http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-gurwitz2nov02,1,364907.story?coll=la-news-comment
The allegations in the indictment are shocking:eek:. They chronicle the wholesale abuse of office -- for political and financial gain -- by Carona, his wife, his alleged mistress Debra V. Hoffman, former assistant sheriffs George Jaramillo and Donald Haidl and longtime friend Joseph Cavallo. Court documents show that Jaramillo and Haidl already have pleaded guilty in this case.

The indictment was no surprise to those who follow Orange County politics. Numerous allegations of misconduct against Carona have been publicized since his first term in office, which began in 1999. Rumors of a federal grand jury investigation have been circulating for more than a year. And Jaramillo and Cavallo were recently convicted in state court for their roles in other felonies relating to the operation of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. (Full disclosure: I was a prosecutor in those cases and in a rape case against Haidl's son, Gregory. Federal prosecutors have alleged that Carona unlawfully interfered with the prosecution of the rape case.)

Carona told reporters that he wants to remain at the helm of his department "because I love the job and I do a good job" and because "I have committed no criminal acts." Carona's love for the job and his opinion that he does it well are inconsequential. The public's confidence in the integrity of California's second-largest sheriff's department takes precedence over his job satisfaction. The Board of Supervisors could easily fill a vacancy from among numerous candidates who would also love the job and who have distinguished law enforcement careers untainted by corruption allegations.

And Carona's suggestion that he is entitled to hold office unless and until he is convicted also misses the mark. The sheriff is presumed innocent. But the Constitution does not prevent the public from demanding that their sheriff be a leader of unquestioned integrity, rather than a criminal defendant who faces up to 105 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Within hours of the unsealing of the indictment, Carona's attorneys and advisors staged a media event. Members of the news media were individually invited into a room as he gave prepared statements. But he refused to answer any specific questions about the charges. This was not surprising, but it is also intolerable. Carona has a right to remain silent, but the public should not entrust him with an annual budget of almost half a billion dollars and the command of nearly 4,000 employees while he refuses to publicly and thoroughly answer the charges.

If any of Carona's employees were indicted for work-related felony misconduct, they would be suspended immediately -- or, at the very least, put on leave. Sadly, Carona feels no duty to hold himself to the same standard. It is therefore disappointing that during the 48 hours after Carona's indictment, only one member of the Board of Supervisors -- John Moorlach -- called for his resignation.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation_world/20071031_ap_corruptionchargesdogocsheriff.html
Prosecutors accuse Carona and others of collecting $350,000 in everything from payments, loans, a boat, vacation expenses, watches, ringside boxing tickets and luxury box seats to the World Series playoffs.

Also charged are his wife and his alleged mistress, who is an attorney; both appeared in handcuffs with Carona on Wednesday.

Two former assistant sheriffs already pleaded guilty to lesser counts in exchange for their help building a case against Carona.

Carona, who has vowed to remain in office, was held in a cell several hours before he was released later on $20,000 bond. He and his wife held hands as they raced to a waiting SUV and sped off without comment.

He has turned over his passport, but the magistrate denied a prosecution request to confiscate his firearm.

Steward maintained that federal authorities could have allowed his client to avoid being detained in a cell and appearing in court with handcuffs, but they chose not to for symbolic reasons.