| Update June 27, 2006 After protracted efforts, I have obtained a handful of public records. The documents I received do not contain language explaining SDCOE's expenditures in defense of wrongdoing by its lawyers. In fact, the documents contain language to the contrary. How then, and why, do these lawyers get SDCOE to help them avoid responsibility for wrongdoing? SDCOE JPA Director Diane Crosier and her close associates at the JPA have arbitrary power over which lawyers are approved for the panel of defense attorneys. Clearly, Ms. Crosier and these lawyers have an understanding that when they violate the law, SDCOE-JPA and the school districts it insures will support and defend these lawyers with taxpayer dollars and the power and prestige of the public entity. Proof of Indemnification |
| No one would pay to defend his lawyer for wrongdoing, unless the lawyer had been doing what the client wanted. |
| Click on links below to see court documents of case in which Chula Vista Elementary School District defended its outside lawyers for obstruction of justice. |
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| Kelly's Cover-up In this June 22, 2006 letter, Kelly Minnehan (aka Kelly Angell) denies that any contract for legal services exists between SDCOE and Randall Winet or his law firm. How then can she explain the letter from Randall Winet to Maura Larkins? |
| What is the evidence that Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz was indemnified by SDCOE JPA? |
| Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008 Maura Larkins' San Diego Education Report. All Rights Reserved. |
| Note about February 2006 SDCOE meeting ethics in government, board Mesa Spring Valley School District Mesa Spring Valley School District applied for Dronenburg's position. applied for Dronenburg's position. Mr. Winet has a conflict of interest which he did not reveal, but every member of the board was fully aware of it. Winet's brother, Randall Winet, is a lawyer for the SDCOE JPA. Rick Winet can be trusted to keep the public's dollars flowing to his family and others who have control of the SDCOE JPA. Or at least I think he can. Am I right or wrong, Mr. Winet? SDCOE board member Bob Watkins also showed contempt for ethics in government by nominating Mr. Winet. The rest of the board did not go along with Mr. Watkins, who clearly wants to maintain the status quo at the JPA, including the indemnification of lawyers. Sharon Jones, also a board member of the La Mesa Spring Valley School District, was a MUCH BETTER CHOICE TO REPLACE MR. DRONENBURG. Mr. Dronenburg united the community of District 3, and SHARON JONES is an ideal replacement for him. Board member Bob Watkins broke protocol to interrupt Maura Larkins in the middle of her speech. All speeches had a strict five-minute time limit which was enforced for everyone except Bob Watkins' pal Rick Winet, who went over his time limit to REPEAT the names of those who had endorsed him. He had already announced those names at the beginning of his speech! Mr. Winet is clearly a person who thinks that rules don't apply to him. |
| I'd like to remind the board that you are directly responsible for hiring the chief administrator of the SDCOE-JPA, or Joint Powers Authority. For anyone who isn't familiar with the Joint Powers Authority, it is basically an insurance company which is operated by both the San Diego County Office of Education and a private insurance company. Local school districts buy their liability insurance from the JPA. I have one question for the board: How can you possibly justify the fact that the JPA indemnifies the outside lawyers that it hires? |
| This is EXACTLY the question that the San Diego Union Tribune asked two-and-a-half years ago, in June of 2003, after it discovered that the deeply corrupt Otay Water District had indemnified its lawyers. |
| Why would a public agency dole out taxpayer dollars to protect outside lawyers for their wrongdoing? |
| Here is a quote from the Union Tribune editorial: represents a public agency, either the law firm indemnifies the agency against bad legal advice or both sides agree that each will be held harmless. "Legal experts say [that indemnification of lawyers] is a far from normal procedure for public agencies. Most lawyers would not ask to be released from liability for advice rendered to a client." The Union Tribune editorial ended with two questions: "(1) ...Why would any client, especially a public agency, supported entirely by [tax] payer dollars, agree to such a deal? "(2) "What kind of legal advice is [a public agency] receiving if its attorneys won't stand behind that advice without indemnity?" I ask you, what is going on here? The JPA is not doing this to benefit taxpayers, or voters, or children. It is doing this to help keep individuals who are guilty of wrongdoing in control of school districts. Until you disavow the practice of indemnifying outside lawyers, I will be left wondering: What can you possibly be thinking? |
| SDCOE should not pay taxpayer dollars to defend those outside lawyers. |
| In January 2006, Maura Larkins applied for Ernest Dronenburg's position on the SDCOE board. On February 6, 2006 she gave the following speech at a special meeting of the SDCOE board: |
| Update: Sharon Jones won 59% of the vote in her June 6, 2006 race against Rick Winet. |
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| The San Diego Union Tribune vehemently criticized public entity lawyers when Otay Water District was sued by a citizen. The water district was defended by the same lawyers that CVESD had to defend: Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz. |
| Indemnifying Lawyers Part 3 Why did a public agency spend taxpayer dollars to protect outside lawyers for their wrongdoing? |
| SDCOE Special Meeting to Select Board Member February 6, 2006 |
| Maura Larkins opposition to improper effort by CVESD to defend Stutz from Obstruction of Justice complaint |
| Maura Larkins opposition to improper effort by CVESD to defend Stutz from Obstruction of Justice complaint |
| San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) |
| Stutz, Artiano Shinoff & Holtz |
