Yolo County

Last week the Vanguard broke the news that a Yolo County District Attorney Investigator Randy Skaggs has filed a lawsuit against Yolo County, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, DA Jeff Reisig and Chief District Attorney Investigator Pete Martin for among other things a violation of right to privacy and whistle-blower retaliation.

The key charge was a breach of privacy related to a personnel investigation and the allegation that the DA’s office had initiated this investigation in retaliation for Mr. Skaggs’ involvement in whistle-blowing in a case where he believed the DA’s office had failed to turn over exculpatory evidence.

A new newspaper entity is needed in Woodland for the sake of upholding the honor of journalism. If this opinion piece is even printed in the Daily Democrat, the first new service to which I would have submitted this piece, it can be said that our lone Woodland newspaper still upholds some of the sacred duties that come with the territory.

It is very clear that local politicians can easily become interconnected with other politicians for the sake of re-elections. This process becomes rather vulgar when convictions and ideals are ignored for the sake of political endorsements and alliances. This is already evident in Woodland. Political parties are blurred, almost indistinguishable-only one political party really exists, the party of the opportunist. It is no surprise that this sacred covenant has attracted much attention. Recently, the Yolo District Attorney was sued for obstruction of justice; a multi-layer allegation. What this means is that corruption, if at the highest point of Yolo County authority, is most likely also in small areas within the subordinate ranks. Sheriff Ed Prieto is no rookie to allegations of mismanagement, just recently he fired a sheriffs deputy for killing a dog.

What was billed as a mass demonstration on Saturday evening starting at Freeman Park and culminating at the County Court house, spilled into a general protest against District Attorney Jeff Reisig’s abuse of power.

At least 200 people and as many as 300 showed up on a Saturday night in Woodland with the County Fair in full swing.  They boisterously but peacefully exercised their First Amendment rights to protest against their government.

It seems like not long ago, I was sitting down and handicapping the races for 2010 and the general conclusion was that District Attorney Jeff Reisig would probably escape without serious challenge.  It seemed he built up enough protection and that no one would be particularly eager to challenge him.  The sense is at this point however that Mr. Reisig is much more vulnerable than one might think and a credible challenger could emerge with a good shot of knocking him off.

In 2006, Jeff Reisig earned the support of the outgoing District Attorney David Henderson and along with him nearly the entire DA’s office, the entire law enforcement establishment, and most of the political establishment.  Indeed, if you looked at the list of endorsements alone, you would assume that Reisig would win in a landslide.  And yet, it was a hard and at times bitterly fought race against fellow Deputy DA Pat Lenzi.  It was a race marked by outright lies and distortions of Ms. Lenzi’s record.  But it was a race that came down to a very narrow victory for Mr. Reisig.

Yolo County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Randy Skaggs has filed a lawsuit against Yolo County, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, DA Jeff Reisig and Chief District Attorney Investigator Pete Martin for among other things a violation of right to privacy and whistle-blower retaliation.

In September of 2008, Mr. Skaggs, a ten year veteran DA Investigator was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an administrative inquiry into allegations of misconduct.  Details of the discipline case were then disclosed to Dave Markss, Chief DA Investigator for Colusa County’s DA’s Office who sent the details of the conversation to no less than thirteen other Chief District Attorney Investigators.

The Vanguard began in July of 2006, a little over a month after District Attorney Jeff Reisig was elected in a tightly battled and hotly contested race with fellow Deputy DA Pat Lenzi.  He took office in January of 2007.  Both before and since that time rarely a week or month does not go by without hearing a complaint about Yolo County justice and the legal system.  And yet, clearly that sentiment does not go very deep because of right now the smart money is that Mr. Reisig will not face a serious challenger in 2010.

A lot can change between now and the end of the year when someone would have to file to run against him.  Indeed there are some surprise bombshells that are being held just beneath the surface at this point, that if they saw the light of day could change entire calculations.  But that will depend on many factors outside of anyone’s control and it’s not even clear that anyone is waiting in the wings to take advantage, should such an opportunity arise.

A crowd nearing 100 people, mainly family and friends of Ajay Dev, a Davis man who was sentenced to 378 years last week for the rape and sexual assault of his adopted teenage daughter.

Superior Court Judge Timothy L. Fall sentenced Ajay Kumar Dev, 42, for his multiple count conviction of the serial molest and rape of his adopted daughter, which allegedly occurred between January 1999 and December 2004.

The group Save Rural Yolo County has been fighting hard to prevent a proposed re-entry facility in Madison.  It appears that the economy has won out on the issue.  On Tuesday, they won a major victory when the Yolo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to revoke the county’s agreement to build the facility.

Mike McGowan, who is the current chair of the Board of Supervisors denies that Save Rural Yolo County’s political pressure and lawsuit was a major factor in the board’s decision.