voiceofsandiego.org: Letters... Aguirre Should be Commended

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 | Dan Shea needs to practice what he preaches. He levels charges at Mike Aguirre without citing specific cases or situations. Mike Aguirre is a breath of fresh air in a city long controlled by a small group of Republican business interests and their political lackeys. He refuses to play ball with the folks who think it is their inherent right to develop anywhere or profit at the expense of working people and middle class tax payers. He not only should be commended for his past efforts, he should be encouraged to step it up a notch and keep fighting.

You've got to be kidding. Aguirre levels charges of corruption at everyone who disagrees with him and then fails to back it up with any proof. He has failed to win a significant court victory on any case he has brought and judges have consistently criticized his work as shoddy. Aguirre is a buffoon who has cost this city millions in unsubstantiated lawsuits. He needs to go.

Posted by Jim | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 2:49 am

I agree 100%. Mike rocks the boat a bit-but that is what is needed in this City. We got into a huge mess becuase there was NO Mike Aguirre around. Love him or hate him-he is IMHO-taking care of business. I think the City workers dislike him for the sole reason that he is trying to fix the pension mess and they might lose some $$$. That's too bad. We might not survive if the pension mess is not scaled back-at least a little bit.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 3:29 am

Oh boy, another kool-aid drinker coming out to defend AGHguirre Nifong Junior. You remind me of those three monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil and AGHguirre does no evil.

Posted by Sunny | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 5:51 am

Hey BBH, why should Shea mention specific cases when he completly covered specific performance of Nifong & AGuirre? His message covers all the acts/legal cases of Aguirre. His message is the imcompetent, unethical deeds of an evil attorney who should be filling pot holes, not filing suit because they exist. Get it?? Likely not.

Posted by JJ | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 7:01 am

Being a City Employee I can tell you I have no fear Aguirre will take my pension benefits away. He has no basis for this and the courts have told him so. Mike is out of his league and does not have a clue what his role or responsibilities are. He starts fires and runs away like a criminal. He has yet to back any of his claims of fraud, illegal activity or wrong doing by anyone. He is doing this City more harm that good. Look at the turn over of attorneys from his office. This should tell a person with any brains there is something wrong with this guy. Over 1oo attorneys working for this City in the City Attorneys office are wrong or involved in illegal or fraud activities??? NO, Mr Aguirre is the problem not the fix this City needs.

Posted by Sparky | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 7:37 am

Ernie wants specifics? Here's a few of those Aguirre has publicly stated committed criminal acts for which he has taken no action: two former mayors, the entire 2004 City Council (minus Fry), two former city managers, city department directors, former city attorney and several deputy city attorneys, city union representatives, members of SDCERS....need I go on? Whew! And that's just the beginning. And again, why is it that Aguirre's Public Integrity Unit Attorneys have not prosecuted a single case since he's taken office? Aguirre needs to keep his piehole shut about such things until he or another agency actually charges the individual. It's just the ethical thing to do.

Posted by Rock On | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 8:18 am

AGHguirre Nifong Junior is a miniature paper tiger who has brought nothing but disgrace to the office of the City Attorney & the whole city of San Diego. For those die-hard supporters of AGH, I urge you to watch him in court; he is truly pathetic - he doesn't know the law! And the judge won't let him "spin", so that frustrates him to no end. He's being sued by former attorneys that he fired, so you supporters of AGH should try to catch one of those trials. If that don't open your eyes, nothing else will.

Posted by Sunny | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 8:35 am

Hey Gloomy-I see you have not taken me up on my Tom Story bet yet-RW has-step up to the plate or are you all hot air (Hmm...yes??). Do you want to step up to the plate and put $$$ where mouth is or not? $20 says Mike gets a guilty verdict at trial on any count-or Story pleads guitly to any count and I win-Story gets aquitted of all charges you win........Your move sweety. BTW Nifong is getting disbarred-Mike has never even had a SINGLE compliant filed against him with the CA Bar. Not even close.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 9:31 am

Billy Bob Hernry, son of Aguirre, if not Aguirre himself, if you check I feel you will find that there have been several complaints filed with the CA bar. Jusf get someone other than Aguirre to check with them if you feel brave enough to admit your wrong. The bar won't tell real people what they know.

Posted by JB | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 12:11 pm

Son of Aguirre.....Hmmm.... JB- I am not Mike. I have stated that numerous times here. I just back him 100%. He is doing the right thing-at least in my book. I thought that we would have to do one of two things-1) Mike win the pension case or 2) SD files BK. But-just read on the Voice that if NO raises are given out over the next 5-10 years we might be able to get the pension mess under control. Any chance the SD gov workers will agree to that-even with the Cadillac pensions they currently have-ZERO chance.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 1:14 pm

Wow BBH, More comedy from your post!

Posted by RW | reply to this comment
April 18, 2007 8:09 pm

Thanks RW. I too am very amused at times here by the posts-especiall when Citizen X refers to the Police and FF as "working" folks, even though their 100K+ yearly compensation puts them in the top 5-10% of income earners nationwide. The FF with the food stamps sign takes the cake though! Comical relief is good for all of us here-we get too wound up in out point of views!!!!!!

Posted by BBH | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 12:12 am

BBH, how would you know Aguirre has never had a complaint filed againts him? Personal knowledge or a pipe dream? I find it hard to believe with all his over the top behavior that nobody has formally complained about him.

Posted by BBH??? | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 1:11 am

The State Bar is investigating a number of allegations against Aguirre. (I've spoken to several who have lodged them.) While the bar is quite efficient at disciplining attorneys for co-mingling funds, these types of allegations against Aguirre are far more complex. It's a question of whether the bar has the fortitude to do the right thing. Unfortunately, what has been lodged with the bar only scrapes the surface of his questionable conduct while in office.

Posted by Rock On | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 1:51 am

complaint or law suit? I know Penny Castleman Has a 1+ million dollar lawsuit against Aguirre. For those that don"t know who Penny is, she was an attorney who was in a middle of a major lawsuit defending several police officers on a shooting. Aguirre fired her less than a week before the trial was to get underway. He re-instated her to complete the trial when Lansdowne intervened (and possibly Murphy as well). She completed the trial and then was fired the same day the verdict came in. That sounds like a "lodged complaint to me BBH!

Posted by RW | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 6:22 am

RW-personel issues, such as firing someone, are not issues the state bar can address. It does not bear on a persons professional duties as a lawyer. That may be a legal issue under employment law, but it is not a state bar violation. So how did Penny Castleman's trial end with the police????? I know SDPD won a few in a row a few years ago.......BTW, was that a federal or state lawsuit ? You should always file police misconduct cases in federal court under the civil rights code, which brings me to the Foley/Mansker lawsuit-Foley's attorney filed in state court-very strange move.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 9:10 am

Castleman won, and this was after she won a big case at the Supreme Court in December 2004 (City of San Diego v. Roe). Defendants would much rather be in federal court; but plaintiffs get fee-shifting under 1988, so they like to include 1983 causes of action, which allows defendants to remove to federal court.

Posted by Kyle | reply to this comment
April 19, 2007 11:45 am

You've obviously never been face-to-face with him in his office and seen him in action.

Posted by Nicole | reply to this comment
April 21, 2007 4:54 am

Nicole-I have never seen Mike Aguirre in person. If the things that are said about the abuses are true, about his anger and so forth, he needs to work on that, and there is no excuse for it. I work solo for a reason, so I don't have to put up with the nonsense I did with the bozo's that were involved in public education. If Mike spouted off to me I would try not to lay him out for the 10 count, and then quit. There are choices for those that work in the office. I make no excuses for that type of behaviour. But in the overall picture, I think Mike Aguirre is a very valuble tool in trying to fix the mess that the officils before him made.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
April 21, 2007 4:11 pm

BBH, your sober recognition of objectionable behavior is commendable. The problem is, those who have personally worked for Aguirre and experienced his tirades are extremely credible people. I've heard from too many different people about his unbelievably abusive behavior behind closed doors. I've personally witnessed his unfounded paranoia and assertions of nonexistent conspiracies against him. I think we all want for the City what Aguirre ultimately wants - a currupt-free, transparent, well functioning city government. But at what point does his personal behavior become too unacceptable for him to retain his current position? I believe he crossed that line sometime ago.

Posted by Rock On | reply to this comment
April 23, 2007 2:16 am

Billy Poop, your bet is on. Pamela Naughton (Tom Story's attorney) will prevail in her motion to disqualify AGHguirre & she will whup his unethical butt in court, big time. The charges will be dismissed & you'll be crying again for your daddy. AGHguirre will be lucky if he isn't taken away in handcuffs for the untruths he put in his search warrant.

Posted by Sunny | reply to this comment
April 23, 2007 11:37 am

Aguirre Should be Commended

By Ernie Barrera, San Diego