Greg and Cheryl Cox both play the "look the other way while our lawyers do the dirty work" game

The San Diego Union Tribune hides the wrondoing of public officials it likes. But the SDUT did give a perfect description of how those officials go about their business in the first paragraph of an article on April 22, 2007:

"San Diego County Officials aren't actively helping the Chargers find a new stadium site--they met only once with team representatives last year--yet since September they've paid $109,787 to two consultants who specialize in stadium deals."

The SDUT article goes on to note that a "one-hour phone call at a cost of $585" was part of the bill for something the county supervisors pretend NOT to be working on.

Gee whiz, you don't think Greg Cox and the all-Republican board of supervisors is trying to steer a stadium deal to Chula Vista, where his wife is mayor, do you? These consultants, who cost an average of $506 per hour, won't steer the Chargers away from cities with Democratic mayors, will they? Well, if they do, it's probably good for the Democrats. The Chargers have a tendency to drain money from any city that builds them a stadium.

San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox pays public money to lawyers to get him what he wants, but pretends he himself is not involved. This is exactly how his wife, Cheryl Cox, operated in Chula Vista Elementary School District with her lawyers
Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz.

The Cox Collaborative sets up lawyers with an assignment, then continues to channel public money to those lawyers while looking the other way. A public employee is appointed as go-between so that the Coxes don't have to communicate directly with the lawyers. They can claim ignorance of all the dirty deeds--unless someone actually provides the Coxes with the proof of the misdeeds.

The Coxes were provided with proof that Daniel Shinoff and Kelly Angell (AKA Minnehan) obstructed justice and suborned perjury on Cheryl Cox's behalf. Rather than investigate, Cheryl Cox said that the lawyers had told her not to talk about the matter.

Cute little scheme, isn't it? Greg and Cheryl aren't as dumb as they pretend to be. They are, however, every bit as secretive and dishonest as they appear to be.

Cheryl Cox and her posse should repay Chula Vista Elementary School District

Cheryl Cox collected about $30,000 for approving the wrongdoing of the CVESD board for six years.

Cox kept her mouth shut about serious illegal actions, faithfully bowing to the wishes of the board majority comprised of Patrick Judd, Pamela Smith, and Larry Cunningham, even when the law required her to do otherwise. Cox proved herself to be unfailingly loyal to developers and political operatives. Then she collected her reward. She's now mayor of Chula Vista.

Here's my suggestion, Cheryl. You harmed the children of Chula Vista with your loyalty to the politically powerful. Don't you feel even a little guilt that you walked over those kids to get where you are now? If you do, why not return the money you were paid as their trustee? While you're at it, why not ask Judd, Smith, Cunningham and Bertha Lopez to return their ill-gotten gains, also? Judd and Smith must have collected well over $100,000 between them. Perhaps they could hire someone to teach the employees of CVESD about their obligations under the law, and their obligations to the children of those who pay their salaries.

Abuse of power and public money in Chula Vista since Cheryl Cox took office

Citizens are starting to notice that Chula Vista has been giving away money to Cheryl Cox's friends since Cox became mayor. At the same time, Cheryl Cox's camp is abusing its power (which includes the power to get Bonnie Dumanis to engage in bizarre attacks on Cox's political opponents). All this from someone who campaigned on the issues of CHARACTER and FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

ELVA GIBSON writes (San Diego Union Tribune letters April 7, 2007):

Regarding “Ex-mayoral aide pleads not guilty to perjury in 'political dirty trick' ” (Our Region, April 3):

Am I the only one confused by the article about an unemployed former Chula Vista mayoral aide who has been charged with five felony counts of perjury that could land him in prison? Jason Moore's attorney said this investigation is over whether his client turned in a leave slip before or after the photography incident occurred back in August.

He also said that at no point did the incident being investigated cost taxpayers a penny. I think there clearly is a waste of taxpayers' dollars – specifically, the cost of a six-month investigation about when a time card was turned in. And if there is a conviction, what will be the cost to incarcerate Moore? Isn't a time-card question an issue for Chula Vista's Human Resources Department? Or is it too busy giving golden handshake checks to former city management?

One just has to read the articles about the recent sweetheart deal Chula Vista gave to one of its former employees being investigated over conflict of interest. Let's see, one ex-employee gets a $155,000 payout and annual benefits of nearly $30,000. The other? Well, he gets five felony counts.

I guess the lesson to be learned is that if you are being investigated you should get three high-powered attorneys, and you'll land safely, thanks to a generous golden parachute. Sad.

ELVA GIBSON
San Diego