We rarely read past Page Four of the Orange County Register's front page, since anything beyond that is usually Macy's ads and rehashed Associated Press or Reuters blurbs. Indeed, we didn't read past page four this morning until an eagle-eyed reader (gracias, amigo) alerted us to a full-page ad taken out by a group calling themselves "Friends of Msgr. John." The ad in question was an "Open Letter in Support of Msgr. John Urell," the priest who for years handled sex-abuse complaints in the Cathol
The "Friends of Monsignor John," a support group for embattled Diocese of Orange Monsignor John Urell that counts as members OC Blog founder Matt "Jubal" Cunningham and Rancho Santiago Community College District board president John Hanna, claim they care about sex-abuse victims. Indeed, a page on their website asks readers to "Please pray for these young women [who recently settled civil suits against the Orange diocese], for their healing, their serenity and that their hearts will always remai
It's hard to argue against survivors of Catholic sex abuse when the subject is the church's sex-abuse scandal, yet that's what Rancho Santiago Community College District board president John Hanna must do this afternoon. You'll recall that last week, the spin-friendly group Friends of Monsignor John posted an unredacted version of John Urell's July deposition in which the names of six molestation victims of Orange diocese priests and lay workers were revealed without their permission. Hanna is t
Go visit the website of the Friends of Monsignor John, the brave individuals who sought to publicly support the Catholic Diocese of Orange's longtime point man in its horrendous sex-abuse scandal. Notice anything different? Notice there are no more comments, deleted or otherwise? Notice there are no more depositions, redacted or otherwise? Notice there isn't even the text of the group's full-page ad in the Orange County Register from last week? Granted, websites constantly evolve, but the Friend
Yet Another USC Criminal: Laguna Beach billionaire Igor Olenicoff has pleaded guilty in a massive tax fraud scheme involving $346 million and Bahama bank accounts. A product of USC after fleeing the Soviet Union and Iran, Olenicoff lied to the IRS about the existence of the off shore accounts. He’ll have to pay back taxes and penalties of more than $52 million. He also faces up to three years in a federal prison, although I bet it’s a couple of months if at all.
Footnote: Igor and his wif
Rep. Laura Richardson (inset), Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Rep. Ed Royce, together at last.If the goal of a press conference is to produce a "big announcement" that makes news and warrants coverage--the usual reason one calls a press conference in the first place--then the Iran Supporters Network failed Friday evening at Irvine City Hall. But if the idea was to bring local politicians, community leaders and the Iranian American community together, engage in some spirited preach
