The Editor’s culpability for the Auburn Journal’s horrid record on reporting crime

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Well chronicled on these blogs has been Deric Rothe’s single-minded rampage against anything Republican in Placer County. Another pattern emerged as well with regard to the Auburn Journal’s spotty record on reporting crime.

It included trying and convicting John Doolittle, even though the now 4 1/2 year old investigation has yielded nothing. The Auburn Journal refused to report about the fact that all of Doolittle’s staff whose Subpoenas were front-page news months ago have now been withdrawn.

It also includes the white-washing of Emil John Vodonick. When Mike Spence broke the story about how Vodonick is one step away from losing has law license – the Auburn Journal received an advance copy of the story from Spence.

They called Vodonick and allowed him a pre-emptive comment. Vodonick characterized the severe penalty for misappropriating $53,000 of client’s money as a “failure to pay client’s fees”. To a layperson, that is felony embezzlement. Why didn’t the AJ care to go into any detail about the judgement against Vodonick in So Cal either?

Blogger’s Note: Vodonick is a registered Republican, but a professed Tom McClintock / John Doolittle hater. Maybe he is related to Joanne Neft?

Before these latest examples of bias, I started to wonder why the Auburn Journal was particularly obsessed with Bruce Kranz. Kranz is former law enforcement, and the Journal was trying to tar and feather Bruce with Michelle Ollar-Burris. Ollar-Burris was investigated and no charges were filed, so now the County is suing her.

What did Kranz have to do with it? She was one of dozens of appointments he made to various boards and committees. God forbid I ever hire an employee who gets investigated. The Auburn Journal will post on it Five times a week!

When Rothe posted an editorial trashing three strikes, it hit me. Rothe is completely disinterested in Crime unless unless reporting on it damages Republicans. Otherwise, Rothe could care less about Crime at all.

WHY?

I think Deric Rothe’s antipathy toward reporting crime has a personal Genesis.

Case Number 86436 8/18/1988 xref 1446198 Rothe Deric Evan – Count C001 HS 11351 severity: Felony, Count C002 PC 182(1) severity: Felony.

On 10/18/1988 Rothe pled guilty to count c001 Charge violation of HS 11351 a Felony. HS 11351 is used to try and convict drug dealers… usually those dealing in Cocaine or their derivatives. (It is also used for Heroin as well)

On 1/17/1989 Rothe was sentenced to 2 years in State Prison for drug trafficking.

On 1/28/1990 Rothe was released from Duel Correctional Facility on Parole after serving 360 days in State Prison.

On October 17th, 2003 – Rothe was granted a Certificate of Rehabilitation. This could mean that Rothe had his civil rights restored at that time. I have been unable to determine if Rothe was pardoned as the certificate recommends to the Governor that the named person on the Certificate be Pardoned.

Given the fact that Rothe has a strike (unless he was fully pardoned), no wonder why he opposes three strikes.

The infuriating thing for this blogger is that Rothe who looks to have been pardoned is using his paper to try and convict John Doolittle and Bruce Kranz.

At the same time, they wink at Kevin Ramirez’ shenanigans, ignore potential violations of Grand Jury law by Bill Martin and whitewash Emil Vodonick’s pilfering of $53,000 from a client. Roger Yohe running Western Placer into the ground, nope, a hero’s goodbye for that Ramirez associate, too.

But wait – there’s more… to be continued…

Source Documents