Archive for December 17th, 2021

You’re going down in flames, you tax-fattened hyena! (#77 in a series)

Friday, December 17th, 2021

This is a couple days old, but I missed it. Hattip to Mike the Musicologist.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith was formally accused of “willful and corrupt misconduct” by a civil grand jury that had investigated the embattled official.

…

Court documents filed Tuesday revealed that jurors accused Smith of seven corruption-related acts, including favoritism and improperly issuing concealed-carry weapons permits.

…

Six involve ongoing criminal indictments alleging Smith engaged in political favoritism and traded favors by leveraging her control over issuing concealed-carry weapons permits.
The seventh accuses her of failing to cooperate with the county law-enforcement auditor in an investigation into negligence allegations stemming from a 2018 jail inmate’s injury that led to a $10 million county settlement, the Mercury News reported.

The articles I’ve read don’t say, but I’m 99 44/100ths percent sure that this is related to the Apple scandal that I wrote about a while back.

Now, I am not a lawyer, I am not a California lawyer, and I am especially not Perry Mason. (They renewed that crap for a second season? What is wrong with people?)

But, as I understand it, the “civil grand jury” indictments are not criminal. The “civil grand jury” in California is chartered to investigate “actions or performance of city, county agencies or public officials.”

The jurisdiction of the Civil Grand Jury is limited by statute and includes the following:

  • Consideration of evidence of misconduct against public officials to determine whether to present formal accusations requesting their removal from office
  • Inquiry into the condition and management of public prisons within the county
  • Investigation and report on the operations, accounts, and records of the officers, departments, or functions of the county including those operations, accounts, and records of any special legislative district or other district in the county pursuant to state law for which the officers of the county are serving in their ex officio capacity as officers of the districts
  • May investigate the books and records of any incorporated city or joint powers agency located in the county

So this isn’t the equivalent of criminal charges, but it is a grand jury saying “We think you’re corrupt as fark”.

It also has the authority to launch the process of removing an elected official from office. Accusations can be taken to trial by district attorneys.

More from KRON4:

Count 1: Illegally issuing concealed carry weapon permits (CCW) to VIP’s
Count 2: Failing to properly investigate whether non-VIP’s should receive CCW permits
Count 3: Keeping non-VIP CCW applications pending indefinitely
Count 4: Illegally accepting suite tickets, food, and drinks at Sharks game
Count 5: Failing to report Sharks game gifts on financial documents
Count 6: Committing perjury by failing to disclose Sharks game gifts
Count 7: Failing to cooperate with internal affairs investigation surrounding treatment of Andrew Hogan

Posted in Apple, California Über Alles, Guns, IANAL, Law, Politics | 1 Comment »

Where do we get such men?

Friday, December 17th, 2021

I briefly touched the other day on the story of Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on Thursday.

Sgt. Cashe was one of three soldiers who received the Medal of Honor that day. Task and Purpose has a good profile of all three men.

The other two are Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz (who received the medal posthumously, along with Sgt. Cashe), and Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee (who is still alive, and currently serving with the US Army).

Posted in Heroism, History | Comments Closed

Obit watch: December 17, 2021.

Friday, December 17th, 2021

John Mueller, one of the great Texas barbecue guys. He was only 52.

Mueller grew up working for his father, the late Bobby Mueller, at family patriarch Louie Mueller’s barbecue restaurant in Taylor, bussing tables from the age of 8, according to his sister and La Barbecue owner, LeAnn Mueller, and eventually learning how to smoke and slice meat at his father’s side.

…

Mueller built his reputation on sturdy but supple brisket cooked hot and fast, gargantuan beef ribs with a soft side that belied their imposing stature, and a mercurial personality that often burned with the same intensity as his off-set smoker.
Franklin Barbecue owner Aaron Franklin worked briefly for Mueller in 2006, cutting onions and helping with other prep work, and says that the Taylor native had a talent that could not be taught.
“He spent all those years hanging out in Taylor learning from his dad. The guy really just had such a natural gift for cooking barbecue,” Franklin said. “I’d be surprised if there was anyone else in the world who has cooked more briskets than that guy.”

…

Mueller would play up the caricature of “the dark prince of Texas barbecue,” a moniker bestowed on him by Texas Monthly, later in life, blending barbs with banter that made him an unpredictable if entertaining presence at his businesses.
But despite his love for giving people grief and straddling the line between famous and infamous, Mueller at his heart was a classic Central Texas barbecue man who took the lessons from his father and then burned his own path through the barbecue scene.

…

John Lewis worked briefly for Mueller at his South First trailer before going to serve as pit boss at La Barbecue. Lewis, who now runs the lauded Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, S.C., says that despite his reputation as an ornery cuss, Mueller could be an affable guy who loved to share a laugh.
“He was a really, really kind guy. He had a huge heart and I didn’t really get to know that until we worked side by side,” Lewis said. “He would act really tough but the next second he is goofing on you. He had a great sense of humor.”

Additional coverage from the Dallas Morning News (by way of archive.is).

Edited to add 12/18: Texas Monthly tribute.

(Crossposted to The Logbook of the Saturday Dining Conspiracy.)

Posted in Beef, Food | Comments Closed