Mike Carona

Less Than a Year Since She Was Appointed Sheriff, Sandra Hutchens Has Made Some Powerful Enemies

Is OC GOP Shill Jon Fleischman Goofy, a Moron and a Shakedown Artist too?

Don Haidl: Is somebody paying that goofy bastard [Jon Fleischman]? Mike Carona: Big bucks. Big bucks. You and I had a difference of opinion on him. I just think he was a moron on his best day, but . . . Well, apparently . . . (Laughs) They're willing to pay morons a lot of money because I was probab ... More >>

Want to Know How the Mike Carona Corruption Trial is Going?

While Jeffrey Rawitz—a high-powered Jones Day defense lawyer for indicted ex-Sheriff Mike Carona—spent the day repeatedly asking already (repeatedly) asked and answered questions of Don Haidl, the government's resilient key witness, a back-row juror I've nicknamed "Sam Drucker" (a character on t ... More >>

Mike Carona Corruption Trial Question of the Day!

In March 2004, what caused then-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona to finally reveal his secret, three-year-old personal financial interest in a company tied to one of his wealthy Newport Beach contributors?  Answer: Days before Carona had fired Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo, who ... More >>

Mike Carona Corruption Trial Quote of the Day!

"Your honor, he should stop right there." --Brian A. Sun, a Jones Day defense lawyer for indicted ex-Sheriff Mike Carona, barked in today's federal court trial after Assistant United States Attorney Brett Sagel called Sun's boneheaded bluff about an alleged sexual relationship between ex-Assistant ... More >>

The Accidental Humor of Mike Carona Corruption Lawyer Brian A. Sun

 Thursday's Mike Carona corruption trial pitted government witness Joe Cavallo, a lawyer who became infamous for his energetic defense of three gang rapists, and Brian A. Sun, a Jones Day lawyer representing indicted ex-Sheriff Mike Carona, a long-time Cavallo pal. How effective was Sun, who has a ... More >>

Quote of the Day in the Mike Carona Corruption Trial

"I'm sure it's memorable." --Sassy defense lawyer Jeffrey Rawitz on a Newport Beach cop's recollections today about Orange County Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo wearing a "Hawaiian shirt" over his uniform while trying to block a 2002 police investigation into the videotaped gang rape of an unc ... More >>

Sheriff Mike Carona Corruption Trial Quote of the Day! Part One

"When are you going to write a positive story about Mike Carona?" --Brian A. Sun, Jones Day defense lawyer for the indicted ex-Orange County sheriff, to me in the hallway at the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse in Santa Ana, California this morning prior to my response: "When I wouldn't have to ... More >>

Sheriff Mike Carona Corruption Trial Quote of the Day! Part Two

"The cover story was that he wasn't there to obtain a blowjob. It was to sign [legal] documents." --Prosecution witness and current Orange County Sheriff's Department employee Sandy Murphy testifying today how Mike Carona and his mistress Debra Hoffman helped devise a lie to mask the assertion that ... More >>

Quotes of the Day in the Mike Carona Corruption Trial

"The reason Mike Carona says he sleeps real well at night up to then is because he's lied and he's cheated and he's gotten away with it. No consequences."--Federal prosecutor Ken Julian in closing argument today remarking on a secret 2007 FBI recording that captured then-Sheriff Carona gloating beca ... More >>

Saint Mike Carona?

"He worked hard for you. He was a tireless worker. He worked all the time. He did great things. He helped at-risk kids and he did so much for the vulnerable people in our community." --Exasperated, red-faced lawyer Jeffrey Rawitz (pictured) wrapping up an eight hour closing argument today in h ... More >>

Mike Carona is Hoping There's a Moron on his Jury

For more than a year, Mike Carona's legal defense team and its sycophants aimed a portion of their wrath at Brett Sagel, the assistant United States attorney and driving force behind the prosecution of the indicted, ex-Orange County sheriff. They've impugned his motives, belittled his experien ... More >>

Mike Carona, the Unrepentant Dirty Ex-Sheriff and Now Elated Convicted Felon!

Should a convicted felon's public refusal to accept responsibility for criminal conduct be a major factor in what punishment a judge ultimately issues? Mike Carona (pictured, momentarily pausing between gloating sessions with the media) should hope not. Why? Today, after a jury found him not guilty ... More >>

Reporter's Radio Roundtable on Mike Carona Trial Today

Along with Orange County Register columnist Frank Mickadeit, I'm appearing today on The OC Show With Cameron Jackson for an hour-long discussion about ex-sheriff Mike Carona, his disgraceful conduct in office, the just-completed trial, crazy jurors and the lapdog local media.You can hear the 5 p.m. ... More >>

This Week in the OC Weekly

In "Cry-Baby" R. Scott Moxley relays how ex-Sheriff Mike Carona used all the weapons in his arsenal to trick the jury in his federal trial, and still lost.And Spencer Kornhaber takes a look at the problems of the Capistrano Unified School Board in "Political Animals." Have they been solved after th ... More >>

OC Register Scoop Paints Ex-Newport Beach Cop Boss As Neanderthal

You know it's painful for me to admit when ex-Sheriff Mike Carona was probably right, but here's one of those moments. While sheriff (and a year before his conviction for attempting to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating police corruption in Orange County), Carona privately described then-Ne ... More >>

Feds: Mike Carona Qualifies for Lengthy Taxpayer-Funded Trip After Miracle!

A federal sentencing official has recommended that ex-Sheriff Mike Carona win an all-expenses-paid 78-month trip to the slammer for his unrepentant corruption while in control of California's second largest police agency.This should come as a surprise to Carona, his defense lawyers and other folks w ... More >>

Carona's Attempt to Nullify Jury's Guilty Verdict Denied

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona Used All the Weapons In His Arsenal to Trick a Jury. He Still Lost

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

[Moxley Confidential] The New Math On How Many Mike Carona Campaign Contributors Got Badges

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

[Moxley Confidential] Top 16 Witnesses for the Prosecution In the Mike Carona Corruption Trial

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

[Moxley Confidential] Mike Carona's Defense Team Accidentally Produce a Rogue-Cop Hero: Don Haidl

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

[Moxley Confidential] The Crooked Sheriff Chuckled: Plot to Thwart Feds' Bribery Probe Amused Carona

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

[Moxley Confidential] Mike Carona Maintained His Smug Mug During Sentencing

Not a good day for CaronaU.S. District Court Judge Andrew J. Guilford today firmly rejected legal efforts by Mike Carona to overturn a jury's guilty verdict, noting that there was "ample evidence" that the ex-Orange County sheriff attempted to sabotage a federal grand jury investigating bribery and ... More >>

It Could Be 5 to 6 Years in Prison, $125,000 Fine for Carona

UPDATED...R. Scott Moxley, reporting from the Santa Ana courthouse during an afternoon break, says the judge and lawyers for the defense and prosecution in Mike Carona's sentencing hearing on a felony corruption count, are talking about 63 to 78 months behind bars and a $125,000 fine for the man onc ... More >>

Maybe This Will Wipe Smug Look Off Carona's Face: 5.5 Years, $125,000 Fine, The Shame of an Entire County

CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED . . . "Inexperienced" criminal defense attorney Rawitz (left) and Carona in January.Once dubbed "America's Sheriff," Mike Carona was sentenced this afternoon to 66 months--or 5 1/2 years--behind bars, two years probation after he serves the prison time and a $125,000 fine for at ... More >>

Mike Carona Prison Rape Joke Quiz Time!

Which Orange County gadfly personality said the following to reporters about disgraced, felonious, wife-cheating ex-sheriff Mike Carona shortly before His Smugness walked out of the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse?"The boys in prison will give him a smile"First person to guess wins a copy of the hi ... More >>

30 Actual Excuses To Shield Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona From Punishment

Sheriff Hugs Mafia Associate in Newport Beach BarYesterday, federal judge Andrew Guilford said he was disgusted by Mike Carona's willingness as Orange County sheriff to sabotage a grand jury's corruption investigation by convincing a potential key witness to lie about bribery and secret gifts. Guilf ... More >>

Another Mike Carona Food Quiz Time!

Gotta head off to another find, so I'll leave ustedes with this: in what restaurant was our convicted, felonious ex-sheriff Mike Carona recently spotted? The hint: it's just a couple of miles away from where he smugly met the world after getting sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison. First pe ... More >>

OC Dem Chair Frank Barbaro a Carona Apologist?!

From left: Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Reported All the EvilEarlier this morning, I nearly spit out my quesadilla and beans-with-rice breakfast while watching Inside OC with Rick Reiff on KOCE-TV Channel 50. The subject was disgraced, felonious ex-sheriff Mike Carona, and the guests were Democratic P ... More >>

Ex-Sheriff Carona Walks the Yard (Nervously)

Dream sequence: Mike Carona entertains his fellow inmates.Jack Grimshaw, the Weekly's eagle-eyed proofreader, just whipped up this diddy. Imagine disgraced, prison-bound, ex-Sheriff Mike Carona singing the following to his future minimum security federal pen inmates to the tune of Johnny Cash's "I W ... More >>

Register Exposes Backroom Dealings on Sheriff's Whistleblower Lawsuit

Thanks to ex-Sheriff Mike Carona, our infamous two-faced Master of Disasters, local taxpayers may have to give convicted felon George Jaramillo $750,000 to settle his lawsuit alleging that Carona, also a convicted felon, illegally fired him as assistant sheriff in 2004.Read all the details in a note ... More >>

Mike Carona Trying to Curry Goodwill from Mexican Students and their Supporters

Carona with a mob goonThe Orange County Hispanic Endowment Education Fund (HEEF) is a fine organization that gives out thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving students every year and has done so for quite some time. Sometime this month, they will hold a reception for prospective recipients ... More >>

Federal Panel Gives Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona Leniency

Break out the vodka, boys!​As Orange County's Republican sheriff, Mike Carona liked to talk tough about granting no mercy to convicted felons, but ever since the ex-top cop turned convicted felon himself earlier this year he's been begging for leniency.This afternoon, the Ninth Circuit--the nation ... More >>

Dirty Ex-Sheriff Loses Fight to Remain Out of Prison Pending Appeal

Carona's new executive suiteMike Carona's lawyers came to federal court this morning, claimed that federal prosecutors in the ex-sheriff's case are more of a threat to society and pleaded with a judge to give the top cop turned convicted felon a break: allow him to remain free pending an appeal of h ... More >>

Convicted Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona Gets A New Identity

The sheriff partying with a Las Vegas felon before his FBI arrestIn anticipation for this month's arrival of ex-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona, the federal Bureau of Prisons has issued a new identity for the convicted felon who abused his office by, among other things, attempting to sabotage a fe ... More >>

America's Dumbest Sheriff* to Shill for Bill Hunt at Phoenix Club Thursday

Arpaio: Still not as much of a clown as Carona...​Originally published Halloween, but moved up until Thursday because the comments left by Arpayaso supporters are some of the stupidest ever left in Navel Gazing history--and considering many Mater Dei grads write here, that's saying something...joi ... More >>

Tweet of the Week: Fleischman on TV Lesbians

​ Yup, that's political blogger and former Mike Carona spokesman Jon Fleischman. We think he's kinda kidding maybe sorta. Any guesses as to which shows he is watching? My money's on Greek.

Which OC Sheriff's Candidate Has The Best Campaign Website?

​In just 133 days, Orange County residents will have their first opportunity to vote for sheriff after the FBI and IRS arrest and corruption conviction of Sheriff Mike Carona. There are three candidates at this point: Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, a former Los Angeles County Sheriff's official who was ... More >>

Ex-Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl Gets Slap; Dirty Cops Get Threat

Don Haidl, from his assistant sheriff days.​Even during the five years that he held the unearned rank of assistant sheriff thanks to illegally funding Mike Carona's 1999 campaign for sheriff, Don Haidl hated public speaking. Reporters could ask questions of Haidl--a wealthy Newport Coast used car ... More >>

Reg: Dirty Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona Wants Disability Pay Too

Carona wants more public dough for his "back pain"​While he ran California's second largest police agency, Mike Carona had sex with a county secretary in a car while his wife and young son sat oblivious nearby in an SUV. That fact, first revealed at OC Weekly, is part of the charming legacy the di ... More >>

Mike Carona On the Mic

[Moxley Confidential] The convicted ex-sheriff says he should have been warned that his buddy was wearing a wire

Reg: Pension Bosses Spent Big Bucks For Secrecy

​Disturbing data continues to pour in about potential government pension abuses including today's OC Watchdog story revealing that the county's employee pension system spent more than $31,000 in hopes of keeping pension records secret from the public. That's according to investigative reporte ... More >>

Ninth Circuit Upholds Sheriff Mike Carona's Corruption Conviction

Teflon Mikey loses his magic​Orange County's long, disgusting law enforcement nightmare is finally over.Disgraced ex-Sheriff Mike Carona, once absurdly hailed as "America's sheriff" by CNN's Larry King, is going to federal prison.This morning an all Republican panel of federal judges at the Ninth ... More >>

Mike Carona: No More Excuses

[Moxley Confidential] Federal Appeals Court upholds the ex-sheriff's conviction, and he's finally headed to prison

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

[Moxley Confidential] Federal Appeals Court upholds the ex-sheriff's conviction, and he's finally headed to prison

[UPDATED] Mike Carona Heads for Prison . . . in Colorado

​UPDATE, JAN. 25, 1:17 P.M.: "America's Sheriff" turned himself in at the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood in Littleton, Colorado, today to start serving his 5-and-a-half-year sentence, according to Victoria Joseph, a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman."I believe justice has been do ... More >>

Court Okays George Jaramillo's $529,000 Pay Day; Cites Peace Officer's Bill of Rights

George and Mike: Before the storm​A California Court of Appeal has affirmed a lower court's decision to award George Jaramillo nearly $529,000 in backpay and lawyer fees because the former Orange County assistant sheriff's 2004 firing blatantly violated the state's peace officer's bill of rights ( ... More >>