Penman: "I think I've cooperated fully."
City Attorney James F. Penman said that not only has he turned in documents related to the investigation of an alleged theft to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, he has also on two occasions given statements to top prosecutors.
"On September 22, I took the documents to the DA and I gave I statement to the DA I answered all his questions," Penman said Friday.
Penman also said that he provided information to Assistant District Attorney Jim Hackleman on Oct. 7. It's his opinion that since the District Attorney's Office determines whether any cases should go to court, his statements to that office are as valuable as any statements that could be given to city police.
District Attorney Mike Ramos, Hackleman and District Attorney's spokeswoman Susan Mickey were not available for comment Friday.
The documents in question were, depending on one's version of events, lost or stolen from a City Hall restroom. The papers included a memo that an unknown party delivered to the City Council prior to the public session of the council's Sept. 21 meeting.
The memo contained a summary of a police investigation into the circumstances of a registered sex offender who performed work at a church that also hosts the city's central Operation Phoenix center.
The release of the memo set off a debate over local government's ability to impose conditions on churches that have financial relationships with City Hall and revived memory of the scandal that followed last summer's arrest of the youth center's manager on suspicion of child molestation.
Police have announced that they are investigating the documents' disappearance as a theft. Penman has deemed that probe a political trick and said he won't allow himself to be interviewed by city police, since the City Charter gives Mayor Pat Morris power to recommend the hiring and firing of police chiefs.
Penman and Morris are running against each other for mayor. Police Chief Keith Kilmer said earlier this week that the investigation will move forward with or without cooperation from the City Attorney's Office.
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I've heard the Mayor did a poll which has Jim Penman in the lead. Maybe that explains the police chief's sleazy actions!
I think it is neck and neck. People I talk to are still undecided which is what Morris and the Police Chief are banking on with these stories. That is low. But hopefully the truth will come out before election day so that the voters pick the right man.
Penman is dirty...until now he has been able to cover his tracks but it looks like he didn't think this one through. OOps!
I think Morris is dirty...until now he has been able to side step and dance around his Operation Molestation tracks...Oops, I think he didn't think this one through and brought his city manager and police chief in on it...it is smelling quite pedo-foul...I told you there are always two sides, JPM
I'm changing my ID because my handle is being used by someone whom I firmly disagree with.
Penman is a great man who is doing all that he can to help fight corruption and all the morrisites can do is knock him for it. If there is a possibility that the police department is protecting Morris in his illegal activities, then Penman HAS to go to an outside agency. I'm not saying that they are, but it's not looking too fair here. What good cop wouldn't flip his or her lid over a PEDOPHILE being at a children's center AGAIN?!
I don't know what anybody was told, but they can go to the San Bernardino court website and look this Jason Hoyt up...I did and I found that he was more than a decade older than 17 when he was found guilty of molesting a child UNDER the age of 14. That doesn't mean 14. That means 13 or younger. I looked at the minutes, too. I suggest others do the same.
There is another issue, too. Reportedly, there is an Operation Phoenix pastor (admittedly, not Rhone) who claims that he can cure pedophiles and has (at least once) discouraged some folks to not turn one in. WHY!?!?!?!? This is not cool. When the folks tried to turn the pedophile in, the police wouldn't accept evidence freely offered (computer) to them because the evidence, although recoverable, was superficially deleted.
Penman has EVERY reason to go to an outside source because something is just not right. I know that most of our cops, even the chief, are GREAT cops; however, they also serve at the discretion of Mayor Morris. Maybe, they're protecting Morris & maybe not, but there is good enough reason to go to an outside source at this point in time. Try to look at things from Penman's standpoint. He's not fighting this stuff because he's trying to win this election. Consider, for a moment, that he's trying to win this election to fight this stuff.
I feel bad for the chief of police in all of this because, because of Morris, he's probably going to have the D.O.J. crawling up his shorts for the entire time he's working here. How can he work effectively like that? Honestly, I believe the chief means well and is trying to be diplomatic, but he really needs to ask himself what's more important: his job with Morris, or the safety of children. Offhandedly, I'd consider him the type to say the safety of kids. He's a family man & seems to be nice. Unfortunately, he's sort of between a rock and a hard place on this one. That's why it's best left to a third party.
I'm not sure what Polls ya'll been looking at, but the polls I have seen is a 2 to 1 advantage, in favor of Morris.
Step 1: subpoena Penman and staff
Step 2: arrest and prosecute staffer
Step 3: Recall Penman
no one said politics would be easy, WElcome to san bernardino have a Nice DaY!
Hydroformdame,
Your statements are disturbing, sounds like "terrorist threats" against a public official. You are not emotionally stable.
WOW! Kit is right. Now that I'm looking at the way your town operates I see the reason why a program as bad as Operation Dirty Bird would come from there. The cops down there are bold enough to threaten people's civil rights right on the blog! That sure makes me as a citizen feel like the mayor who is in charge of the cops there must be a real straight arrow...NOT! If your cops are that crooked and they serve at the mayor's discretion then that reflects your mayor as a crooked man and that doesn't surprise me because he sure has a lot of child molesters popping up around him. I hope you guys don't re-elect that loser because I don't want your Operation Molestation to spread up here...
Sunlight is the best disinfectant!
Lovely...BlueShield can threaten me for being honest and concerned, but I can't fight back? C'mon. That's simply not fair. If I can't fight back, fine, but don't let him twist what I type up into what it's not.
BlueShield is wrong. All I was saying was that Morris is a liability to our city and this whole Operation Phoenix thing just gets worse and worse. To boot, he is shameless and unconcerned for the damage his "program" causes. As a citizen, I have the right and responsibility to be outraged about how my tax dollars are being wasted.
If the polls say Morris is ahead two to one, then we're in great shape. Those bogus birthday cards must be helping. Can you believe those gullible voters would fall for that stuff? And the beat goes on...
and I guess the drama that Penman created with the chicken coops and First Church of the Nazarene didn't. Boo hoo!
Boy are you dumb! How can you compare silly Morris birthday cards to try and win votes to people housed in chicken coops and a pastor of a church who willingly put a sex offender before the needs of small children. Penman didn't make up this news about these wrong doings by unethical people. Penman, however, quickly took action to stop those who would circumvent the law (including Morris)and put people in harms way. Penman is the kind of honest, decent person who should be mayor. Adelante con Penman!
Wendy isn't it past your bedtime?
The chicken coops are in Wendy's area and she didn't know they were there? Yeah, right!
As for the pedophile memo how long did he have that in his possession. Oh yeah, his staff "found" it in the restroom. I heard tell that it was "missing" for two to three weeks. Must not have been too urgent!
Penman honest? ROFLMAO.
Let me update that entry I made the other day about Mayor Morris being endorsed...
It's not "JUST" the SB Sun...
It's ALSO the Press Enterprise...
It's ALSO the Black Voice News...
Seems Mayor Morris is not finished there either...
He also received a SPECTACULAR NATIONAL RECOGNITION...
No, I'm NOT talking about the invitation to The White House (we ALL know about that - for the TREMENDOUS SUCCESSES of Operation Phoenix bringing down crime dramatically & boosting our API scores, etc...)
Nope, this is from none other than the prestigious NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES!
HURRAH!
Penman can moan and besmirch San Bernardino all he wants - posting some stale quote from ex-mayor Valles who had to come out publicly to make it clear that quote on Penman's website is NOT NOT NOT an endorsement from her - it is just more "sleaze-ball-tactics from Penman - Yes, it IS a quote - so, he is "legally correct" -
Just like that 99cent "CHEESE FOOD PRODUCT" is what it says it is - but it sure ain't CHEESE! LOL! OMGosh this is TOO MUCH! LOL!
Penman, "Lookie! Quotes!"
Big Whoop! Show some SUPPORTERS - Show some ENDORSEMENTS -
Oh, that's right - Penman flaked on ALL the endorsement interviews - what's he hiding?
Or, oh -- PLEASE -- let me guess!
"They are The Mayor's Police, too"
LOL!
OMGosh!
I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be laughing at the man - he's sick - he needs help - AND, he's a SLEAZE!
THANK GOODNESS former mayor Judy saw it in time to alert the press and get it in print that she is NOT endorsing Penman, like he TRIES to make it seem on the website! LOL!
If you want to see REAL PEOPLE SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE - look at the LONNNNNNNg list at the mayor's site - - -
If you want to see REAL ENDORSEMENTS IN FAVOR OF A CANDIDATE - look at the LONNNNG list at the mayor's site - - -
Penman's site has ZERO listed supporters
and,
Penman's site has ZERO listed endorsements
What he does have is some lame duck list of quotes from former mayors and stuff - maybe 5 or 6 of them, or so - he stuck those up there to TRY and look endorsed LOL!
Nice try - NOT! LOL!
If you like "imitation real cheese food product, instead of REAL CALIFORNIA CHEESE", quotes instead of endorsements & supporters, by all means, vote Penman!
For a REAL MAYOR with REAL SUPPORTERS and REAL ENDORSEMENTS, vote Mayor Morris!
I voted for Mr Penman four years ago. I have been watching the city council meetings for several months and I am changing my vote this year in favor of Mayor Morris. Mr Penman seems hostile, obstructive and bent on furthering his own agenda. He needs to stick to his job of providing legal advice to the common council. Mayor Morris was able to be in control of a very hostile meeting today, and if he is able to do that he has my vote! Also I really like the new city manager's style, I think he will be a change agent for our city.