Rizzolo/Glusman try to buy a sheriff in Newport Beach

The Sheriff of Orange County, California, Mike Carona, has been accused by his political opponent of having mob ties.

The Orange County Register is also taking Carona to task for his unsavory associations, especially when Vegas mob wannabe's donate to his campaign.

Rick Rizzolo was taken to task several weeks ago in the Register when investigative reporters TONY SAAVEDRA and CHRIS KNAP exposed Rizzolo's felony baseball bat beating conviction for the first time. Now Piero's owner and Rizzolo/Goodman pal Fred Glusman has piqued the interest of the Register and concerned O.C citizens.

Glusman is well known for running a mob hangout in Vegas, and now has one in plush Newport Beach. Both are sanctuaries for Rizzolo and his pals including Goodman, Jan Jones, Michael McDonald, and other Vegas "Pillars of the community" who may occasionally want to get away from prying eyes and ears. However, the Register is on their scent, and the reason for Rizzolo/Glusman's campaign contributions to a suspect candidate, is in their sights.

Could it be that Rick and Fred just want to be left alone when relaxing at the beach with La Cosa Nostra cronies? Maybe they're supporting the local sheriff to encourage him to keep his distance?

This story has wings -- at least in Southern California where higher moral standards prevail --but nobody in overly tolerant Vegas seems to care. Maybe that's why this place is called Sin City. -- SM

------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheriff's donor resigns from reserve
Ritz restaurateur accused of showing badge in Newport parking dispute.
November 11, 2005
Byline:TONY SAAVEDRA and CHRIS KNAP

An Orange County sheriff's reserves volunteer, a major campaign donor to Sheriff Mike Carona, has resigned amid allegations that he flashed his badge during a July 4 dispute over a parking space, dealing another blow to the department's embattled reserves program.

Fred Glusman, owner of The Ritz restaurant in Newport Beach, surrendered his badge last month, although an internal investigation had not concluded, said department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Glusman, who owns homes in Las Vegas and Newport Beach, donated the maximum $1,500 through his business to Carona's re-election bid and hosted a May fundraiser at The Ritz marking the sheriff's 50th birthday. Telephone messages left for Glusman at his businesses in Las Vegas and Orange County were not returned this week.

Glusman's resignation was preceded by the August arrest of a reserve deputy who drew his gun during a golf dispute. The off-duty reserve deputy, Raymond Yi, also served as Carona's martial arts instructor. Besides the misconduct allegations, the program until recently was embroiled in a years-long dispute with the California Commission on Police Standards and Training over 86 reserves who the state contended had not received proper training and background checks. The checks and training will be done under a recent settlement.

Carona said the problems with Yi and Glusman shouldn't reflect poorly on him, the department or the reserves. Despite their personal or political relationship to Carona, Yi and Glusman earned the right to carry department badges, through training and background checks, he said.

"There are no badges or guns given to contributors. If you find one, I'll make sure I personally walk out the door," Carona said. "These are volunteers. We give badges as a form of identification. I don't give anything; you have to earn it."

Carona added that sometimes deputies and volunteers "screw up."

Glusman belonged to the lowest rung of the reserve ladder, the professional services reserves, who do not carry guns or go on patrol, but make themselves available in their fields of expertise.

The "badging" incident involved a hard-to-find parking spot last Fourth of July outside a coffee shop at Island and West Balboa, according to Newport Beach police Sgt. Bill Hartford. The shop owner flagged a traffic-control officer to complain that Glusman had parked in a customer-only spot. Hartford said Glusman showed a badge, which the shop owner took.

"Words were exchanged. Some were unpleasant," Hartford said.

A patrol officer arrived, gave the badge back to Glusman and instructed him that he could not park on private property.

No report was taken, but Hartford said he pieced together the incident after talking with the officers involved.

Sheriff's officials said a written complaint was received by their department and an internal probe was immediately launched.

(714) 796-6930 or tsaavedra@ocregister.com

Copyright 2005 The Orange County Register

Monday, November 14, 2005

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=print

------------------------------------------------------------------

Playing political games aids and abets the enemy

Another tarnished badge in the sheriff's department

Letters to the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

I see where one of Sheriff Mike Carona's campaign contributors ... I mean, reserve deputies, had his badge taken away ["Sheriff's donor resigns from reserve," Local, Nov. 11].

The Register's article says that ex-Reserve Fred Glusman belongs to a group of reserves who make themselves available "in their fields of expertise." Glusman is the owner of an expensive restaurant in Newport Beach. How does that equate in any way to law enforcement - unless you count the fundraiser Glusman hosted for Carona in May?

Sheriff Carona has the gall to say his reserves "earn" their badges. The dictionary defines "earn" as "bring in as interest or income." Sounds like a contributor to me. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, sheriff.

Margaret Alexander
Huntington Beach

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On April 26, 2005, Mayor Goodman made a surprise visit to Steve's home. One day
earlier, Goodman's former client, Joey "The Clown" Lombardo, was indicted in
connection with 18 murders. Lombardo is a suspected hidden owner of the Crazy
Horse Too. In the street, Steve scolded Goodman for protecting his former clients
at the blood soaked topless bar. Goodman's excuse for not taking action against
the bar's license? "I can't take action in the middle of a federal investigation." One
year earlier, on March 4, 2004, the city council fined Crazy Horse competitor Jack
Galardi one-million dollars in the middle of the "Operation G-Sting" federal
investigation.
(AmericanMafia.com photo by Mike Christ)

Steve Miller writes nationally syndicated columns on organized crime and political corruption for American Mafia.com: http://www.americanmafia.com/Inside_Vegas/Inside_Vegas_Archive.html
and Twisted Badge.com: http://stevemiller4lasvegas.com/TwistedBadgeStories.html
Visit his website at: http://www.stevemiller4lasvegas.com/
------------------------------------------
Steve believes some things that happen in Vegas should not stay in Vegas. To subscribe to his insider E-Briefs, send your e-mail address to: SteveMiller4lv@aol.com. Write ADD in SUBJECT
Or if you would like to un-subscribe to these sometimes-too-frequent E-Briefs, REPLY with REMOVE in SUBJECT