Bankruptcy Reverberates Throughout

Orange County judges were recently removed from all cases where county officials are facing charges related to the bankruptcy. The presiding judge does not want even the appearance of bias due to the bankruptcy’s direct effect on the court system.

This was the most diverse grand jury in our county’s history. The Superior Court encouraged diversity and actively sought a diverse representation that cut against the often heard criticism of “the same old retired folks.” We had been stung by prior criticism and the threat of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission investigating our county. The judges, with the assistance of the members of the 1993-1994 Grand Jurors Special Issue Committee, responded with enthusiasm and dedication in seeking a cross-section of the community to serve on this past grand jury. We started with 157 applicants, almost double the normal number, and screened these to 90 applicants. Each of these were personally interviewed by a judge from our grand jury committee of 18 judges. The final group of 30 was finally selected based on diversity, geographical representation of the county, and their outstanding backgrounds. From this group, 19 were selected at random to serve.

This grand jury was courageous and independent. They struggled with issues that no grand jury had ever dealt with. They extended their service an additional six months, serving for 18 months. Each of these grand jurors took time from their families and loved ones to be of the best service they could to a county in desperate times.

The citizens of Orange County should be proud of the grand jury and their efforts and personal sacrifice on our behalf. We will continue to be diligent in seeking to avoid both actual conflicts as well as the appearance of conflicts in the grand jury selection process, and hope to approach perfection in a confusing and imperfect world. This bankruptcy is as complex as any issue in the courts of America and the outgoing grand jury struggled against great obstacles. These folks deserve our thanks for their efforts.

DAVID O. CARTER

Supervising Judge

of the Criminal Panel

Orange County Superior Court

* Where is the accountability?

The Jan. 16 front page informs us that the Securities and Exchange Commission is not going to file any criminal charges against former Treasurer Robert Citron, former Assistant Treasurer Matthew Raabe or any of the Orange County supervisors responsible for the bankruptcy of Orange County. After closely following The Times’ series on the grand jury transcripts, it is clear to me that willful criminal conduct was rampant among all those involved. The “consent decree” the SEC is asking for is not even a slap on the wrist. No admission of wrongdoing, only a “promise not to do anything wrong in the future.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t public officers already required to follow the law? Looking at the SEC’s lack of criminal charges, apparently not.

Your Jan. 16 editorial applauds the recommendation of the state judicial panel to publicly censure Orange County Municipal Judge Claude Whitney. Whitney systematically denied defendants their constitutionally mandated due process. I say the panel didn’t go far enough. This man does not belong on the bench. To allow him to continue to sit on the bench defies logic. This man, who is in charge of upholding the Constitution, has demonstrated his contempt for it, as demonstrated by dozens of complaints and the public defender’s own 325-page complaint.

It’s no wonder crime is rampant in this state. Our children grow up seeing that men in positions of power are not held accountable for their actions. Naturally they believe they won’t be held accountable either.

MARK CLINTSMAN

Placentia

* I am outraged by the directors of the Orange County Transportation Authority electing William G. Steiner chairman. He has shown his leadership as a member of the Board of Supervisors in the Orange County bankruptcy, and it stinks. He and others like him in Orange County politics and positions of authority have created this horrible mess that the taxpayers will pay for for years to come. He has demonstrated his arrogance, ineptness and complete disregard for the taxpayer, and his ability to corrupt for political gain and then claim ignorance. Civil action is too weak for him; criminal neglect or just plain criminal charges should be filed against him. Now OCTA rewards him with chairmanship. Will he bankrupt the OCTA next?

W.E. SCHIESSL

Anaheim

* Surely the county’s bankruptcy action has only thrown a clear light on conditions which must have existed before. It can’t be only since the debacle that our civic affairs are handled by a cadre of officials who enjoy the power and perks of office while they stumble and fumble from one crisis to another. There are so many prime examples.

Correct me if I misunderstood this: One of our civic bodies is now in the process of reapproving a toll road bypass which they oppose but which they previously approved because disapproval would have meant the loss of federal funds. Read that again, slowly!

Then there’s the wondrous ongoing controversy over the establishment of a commercial airport at a closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Our officials put the decision up to the voters with Measure A. But when the voters approved the airport, the officials are telling them: “That isn’t the way we wanted you to decide. But we’ll give you another shot at it, with Measure S.”

If the officials didn’t want the voters to make the decision, they should not have asked them. Then, too, I resent the implication that because I voted in favor of the airport I am either hopelessly naive or slightly retarded. I am not either one. I am reasonably intelligent, and I was not misled nor misguided. I voted in favor of the airport for what I consider to be sound and sensible reasons. I fully intend to vote that way again in March. And if the other side should prevail, I won’t (though I’ll be sorely tempted!) suggest that we make it two out of three.

ALLYN M. SUFFERS

Irvine