Janet Nguyen Leaked Pension Memo to Deputies Union?

I just spotted this post by Steve Greenhut over at Orange Punch.  Janet Nguyen's office is suspected of leaking the legal memo which undermined Supervisor John Moorlach's constitutional challenge to the Sheriff's Deputies retroactive pension benefit:

Four supervisors’ offices have been adamant in their denial that they leaked the memo including an analysis suggesting that the effort by the board to retract the retroactive portion of the 2002 pension spike for deputies is likely to fail. The fifth office has been silent. That office is none other than Supervisor Janet Nguyen, and speculation is centering around her office. I put in a call to her, and will report what she says when she gets back to me.

The board has gotten three analyses from outside firms of its legal position — a standard practice as anyone considers legal strategy. All three opinions are protected by attorney-client privilege. The first, by a firm that specializes in municipal bond work, counseled against the strategy. The second argued that that it is a sound constitutional strategy, and the third — which, apparently, ignores the constitutional arguments and looks almost entirely at what pragmatic concerns — is the one that was released to a Register reporter.

Click here to read the rest of this post.  The things you do to get re-elected right?  For her sake, let's hope Steve Greenhut's assumption is incorrect. Unbelievable.

UPDATE: Steve Greenhut just got an answer out of Janet Nguyen: "We didn't leak the memo".  You can read his second post on this issue by clicking here.

Comments

[Janet did not do it]

On behalf of Janet, I want to refuse to accept all your accusations the following incidents:
1. She did not know ant thing about Mr Gerald Feather, recount applicant.
2. She did hire Attorney Fred Woocher.
3. She did not ask any one to give and illegal fund to Attorney Phil Greer.
4. She did not know anythings about the recall Trung Nguyen.
5. She did not leak anything info from Sup.John Moorlach, but union.

Don't' blame on her, but on Nick and Tony.

[Steven Greenhut]

I just talked to Janet and she told me that her office did not leak the memo. Just thought I'd add an update.

[Thomas Anthony Gordon]

http://orangepunch.freedomblogging.com/2007/09/20/janet-nguyen-we-didnt-leak-the-memo/

Just saw this over at OP.

Steve Greenhut spoke to janet and she claims to have not leaked the memo

[Pants on Fire]

I guess that about raps it up then...right?

[taxpaying citizen]

I think this information ought to be made public before the BOS goes off on a wild goose chase and wastes more money.

[Ask Janet]

Yes, You are that stupid. How about Nick and Tony ????.

[Green Machine]

Jubal,

I have no idea who leaked the memo, but does it really matter in this instance? John Moorlach made a very public display of his "legal" claims about the retroactive pension benefits. Yet he continually hides the opinions of the attorneys whom the taxpayers have hired to look into the matter. On the flip side, AOCDS's attorneys have been forthright in their assessment and are wiling to share everything. What is Moorlach afraid of? I think the answer is clear. Mooralch's argument is flawed and this is more of a political argument than it is a legal argument. Otherwise there would be nothing to hide.

The Taxpayers are footing the bill for Moorlach's agenda. Shouldn't they have the opportunity to reveiw the legal opionon they paid for before they commit millions to the effort?

I've often heard Mr. Moorlach and Mr. Greenhut talk about transparency within the Sheriffs Department. Maybe a its time for a little transparency in the Supervisor's office.

[Red Machine]

GM: This isn't just a Moorlach issue, the entire rest of the Board has clearly stated that they are very upset that a document protected under attorney-client privilege was leaked to the press. Moreover I might add that the rest of the Board also voted to hire the law firm. Maybe you need to come to grips with the fact that the rest of the Board and their staffs have all reviewed this and found a compelling reason to continue with this process. They are all adults and can speak up for themselves if they have concerns with how taxpayer dollars are being spent. Your problem is that they ALL think that the Sheriff's retroactive pension gift may have violated the state constitution.

On behalf of Janet, I want to refuse to accept all your accusations the following incidents:
"1. She did not know ant thing about Mr Gerald Feather, recount applicant."

Thats a bold faced lie and i can prove it. She was fully aware fo Gerald Feather and was part and parcel in getting him to file the recount complaint.

“she told me her office did not leak the pension memo, and she emphasized that she is against retroactive pension spiking."

Uhm, did she not vote to give herslef a raise on the same day that she voted to cut the pensions of working people?

I have absolutely nothing to do with the recall effort against Trung Nguyen. I had no idea that my brother-in-law, who owns a business on Main Street, had signed the petition.”

Supervisor Janet Nguyen

You got to be kidding me? This is getting better by the day. This woman is in over her gead and she is sinking fast. Someone needs to stick a fork in her she is done.

[Flowerszzz]

Call me CahRaZee again but I am seeing a real pattern here. I have to respectfully ask the Mr Greenhut look into this more carefully because there has been so much BS coming out of that office I am sorry but I just can not take her word on anything at all.

Is the fact that hse leaked the memo in anyway illegal? its underhanded for sure but does anyone know if any laws were broken here?

[Green Machine]

RM,

Clearly the integrity of the documents are an issue, but Mr. Moorlach has cherry picked the portions of the legal opinions that back up his assertion while ignoring the parts that don't. If it hadn't leaked, his political posturing would have been much greater in the public arena.

The unanimous support of the supervisors is clearly the result of outside pressures coming from theLincoln Club but that can only last for so long if/when the legal arguments against the lawsuit become overwhelming. An indication of potential fracturing is the decision by the board to go behind closed doors rather than conduct a public hearing on the issue. God only knows John Moorlach loves the headlines!

There are always going to be leaks. Even in the Bush Whitehouse where secrecy is the norm, leaks occur...so this over reaction by one particular supervisor is an indication that he knows his case is weak and momentum could build to undo his shaky scheme.

We have been working without a contract for almost a year. Then in July, Moorlach states that our 3 @ 50 retirement is illegal, while at the same time the BOS very quietly voted to up their retirement.

Now in the 11th month of contract negotiations they throw retirment into the negotiations, but they don't publish their findings on the analysis of their 3 @ 50 study. They know that their attempt to sue AOCDS is going down the drain, but they are trying to squeeze money out of us.

I hope the AOCDS members push to get a final word on this 3 @ 50 issue. I don't want Moorlach to bring it up three years from now.

It appears to me that AOCDS has acted professional and honest during these negotitions, but we havn't gotten the same from Moorloch.

[GGMan]

Leak can be happened anywhere.

But, Janet intends to leak with her own gain or benefiton the 2008 election.

Janet, shame on you.

[Green Machine]

Supervisor Moorlach has attacked the benefits of county employees in all sectors. Even some who work for him. It is plausible that the leak actually came from someone within his own office, but who really knows?

The real reason for the anger here is simply the fact that the leak showed how weak Moorlach's case really is. Moorlach himself has leaked the portions of the legal arguments that bolster his argument, so it rings hollow when he whines about the integrity of the document.

Why do we tolerate this woman anymore? What ever happened to th recall effort that was gonna take place? Can we get that started again?

[butch vanartsdalen]

Lot's of folks could've leaked it-- and frankly bully for whoever did--- Moorlach's clueless plan has zero legal authority behind it.