Bill Hunt Needs To Work On Shooting From The Lip

Yesterday, Martin Wisckol posted over at Total Buzz about a Bill Hunt fundraiser held yesterday morning.

While Bill Hunt is obviously running hard -- or as hard as you can when there's no election to run in -- I have to wonder how much he learned from last year's campaign.

Specifically, I'm referring to his comments before the Board of Supervisors last week regarding Sup. Moorlach's quasi-impeachment measure.

In the wake of much back-and-forth among the Supes and with District Attorney Tony Rackauckas over he legal soundness of the measure, Bill Hunt had this to say:

"This thing may not be perfect, and it may be challenged down the road. So what? That's what we have the courts for."

I did a double-take while watching online and thought, "Did he just say that?" OCR columnist Frank Mickadeit had the same reaction, and I'm sure every other person watching and listening did, as well.

In the wake of the Carona scandal, my guess is voters will be looking for a sheriff who takes a more careful approach to legal matters. Or as Frank Mickadeit put it:

That statement could come back to haunt him with voters who will wonder whether that act-now-and-let-the-courts-sort-it-out attitude would be applied to common folk his deputies encountered.

Now, I never met with Bill Hunt during the 2006 campaign, but I will be taking his campaign up on an invitation to sit down and talk about his candidacy, experiences and issues. And that comment is one item I'll ask about.

Comments

Hold your horses. A special election will never be an issue. Vultures like Bill Hunt and the federal government can say all they want about our sheriff. Until I start seeing some proof I will support the man I voted for, Michael Carona. Where's the proof? If you are going to critisize someone should'nt you have some proof? I hope the sheriff sues them all after he defeats these baseless charges.

Keep the faith sheriff. You have ours 100%.

[Monkey Business]

There are many positive and admirable traits that can be attributed to Bill Hunt. Thoughtfulness and deliberation are clearly not on that list. If Sheriff Carona leaves office there will most certainly be a debate on who should replace him. The fact that Hunt spouted off before a board whose majority ignored his rash advice will likely be remembered.

Maybe his motto for the next election/appointment should be: Ready, shoot...aim.

[rich white guy]

When Attorney General Bill Lockyear allowed reporters to view a report into his investigation of a 2003 incident in the City of San Clemente that involved Gregory Haidl, the AG stated the incident was mishandled through improper police procedures and thus created the impression of favoritism within the Sheriff's Department. Lt. Bill Hunt is named as one of the Sheriff's officials that acted improperly.

Headlights On!

[Total Housecleaning]

We need a total housecleaning. Ralph Martin is the breath of fresh air we need in Orange County.

[NO RUSH TO JUDGMENT]

I was not impressed with Hunt, especially after he was the one who mishandled Haidl; nor was I impressed with Martin. I continue to stand behind the man I voted for- Sheriff Carona. I'm tired of watching Norby and Moorlach spin around Carona's current problem. Carona should be commended for putting up with all this political spinning and I hope he stays sheriff until he has had a chance to defend himself.