Advertise Here

Deliver your message to thousands of readers every day.

Our readers are influential opinion makers - politicians, journalists and activists.

Our latest headlines

About Us

The California Progress Report is published by Frank D. Russo, a longtime observer of and participant in California politics.

About Frank Russo.
About California Progress Report.

Got a news tip? Want to write a guest column? Contact Frank here.

Books

Cavala: Rehash of Perata Investigation is Bogus Journalism

towashington 089.gif By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

Several weeks ago, reports filed by the Democratic Party showed party expenditures to the defense fund of Senate Democratic Pro Tempore, Don Perata.

To eagle eyed reporters, the fact that more money was needed for defense indicated that there might be ‘movement’ in the years-long investigation of Perata’s activity by the U.S Attorney’s office.

The East Bay Express, an alternative “newspaper” which has long dogged Perata began the drumbeat of speculation that an “indictment was imminent” – citing the usual suspects who wish to remain unnamed.

And today, the San Francisco Chronicle has a “story” by Lance Williams which is remarkable for its’ total lack of “news”.

The Chronicle is a rehash of stories previously written about events and people close to Perata – most of them years old.

The only thing “new” in today’s story occurs in paragraph 9:

"The statute of limitations in the Perata investigation is expected to expire later this year and sources familiar with the probe said prosecutors are close to deciding whether to ask the grand jury to issue indictments."

Get it? After five years, with the statue of limitations (not to mention the term of the US Attorney) expiring, the people behind the investigation are “close” to making a decision on how to end the case – according to secret “souces”.

No new information is alleged. Everything about the case has been leaked to the press over the years. Five years! If a case existed, why the delay?

Today’s Chronicle “story” looks very much like another effort by “sources close to the investigation” to smear Perata with leaks. The history of U.S. Attorneys under the Bush Administration has been well documented and is well known by all – except those reporters who remain “close” to the “sources” that - as Williams puts it – “decline to be quoted by name.”

This “case” began with allegations made by the long-dead boyfriend of an Oakland lobbyist. Those allegations were made over five years ago and triggered the investigation. Obviously the U.S. Attorney is either totally incompetent or there was no evidence backing his charges. Subsequent efforts by the FBI: - as today’s rehash indicates – roamed from the role played by Perata’s family in political campaigns to efforts on his part to secure environmental clearances in Washington for a road.

One wonders when the press will begin to look at the propriety of the actions of the U.S. Attorney’s office instead of simply their targets.

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years. He attended undergraduate and graduate school in the 1960’s and received a doctorate in political science at UC Berkeley. He taught political science at UC Berkeley during the 1970's while he worked part-time for the State Assembly.

Cavala left teaching at UC Berkeley and went to work for Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in 1981 until his tenure as Speaker ended in 1995, and he has worked for his five successors as Speaker. He now manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.

Posted on July 21, 2008

Comments

I CONTINUE TO BE INTRIGUED BY THE ONGOING "INVESTIGATION" OF DON PERATA -- YOU HAVE TO USE QUOTE MARKS BECAUSE IT'S FAR FROM CLEAR THAT ANYTHING NEW IS ACTUALLY GOING ON. THE OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS WOULD SEEM TO BE: (1) REPORTERS WITH A LACK OF NEWS TO REPORT FIGURE THAT THEY CAN TITILLATE THEIR READERS WITH SOME WILD INNUENDO; AND (2) PERATA'S NUMEROUS POLITICAL ENEMIES FIGURE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BY EGGING ON THE PRESS. ALL OF THIS SEEMS FAIRLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND.

THIS SUBJECT FALLS UNDER THE GENERAL HEADING OF WHAT I USUALLY CALL "GOVERNMENT BY SCANDAL." WHEN YOU CAN'T ATTACK AN ENEMY BY MEANS OF CIVILIZED DEBATE, YOU CAN ALWAYS THROW THE WHOLE THING INTO A POLITICAL GOSSIP COLUMN, ASSUMING THE PRESS IS DUMB ENOUGH TO PRINT IT (AS THEY OFTEN ARE). WHILE NOTHING TRULY BAD HAPPENS TO YOUR ENEMY, HE OR SHE IS SERIOUSLY DISTRACTED FROM IMPORTANT BUSINESS AND HAS TO SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY BATTLING THE CHARGES.

I MAY BE VERY NAIVE, BUT IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT SOME KIND OF TIME LIMIT NEEDS TO BE PLACED UPON INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS SORT. AT THE VERY LEAST, THERE SHOULD BE A SET LIMIT (SAY, THREE) TO THE NUMBER OF TIMES A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS CAN BE EXTENDED. I REALIZE THAT DEFENSE LAWYERS ARE PROBABLY OPPOSED TO THIS, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, BUT IN THE LONG RUN I THINK THAT SUCH A RULE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO INVESTIGATION SUBJECTS LIKE PERATA. I'M A FORMER REPORTER AND HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE PRESS: BUT I ALSO SUSPECT THAT A NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THIS, TOO. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT.

Posted by: Bill Rowen at August 26, 2008 04:09 PM

Get Email Updates

Want the California Progress Report by email? Once a week, we'll send you the latest and greatest headlines.

Stat tracker