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| Subject: Statist criminals: poLICE unions across California intimidate political opponents into silence Sun Dec 14, 2014 12:49 am | |
| How far will cop unions go to halt reform? Union law firm's 'candidate researchers' face felony charges for Costa Mesa incident
The arrest this week of two ex-cop private investigators — charged with felonies related to their alleged attempt to frame a Costa Mesa city councilman for a false DUI — is about more than the disturbing tactics of two hired guns. It offers insight into the way some police unions across California intimidate political opponents into silence. This ugly story starts in 2012. Councilmen Jim Righeimer, Stephen Mensinger and Gary Monahan were loathed by the city’s police union because of their efforts to reduce pension liabilities and outsource services. Costa Mesa had become Ground Zero in our state’s battle over reform, drawing protests reminiscent of the fracas between Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and unions at the capitol in Madison. A political dispute is one thing, but on August 22 of that year it turned into something the Orange County District Attorney says is a serious criminal matter. Righeimer left a council meeting and met with Monahan at the latter’s restaurant and bar, drank a couple diet sodas and left. Righeimer got home and went inside his house — but soon had police knocking on his door, asking him to step outside for a DUI test. He was detained for a while, but wasn’t drunk. The police action was prompted by private investigators Chris Lanzillo and Scott Impola, who were working for a law firm that represented more than 120 police unions across California. This included the Costa Mesa Police Officers Association, which retained it to do “candidate research.” The two men tracked Righeimer to the bar and then Lanzillo is accused of calling 911 and reporting that a man stumbled out of the bar and was possibly drunk — and gave a description of Righeimer’s car. It seemed like a set up designed to destroy his political career. The episode so outraged Righeimer and Mensinger that they filed a civil lawsuit against the union, law firm (Lackie, Dammeier, McGill & Ethir of Upland) and Lanzillo.
More: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/12/police-unions-alleged-intimidation-arrest-reformer/ _________________ Anarcho-Capitalist, AnCaps Forum, Ancapolis, OZschwitz Contraband “The state calls its own violence law, but that of the individual, crime.”-- Max Stirner "Remember: Evil exists because good men don't kill the government officials committing it." -- Kurt Hofmann |
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