Brandenburg went on to question some of Torraco's donations - specifically ones that the challenger for District Attorney received from eight bail bondsmen.
Brandenburg said she has never accepted contributions from bail bondsmen and calls doing so unethical."I would not take money from bondsmen. That is a clear conflict of interest," Brandenburg said. "(Torraco) has been out on the campaign trail promoting low bonds. That raises potential conflict.There are a few things that are just odd about that statement. First, the Journal reported that the total amount of the contributions to Torraco's campaign from all 8 bail bondsmen was $1,600. We don't know what the individual contributions were but that average is $200 each.
"Is she going to be the law-and-order district attorney that wants what's best, or is she going to be promoting low bonds because she has support from the bail bondsmen?"
Second, how is accepting donations from bail bondsmen any different from accepting donations from attorneys? They both have criminals for clients and they both get paid for their services.
People who donated $1,000 or more to Brandenburg's campaign include attorneys Sam Bregman, Randi McGinn and Charlotte Rich; the law firm of Sanchez, Mowrer, & Desiderio; and physician James R. Shiveley.What's clear is that Brandenburg is trying to create the illusion of impropriety by trying to link Torraco to our local Dog the Bounty Hunters. As one of our Eyes pointed out today, if Torraco wants to lower bonds she wouldn't be doing the bail bondsmen any favors.
More than $23,000 — nearly half — of Brandenburg's contributions came from attorneys. [emphasis added]
"It's clear I have support from a lot of attorneys," Brandenburg said. "They are familiar with the system and are in the position to understand the job I have done."
You see... Bail bondsmen are really a kind of insurance. Bondsmen put up the court ordered bond in exchange for certain personal and financial guarantees. In addition, they charge a fee - generally about 10% of the court ordered bond.
If the accused shows up, the bondsman keeps the fee and releases any financial guarantees made by the defendant or on the defendant's behalf. If the accused chooses to jump bail, the bondsman hires a bounty hunter to deliver the defendant to the court and collects on any financial guarantees. If the bounty hunter fails to find the fleeing felon, the bondsman is forced to fork over the court ordered bond - not something they are fond of doing.
The point here is lowering bonds are not in the best interests of bail bondsmen. A lower bond means a lower fee and believe it or not, these guys aren't running charities.
Which brings us back to the question - is it desperation or dementia? It's desperation if Brandenburg is simply making a ham fisted attempt to tie her challenger to one of the seedier industries in society. It's dementia if Brandenburg really believes that bondsmen want to see bonds reduced and would donate the astronomical sum of $200 in order to influence a potential DA. Hey, you decide. But after Brandenburg's comments about dancing in the office and root beer float day...
15 comments:
All I want to know is did Bregman and the rest of the defense trial lawyers make it to the Root Beer Float Party while Kari and the Bleeding Hearts were working on their "office morale"?
What a bunch of jackasses. I hope the real victims of crime (who Brandenberg and her band of criminal coddlers have protected) sue Cash-Rich Kari for everything she's got after she gets thrown out of office.
Desperation or dementia?
How about a deliberate effort to mislead voters about the truth - lying.
The most ridiculous part of this whole thing is anyone actually believing that LT wants more criminals on the street.
Its like the ad that say John McCain hates veterans.
Give me a break.
Hey Kari,
Why aren't you doing anything about the corruption in APS?
Seems to me there are more criminals on the street now because those who used to be law abiding citizens are arrested because some APD officers simply want the public to kiss their asses ... The article on the front page of the Albuquerque journal yesterday was most disturbing! Can't our police force use some common sense and have a little more respect for individual's rights? Didn't their mothers love them? Do they have to be shown everything? We need leaders who do what is right. Stop thinking you are better than you are! We really don't have as many "real criminals" as we are made to believe, yet the jails are too full to house new tenants. Who will do the right thing in the DA's office? Probably Torraco.
I think that if our forefathers who wrote the U.S. constitution were alive today, they would be in jail because of the gross misreading, and corruption of its words by those in positions of power. The intent of the original documents, used to be different than it is now.
sue everybody!
Kari will get what has been needed for a long time, the door hitting her in the rear on her way out. She is way out of her league, especially with buddys like Bregman. And what is up with our APOA union attorney Fred Mowher giving her $$$ for her campaign, is Fred close to Kari? ROn or Joey? Whats up with that?
All us cops better go easy on the root beer float comment when our violent crimes units and the rest of the crew are having Halloween festivities when there is work to be done. Yes, I work violent crimes, don't agree with the concept and don't want to be a hypocrit about things.
In case you don't read the last blog:
Actually, Yes!!! I do feel my doctors need term limits as well. If I keep going to the same doctor, he develops an opinion on me and treats me for symptoms that I have had in the past. So to stay healthy, I prefer to go to a doctor that looks at me with a fresh set of eyes.
I am not just a run of the mill citizen who is trying to base my opinion on who should be the D.A. based on commercials. I work for the same system that Kari Brandenburg does. She is the wrong choice and has made too many bad choices for Bernalillo County. If you live in Texas or even liberal California, someone who puts in a plea deal for a robbery gets 10-20 years in prison, not 10-20 months of probation. So when Kari is voted out of office, she will have plenty of time to contemplate why she decided to give vacations to convicted felons.
And to think that Brandenburg is on the same level as a surgen? Knowing who to keep in jail for the protection of the citizens she is supposed to serve is not brain surgery.. Which she has obviously given you a labotamy...
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH TORRACO!!!! And Kari, if your reading this, I hear APD is hiring people about to make career changes..
I have never seen such a debacle of a civil government. We need to send a delegation of officials to the "real world" to see how things are done in a civilized environment. I am afraid of the police here, terrified of the DA's office and hope Lisa Torraco can bring some changes that don't make this city a laughing stock of the country.
above post, switch fu*^&^( Drs, genious.
Where can I get a Torraco bumper sticker or yard sign? I've asked White's HQ, McCain's HQ, I even asked Sheriff White himself today and he said at her office or home, does she a campaign HQ? Time is running out!
The fact that you're not getting any help on getting a Torraco yard sign, even from other Republicans should tell you something. Sheriff White knows that Kari Brandenburg is a good DA, so no surprise that he wasn't able to help you.
If you can't even manage to get a yard sign from her campaign when you are trying to support her, imagine what a mess she would be as a DA! Imagine trying to call and talk to her about an important issue. It would not be pretty I guarantee you.
Take a lesson from the difficulty you are having getting her yard sign and vote "NO" to Torraco on Tuesday!
Her HQ is out of her office. I'm sure she will be glad to hook you up with a sign.
Not every candidate has the backing to spend countless amounts of money to campaign.I admire Lisa for her HQ being out of her home.
The politicians spending sooo much money on ads, signs etc could be giving their money to the social programs they want us, the working taxpayer, to pay for.
McCain has spent about 1/3 of Obama and he's not that far behind. Just think if he had the same amount of campaign money?
Thanks I'm headed that way now!
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