that Caldwell defrauded the Post-9/11 GI Bill administered by the VA, along with the qui tam action.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stachowiak; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Geoffrey Wood, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Eskew, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole F. Mastropieri of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no admissions of liability.

Defense counsel: Henry E. Klingeman Esq., Newark

Relator’s counsel: Jesse Hoyer Esq., Tampa, Florida

Eckrich Donates $125K to Teachers at the College Football Playoff National Championship

Kirk Herbstreit attempts football throw to win donation to Extra Yard for Teachers

New Orleans, La. – (Jan., 2020) –

Kirk Herbstreit, ABC/ESPN College Football Analyst, Emmy-award winner and longtime Eckrich partner, attempted two football throws resulting in a $125K donation from

Eckrich

to

Extra Yard for Teachers

, the primary cause of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation.

Ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship between LSU and Clemson, crowds and teachers gathered at the Eckrich activation in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter to watch Herbstreit and Marty Smith attempt to win $1 million. Despite missing two throw attempts, Eckrich was honored to donate $100K to Extra Yard for Teachers. In addition to Herbstreit’s throw, teachers of the year from across the country made their own throw attempts resulting in an additional $25K donation from Eckrich to Extra Yard for Teachers for a total of $125K.

“I’m thrilled to be able to support such a great cause,” Herbstreit said. “It feels great to be able to give back to the teachers who do so much in all of our communities. Eckrich is such a generous partner and I\’m proud to continue partnering and working with them.”

Eckrich has partnered with Extra Yard for Teachers since 2018, and, with this throw, has now donated $1.1 million to the organization dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development.

“We’re really happy and proud to be able to donate $125K to Extra Yard for Teachers,” said Elizabeth Di John, senior marketing director at Smithfield Foods. “Teachers are so instrumental and impactful in all of our communities, so to be able to support them in this way is extremely special to the Eckrich brand.”

\”It has meant so much to us to work with a partner like Eckrich who believes in what the College Football Playoff Foundation is doing to uplift the teaching profession,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation. “With their support, we have been able to make a greater impact and have been able to give so many different teachers all across the country the recognition they deserve.\”

Eckrich is completing its fourth year as the official smoked sausage and deli meat sponsor of the College Football Playoff. As part of the partnership, the brand also launched the fourth year of its Road to the National Championship $1 Million Challenge sweepstakes in the summer of 2019, where 23 lucky fans won the opportunity to throw for $1 million at some of the biggest college football games of the year.

For more information, please visit

www.Eckrich.com

or follow @EckrichMeats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GUEST OPINION: NJBIA Backs Fiscal Reform Bills, Urges Action on Path to Progress

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association today testified in favor of four fiscal reform bills designed to lower the cost of local governments as part of a wide-ranging plan to fix New Jersey\’s government finances.

Between them, the Senate and Assembly appropriations committees will consider legislation involving curriculum at K-8 school districts, sharing services between local governments, and examining state and local taxes and economic development policies. Individually, the bills are narrow in scope, but they are part of a broad, impactful plan to revamp New Jersey\’s finances called The Path to Progress, which NJBIA supports.

NJBIA Vice President for Government Affairs Chris Emigholz made that point while testifying in favor of these bills earlier today.

\”It is urgent for our state and for our taxpayers that the Legislature act on all five parts of the Path to Progress report: Pension and Benefit Reform; Leveraging Assets to Stabilize the Pension System; Education Reform at the Administrative Level; County and Municipal Government Reform and Shared Services; and State and Local Government Tax Structure,\” Emigholz said. \”Reforms in all five of these areas are needed to improve the fiscal health of our State, and our taxpayers deserve no less.

\”What makes the Path to Progress legislation so important is it recognizes a fundamental truth: New Jersey\’s finances will always be in disarray until we change how we raise and especially how we spend money,\” Emigholz said. \”It\’s not just a matter of fiscal discipline; New Jersey\’s financial problems are deeply systemic.\”

Two measures are scheduled for separate votes in both the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  They are:

·         S-3756 (Ruiz, D-29; Sarlo, D-36)/A-6115 (Jasey, D-27), which would require K-8 school districts to coordinate their school calendars and curriculum with the high schools they send their graduates to. Emigholz called it \”a long overdue, commonsense measure\” that could save money by eliminating duplication.

·         S-3770 (Sarlo, D-36; Oroho, R-24)/A-6118 (Greenwald, D-6), which would establish the \”New Jersey Economic and Fiscal Policy Review Commission\” to provide ongoing review of state and local tax structure and economic conditions.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee also is scheduled a vote on legislation to require counties to appoint a shared-services coordinator. That bill is S-3764 (Andrzejczak, D-1; Bucco, R-25).

\”New Jersey has been quietly encouraging them for decades, but this bill puts staff and money behind that encouragement to make them actually happen,\” Emigholz said.

Meanwhile, the Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider A-6116/S-3763 (DeAngelo, D-14); Addiego, D-8; Bateman, D-16; Sarlo, D-36), \”a simple but clever bill to change the name of \’joint meetings\’ to \’regional service agencies\’\” under the Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act, Emigholz said. \”It would better capture their real meaning and hopefully encourage their use.\”

\”We are excited to hopefully see these Path to Progress bills pass this committee today, and NJBIA and our taxpayers urgently need more Path to Progress legislation to become law as soon as possible to make New Jersey more affordable for our residents and businesses,\” Emigholz said.

NJ Camp Fairs connect great kids with great camps

…FREE admission! –

Weekends starting January 18 – February 22, 2020

Throughout,New Jersey (PR MediaRelease)

For 2020, NJ Camp Fairs, along with the American Camp Association, will have an exciting lineup of 7 summer camp fairs for NJ families throughout Northern and Central New Jersey communities. This is a great time to seek out summer camps and programs for your child, whether it is a sleep away camp, traditional day camp, or specialty camp such as sports, adventure, travel, community service, academic, art, robotics, gymnastics, precollege, performing arts, foreign language, nature, and more. Will it be a full summer away in the woods, a month traveling, a 4- or a 2- week camp, a broad one or a specialized one focusing on learning a new skill?  Many ACA accredited camps will be present.

Different camps will be at each fair.  Meet face to face with a diverse set of high quality camps from various locations all under one roof. Kids ages PreK through High School go to camp!  Older kids can seek summer jobs too. Don’t surf the internet; bring your kids and explore.

Sat, Jan 18 – Bergen County @ Bergen Town Center, Paramus, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sun, Jan 19 – Mercer County @ Quaker Bridge Mall, Lawrenceville, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sat, Jan 25 – Essex County @ Livingston Mall, Livingston, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sun, Jan 26 – Union County @ The Grand Summit Hotel, Summit, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sat, Feb 8 – Bergen County @ The Village of Ridgewood, Ridgewood, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sun, Feb 9 – Essex County @ Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, 12-3pm, FREE!

Sat, Feb 22 – Middlesex County @ Menlo Park Mall, Edison, 12-3pm, FREE!

RSVP at www.njcampfairs.com and receive a free gift and free admission at the fair.

About

Contact

For over 36 years, the NJ Camp Fairs and the ACA has been connecting kids to great camps. Please RSVP @ www.njcampfairs.com to let us know you’re coming and you’ll receive a free gift at the fair.  For more information, please go to www.njcampfairs.com and check out the camp directory. Email info@njcampfairs.com for questions.

Former Newark Police Officer Admits Bribery And Assisting In Preparing False Federal Tax Return

NEWARK, N.J. – A former Newark police officer today admitted soliciting and accepting cash payments from a brothel owner in Newark in exchange for protecting brothels from police action, and to failing to report those cash payments on his personal federal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Julio I. Rivera, 50, of Old Bridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to two counts of an indictment charging him with bribery (Count Six) and aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false 2015 personal federal tax return (Count 13).

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From September 2014 to August 2015, Rivera solicited and accepted cash payments from a Newark brothel owner (“Individual 1”) who ran brothels located on Lafayette Street and Emmet Street. In exchange for these cash bribes, Rivera performed official acts and violated his lawful duties for the benefit of Individual 1, including declining to arrest individuals who were committing and promoting prostitution, agreeing to protect these individuals from arrest by other Newark police officers, and agreeing to take adverse action against a competing brothel. Rivera collected between $40,000 and $95,000 in bribes in exchange for protecting those and other brothels in Newark.

Rivera also intentionally withheld information from his tax preparer regarding the cash bribes that he received, which caused Rivera’s filed federal tax returns for certain tax years, including 2015, to understate the total amount of income that Rivera received. Rivera stipulated that this misconduct resulted in a loss to the IRS of $15,000 to $40,000.

The maximum potential penalty for the count of bribery is 10 years in prison and the maximum potential penalty for the tax fraud is three years in prison; both counts carry a maximum potential fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cari Fais of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

Defense counsel: Kristen Santillo Esq., New York

Philadelphia-Area Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Oxycodone

A Philadelphia-area doctor was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine yesterday for the illegal distribution of

oxycodone.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan A. Wilson of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division and U.S. Marshal Eric S. Gartner of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

Richard Ira Mintz, D.O., 69, of Dresher, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael M. Baylson of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, who also ordered Mintz to serve three years of supervised release and 90 days of home confinement following release. Mintz pleaded guilty in March 2019 to eight counts of distributing controlled substances (oxycodone) outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.

Mintz has surrendered his medical license and DEA Certificate of Registation.

The FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and Philadelphia Police Department investigated the case. Trial Attorney Adam G. Yoffie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Macko of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the parallel civil case, in which Mintz paid a $107,584 monetary penalty.

The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.  Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion.  In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at

www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

.

FAC Prevails in Lawsuit Against Bakersfield Over Open Meetings, Records Violations

The First Amendment Coalition has

prevailed

in a lawsuit against the city of Bakersfield, with a judge ruling that the city council violated open-government laws when it held three closed-door sessions to discuss city finances and then refused to release public records related to those meetings.

The ruling, a complete victory for FAC and Californians Aware, which sued to enforce California\’s open-meetings and open-records laws, requires the city to turn over records, record any future closed-door sessions for a year as a preventative measure and pay attorney fees associated with the lawsuit.

FAC and CalAware

filed suit

in 2017 under the Ralph M. Brown Act and the California Public Records Act after learning the council held three closed-door sessions from July through September of that year to discuss city finances and a proposed sales tax increase, eventually placed on the ballot as Measure N and passed by voters.

The lawsuit brought to light damning emails from staff to council members showing that city leaders discussed in secret fundamental issues of city governance, including revenue, staffing and taxation. The city defended the closed-door sessions by saying discussions involved anticipated litigation, and therefore were exempt from the Brown Act\’s public meeting requirements.

Kern County Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuett rejected that argument. \”To permit the City Council to use this exception as a subterfuge to allow the discussion of the City’s critical budget issues, the potential solutions to those issues, impacts on City revenues, and potential staff layoffs and curtailing of services would allow the exception created by section

54956.9

to swallow the rule,\” the judge said in his 16-page ruling issued on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

\”The City Council shut the public out of crucial discussions on exactly the kinds of topics California law requires be discussed in full public view,\” said FAC Executive Director David Snyder. \”Bakersfield refused for two years to back down from its position that it was entitled to this extraordinary secrecy. They were wrong, and we are grateful Judge Schuett has set them straight.\”

In ordering the city to record its closed-door sessions for a year, Judge Schuett said the city \”has demonstrated a pattern of past conduct that indicates the existence of potential future violations.\”

He added: \”Moreover, the City has been adamant that it has not violated the Brown Act by considering these issues in closed session. In light of that, the Court may presume that the City will continue similar practices absent the court\’s intervention.\”

Attorney Kelly Aviles of Los Angeles is representing both FAC and CalAware in the case.

Read the full ruling

JEROME BY DAVE WOLFE

Related:

ARTIST Dave Wolfe

Vol. 6 No. 29 (Jan. 12, 2019)

Editor\’s Note: Each Sunday morning we post a weekly comic strip provided by cartoonist Dave Wolfe. Dave has been drawing since he was 5 years old, he knew he wanted to be a cartoonist at the age of 8. He’s been distributing his comics in school since 3rd grade. (click image to enlarge)