In April 2009 Patrick Fitzgerald, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, addressed the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs on the topic of public service and public corruption. I put up a post summarizing some of his comments. I also contacted the Evans School and asked if it would consider making a video of both Mr. Fitzgerald’s comments and the panel discussion available. Today I received an email from the Evans School of Public Affairs letting me know the video has been posted online. Here is a link to the Evans School’s website with the two-part video embedded.
Honest and concerned citizens, but especially students, should listen very carefully to Mr. Fitzgerald’s and the panelists’ comments. Take them to heart. Public corruption is corrosive, and it will continue as long as the public is willing to tolerate it.
If you’re one of the many people who just can’t believe anyone in Coeur d’Alene or Kootenai County would prey on their fellow citizens by corrupting our public officials, or if you’re one of the people who really doesn’t see anything wrong with local officials exploiting their public positions for personal gain, you are part of the problem of public corruption in our community. If you are willing to tolerate it, you are no better than the criminals doing it.
Well, Bill – I am not one of those people. I know it is there. And, like I have said before it has infected our judicial system, so the hopes of ever getting it under control here has some of us left without hope. It’s not that I am willing to tolerate it – it’s more like I don’t have any choice.
I made a request to photograph a legal case in Bonner County so that I could prove the tattered way it was sealed and it’s potential to lose integrity because of so many loose papers that had privacy protected information in them. I also contacted the Supreme Court and talked with Michael Henderson, who I am sure contacted those folks to get it sealed properly because when I went up to Bonner County and took photos the case was renewed in a new jacket, however they failed to allow me to take photos of the tape recordings because they could not find them. I had recently seen them a few months prior with the Trial Court Administator, Karlene Behringer so I know they exist – this was part of my attempt – not to mention two pro se lawsuits to correctly seal this particular case. My concern at that time was no one knew where the tapes (judicial recordings) of the case were so they told me to call back later and I agreed to photograph the paper records at that time. My concern was that some of it is still loose, but the judge says she does not have to seal those portions in the manila envelopes like the other parts. Why, I have no idea – probably because she wants those pieces open? Maybe.
Also, I saw a clerk take portions out of the case right in front of me and the trial court administrator judge, because she said they should not be there. I told the clerk I had copies of what she was removing and she said something like, “Well, you are not supposed to have it.” I see this as record tampering right in front of my face and for God’s sake, our own Trial Court Administrator Judge – who sits on all the same judicial committees with the Supreme Court. She is Kootenai County.
I gave them (Bonner) plenty of time and today I received a voice message that my request to inspect/photograph the tapes was denied by the judge – Judge Buchanan. I was told by the baliff in charge of the request that it would take too much time and effort to gather the tapes for a photograph when they know the tapes exist – even though I have the legal right to inspect the case.
So, is it unrealistic to think that they are no longer there? I recently filed a judicial complaint against two judges in Bonner County, Judge Heise and Judge Buchanan and a few other folks who have serious judicial connections.
Additionally, Jodi Jue (Idaho Supreme Court legal assistant) no longer will respond to my email requests and send me the judicial committee minutes. Really, I don’t get it – why is it such a big deal to send citizens records of minutes or request that legal cases be properly handled?
Any suggestions or ideas or am I pretty much done?
Comment by Stebbijo — July 1, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
Interesting, I just checked my email. It’s all timing. Here is an email from Patti Tobias. It reads kind of interesting, don’t you think?
Comment by Stebbijo — July 1, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
Thank you Bill for this educational tool for prying open the closed doors of some public offices and exposing what may be hiding what is really going on in government. I always appreciate the way you go into a topic and uncover what really matters.
Comment by Gary Ingram — July 1, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
Stebbijo,
You’re fighting an uphill battle, but you already know that. First, this is Idaho — certainly not the bastion of judicial integrity if the behavior of some of our local judges is any indication. Second, the wagons have been circled, and you’re outside the circle. Third, you know better than anyone that neither the Cowles nor the Hagadone newspapers are going to touch this with a ten foot sewer tape. Their financial interests in the region dictate whom they owe and own.
Comment by Bill — July 2, 2009 @ 7:15 am
Gary,
Thanks. People needed to hear a prominent US Attorney, Fitzgerald, say that it’s just not enough for citizens to excuse their own inaction by saying, “It the feds’ job.” He very articulately pointed out that bad public behavior may not always be prosecutable, but it will always be bad public behavior. He also did a good job explaining why the USAs simply cannot take every case that comes their way even when it involves obviously illegal conduct by public officials.
Comment by Bill — July 2, 2009 @ 7:25 am