Rackauckas Critics Are Not in Charitable Mood

Re “Orange County D.A. Will Close Foundation,” Dec. 15.

What has become of our district attorney’s office? Official comment from the Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas’ spin team, after the attorney general found financial improprieties, was that they were glad the attorney general didn’t file criminal charges against Rackauckas regarding his financially mismanaged “foundation.” Further, news accounts reported that courts would supervise the disbursal of funds in the questionable “charity” now that Rackauckas is forced to close it down under threat of investigation.

Did I just awaken from a dream and find myself in some banana republic? Add this foundation debacle to the now long list of humiliating and apparently corrupt incidents in our once clean and proud district attorney’s office. I can’t wait until the election.

Christopher J. Evans

Former senior assistant district attorney San Clemente

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The district attorney is the man we put in charge of assigning personal responsibility to those who break the law. Why can’t he take responsibility for his own actions instead of blaming everyone else?

When the prosecutors in his own office recently endorsed his opponent for reelection, he blamed them for being wimps because he’s a “tough boss.” When he protected his pal George Argyros, whose apartment management company was accused of ripping off minority tenants, he blamed his investigators and deputies.

Now that the attorney general has found his foundation to be a sham and is forcing him to shut it down, he blames the people who reported this fraud to law enforcement. For Rackauckas, it’s everybody else’s fault.

Sandra Confalone

San Juan Capistrano

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Your story said the attorney general found that Rackauckas’ private “charitable foundation” had mismanaged its assets. The district attorney in turn said he was pleased the attorney general had found no criminal wrongdoing.

Did I miss something here? Is the statement Rackauckas is pleased that no criminal charges were filed supposed to make me feel like everything is OK in the district attorney’s office?

Am I supposed to ignore his own deputy district attorneys who turned him in and later endorsed his opponent in the upcoming election? The people of Orange County should expect more from their chief law enforcement officer.

Bette S. Hamilton

Dana Point

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Orange County is the fraud capital of California--phony oil projects, stock deals and, worst of all after Sept. 11, phony charities.

Now we find out that out district attorney was himself running a phony charity.

Isn’t he supposed to be the one enforcing the law that protects victims from sleazy con artists?

This sure doesn’t make me proud to be an Orange Countian.

Bernard Recinella Laguna Niguel