 Send In The Clowns: Bernie Giusto (left) and Bozo.
IMAGE: stephen voss |
Two years ago, in preparation for a WW interview, Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Giusto placed an inflatable Bozo the Clown on his desk. It was the kind of doll you punch again and again, but it keeps popping up, with the same inane grin.
Observing Giusto this year was like watching that clown. A sense of sick fascination turns to shades of pity and finally disgust. But Giusto should have long ago stepped out of the ring and resigned for his self-inflicted wounds. When it came to choosing our Rogue of the Year, there was but one heavyweight champ,Giusto.
The sheriff has long been on the Rogue radar (see “Boss Hog,” WW, June 29, 2005), but his travails piled up this year when several skeletons fell out of his closet at once. In April, the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training began investigating a complaint that Giusto is ethically unfit to wear a badge. Tigard businessman Robert Kim’s complaint chronicled a laundry list of alleged snafus, shadowy deals, romantic affairs and coverups that have long been associated with Giusto’s 34-year career in law enforcement.
DPSST invited Giusto to resign rather than face the prospect of being stripped of his badge—an offer Giusto should have taken. Instead, Giusto blamed the media for his predicament and set off fierce speculation about how and when county officials or voters could oust him. In response Giusto hired a subordinate, Lt. Bruce McCain, to act as his lawyer—sparking cries of conflict of interest.
Any lingering doubt we had about our selection was eliminated in recent days when District Attorney Michael Schrunk unleashed a scathing report about Giusto’s mismanagement of the county jail. A special grand jury seconded that conclusion and recommended Giusto be stripped of his jail oversight. On Dec. 21, Giusto told Schrunk and County Chairman Ted Wheeler he was considering resigning before his term ends in December 2010. We can only hope he was serious.
Giusto was unavailable for comment on being named Rogue of the Year. But McCain says his boss might be proud. “Considering how it’s construed in this town almost as a badge of honor, I’m sure he’s not going to be too concerned,” McCain says. “There are probably some other disappointed nominees.”
None so fitting as Giusto. Badges off to you, sheriff.
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OK -why do we have a NEW jail that is getting moldy and old? I dont know this guy but every thing I have read and heard makes me sick, cover up Neal Golddicks wrong doings, and smile about it. This Bernie is like all the sick catholic priest that like all the little boys, sick, sick, and this guy wears a badge? Has no problem of covering up for a buddy, probably a but buddy, He should get the hell out of dodge, like Neal golddickless wonder, all these old farts, covering for one another, what a system. Oh I forgot this is Oregon, home of the sick and twisted.
If you think all adulterers should resign, well lets just say, the PPD will have lots of vacancies....
It is amazing to me that a guy that looked the other way when an elected official he worked for had sex with a minor, who had an affair with that same elected officials wife, and also abused his position as sheriff by mis-allocating funds, falsifying expenditure reports,etc.,etc.
and yet he has been allowed to keep his job all of this time.
and now that he has been "warned"
that he will lose his job,
NOW... he "decides" to retire,
isn't that convenient?
and I am sure that by retiring now, he will still get his pension, benefits,etc.
Is it any wonder that we have questionable things happening within our police bureaus,when this is the example that is set for the younger officers, to "flaunt" the laws, and pick and choose which ones to obey.
Whatever happened to the time when a police officer was known for "upholding the law", and not their abilities to "get around the truth".
I think it is time to start having the sheriff,police, law enforcement as a whole be accountable to some kind of entity, other than themselves.
An entity that has some actual authority to make a decision and act upon it,and not take months and years to make a decision, taking so long that the person retires before you can fire them.
What a Joke!