no surprise here. O'Toole was clearly over his head and had no idea what he was doing. The lack of oversight and direction was intentional by Dumanis. She is a hypocrite and has no intention of enforcing political laws unless it is to her benifit.

Posted by Dave Stutz | reply to this comment
August 5, 2008 4:36 pm

Who would have known there was a 'Public Integrity Unit' in the DA's office, not me. Could it have been because it seemed to be acting more along the lines of a Risk Management Department than acting as a Public Integrity Unit? Seems to me that most of what the DA’s office does is more along the lines of Political Window Dressing and Public Relations. I can recall a refusal to serve a warrant against a local developer, or something like that was somewhere in the mix of thing going arie? Showing-up as part of the flying wedge of support on either side of Jerry… for a press conference, remember, I sure do. O"Toole, could it have been that he was a party member in good standing? Is this how we got our two new registrars of voters GICs as well? IMHO, Party Membership is what drives San Diego's appointments.

Posted by What? | reply to this comment
August 5, 2008 4:54 pm

Both O'Toole and Dumanis are in over their heads. The unit is a political symbol and nothing more. A dangerous political symbol, but a symbol nonetheless. God, I'm so tired of the people in charge of local law enforcement. Who will step up?

Posted by Algernon Sidney | reply to this comment
August 5, 2008 4:59 pm

David as a former assistant DA whose investigation of Bill Horn and our inestimable Sheriff Bill Kolender was blocked by Bonnie. She also failed to charge Jim Madaffer for his role in the SDDPC scandal in 2002 for petty theft and corruption, or Bill Horn in 2006 for deliberately filing inaccurate financial reports with the State. Gosh, I wonder why Horn, Kolender and Madaffer weren't investigated by Bonnie but she prosecuted Councilman Castaneda of Chula Vista on virtually no evidence at all. Bonnie for State Attornet General--I don't think so.

Posted by Ian Trowbridge | reply to this comment
August 5, 2008 6:25 pm

Bonnie the hypocrite has become a joke, nothing better than a cartoon character. Her reassignment of O'Toole will be nothing compared to the fallout when Frank White is acquitted in record time. The Castaneda case is one that never should've seen the inside of a courtroom. The White trial is going to explode on her.

Posted by D | reply to this comment
August 5, 2008 8:29 pm

The executives running City of San Diego and the D.A. Office have much in common. The City's Office of Ethics and Integrity and the D.A's Public Integrity Unit accomplish the same thing. They spend a whole lot of tax dollars on public window dressing but have accomplished little, if anything. While the idea of these units is admirable, I'm just wondering what a performance audit would reveal about their true worthiness? We know one attribute they share; they are hemorrhaging tens of thousands of dollars from the taxpayer's treasury, hard earned money that could be spent on projects that actually accomplish something.

Posted by JustWondering | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 5:05 am

Bonnie Dumanis sanctioned the notorious bogus prosecution of Steve Castaneda. Can he recover civil damages after this assault?Bonnie Dumanis stands with the dim Mayor and the dotty Sheriff whenever she is called to partisan service, to the detriment of public justice. Bonnie Dumanis has famously dragged her feet before finally bringing the off-duty shooter-deputy sheriff to trial. Bonnie Dumanis is a hack District Attorney who has been involved in countless GOP party-line activities and should be replaced at the voters' earliest opportunity.

Posted by Fed Up | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 12:32 pm

From what I hear, Kolender will retire this year; thank goodness. Now, we must fire Dumanis. She is nothing but a narcissist that wants to hang out with the so-called big wheels in this City. Her hero, as evidenced by the fact that she cannot face the public or a camera without him beside her. They're two of a kind. She was also hanging out with Lansdowne but for some reason lately, he has been out of the picture. Remember when the three amigos tried to steal the Family Justice Center away from the City Attorney, for Casey Gwinn, whom Dumanis had hired? Seems to be a quid pro quo with this group.You protect mine, I'll protect yours. What a deal.

Posted by Pietro | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 3:19 pm

Bonnie Dumanis' public integrity unit is WORSE than window dressing. It exists only to pursue her political opponents and those of her right wing friends. It'd be awesome if she ever investigated a right-wing Republican. Instead its witch hunt after witch hunt. The Castaneda prosecution succeeded even though she lost: it helped to get her good friend Cheryl Cox (wifey of County Stupidvisor Greg Cox) elected as Chuli's mayor. Cox is now overseeing the biggest waterfront redevelopment in the state. Bonnie D's a good GOP soldier. Even if we vote her out, they'll take care of her.

Posted by Worse than Window Dressing | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 3:30 pm

O'Toole got his BUTT HANDED TO HIM on the Chula Vista fiasco, and when you get spanked that bad in a high profile case something has to give.....I only wish it was the one responsible who got reassigned- Dumanis

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 4:19 pm

The PIU in the DA's office has caused considerable mischieF in Chula Vista. First O'Toole went after Jason Moore who they said took two hours off (and didn't clock out until later) to photograph guests attending a Cheryl Cox fundraiser on a yacht. Then someone whispered in O'Toole's ear and the Castaneda fiasco ensued. It is widely believed that it was an ally of Cheryl Cox but we will never know for sure because that is protected information according to the DA's office. This common thread bothers a lot of people.

Posted by Susan in Chula Vista | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 7:48 pm

what happened to Mike's much ballyhooed public integrity unit? Is it true he layed off that prosecutor and eliminated the unit? Do you know how much money was spent on the unit, which produced exactly nothing, before it was shut down? GO MIKE!!!

Posted by Say, BBH . . . | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 8:34 pm

BBH: Pat O'Toole was the City Attorney's Office of Public Integrity before he moved to the DA's office. Not much money was spent in the grand scheme of things.

Posted by Ian Trowbridge | reply to this comment
August 6, 2008 10:27 pm

Scott, you're taking this the wrong way. VOSD has been so successful in finding REAL misconduct that Bonnie decided she doesn't need O'Toole chasing after FAKE misconduct. It's really a compliment, direct from our District Attorney, to the VOSD and its hard working staff. You know how Bill Kollender went to work for the UT for a while? Well, I bet Bonnie's just following his lead (as usual) and angling for a position on your staff.

Posted by Fred Williams | reply to this comment
August 7, 2008 4:35 am

Has anyone read Pat F's blog "Goldsmith's two Democratic endorsees are actually lobbyists for Republican-controlle projects. 08/03/08" WOW, guess it is all about money and pushing your pet projects in San Diego. The only people blindly voting along party lines are the Republicans, and the only good thing about the Democratic party in San Diego is that they have had absolutely nothing to do with all the things we have been finding out were going on in our city government, our city redevelopment agencies, or city planning department. One party in power - one party at fault.

Posted by Gregory | reply to this comment
August 7, 2008 8:42 am

Dumanis,an egotist, who still plans to send a little girl to prison for the rest of her life, by charging her as an adult, is with out common sense, intelligence and compassion. Dumanis has so many negatives she should not ever again be elected to any position which is intended to serve the Citizenry. Just reviewing her record will convince you that she is inept and incapable. About Castenada, a good City Council Member, quite possibly destroyed by Dumanis in support of Cheryl Cox, the inept Mayor of Chula Vista. I do disagree, with a previous responder, that Mayor Cox's County Supervisor husband is with out intellect and honesty. He unlike his wife is a good citizen and an honest elected official. Rare!

Posted by Jimmie | reply to this comment
August 7, 2008 12:04 pm

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