Simon fraud verdict tossed

Sac Bee ^ | 9/13/02 | Gary Delsohn

[NormsRevenge]

A judge handed Bill Simon's campaign a significant boost Thursday, throwing out a $78 million fraud verdict that had seriously undermined the Republican challenger's bid to topple Gov. Gray Davis.

It was exactly the type of resounding vindication Simon predicted six weeks ago after a jury found that his family investment firm had defrauded its partner in Pacific Coin Management, a failed pay phone company.

[NormsRevenge]

DUMP DAVI$ & the Den of Socialists



GO SIMON

Bill will be on KSFO560 at ~810AM PT. :-)

[NormsRevenge]

PING

"The court does not set aside a jury's fraud verdict lightly," wrote James C. Chalfant, a one-time federal prosecutor appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court by former Gov. Pete Wilson.

"But substantial evidence does not support the fraud claim, and the jury's verdict cannot stand."

In dismissing the fraud verdict, Chalfant said Pacific Coin failed simply because it was a bad deal.

[PhiKapMom]

From the Sacramento Bee -- WOW! Can I now faint?

This is great news for the Simon campaign -- now all of you need to go out and use it big time!

Do you all have a grassroots effort going in CA to get people out walking door to door to hand out brochures and ask them to vote for Simon? That really works good!

[absalom01]

"It's still a show-me deal," said Republican strategist Ken Khachigian.

Who is this jackass RINO Ken Khachigian that I keep hearing about? Is he on Davis' payroll? Or Riordan's? Or Nancy Daly's? Why does he only open his yap to criticize the Republican candidate? What a jerk!!!!!!

[Sally II]

Anyone wanna bet that Davis doesn't pull the adds that accuse Simon of fraud? . . . but if he doesn't pull those adds, I wonder if Simon could sue Davis for slander. Simon does need some money for his campaign.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

This is huge. Simon can win.

[MarkT]

Has the overturn (and the unusual nature of it) been reported by the mainstream media as much (or even nearly as much) as the original verdict?

[NormsRevenge]

Im gonna give the media a par on the back on this one. Ive seen it on all the news stations. I don't see much of GraYouT except for the droning attack ads. ( Now I know how Germany felt at the end of the war as the bimbers flew over! )..

Oh, and GraYouT is going to keep using the ads for time being. Go Figure .. He is cutting his own throat in doing so.

[NormsRevenge]

par? (freudian slip par=pat) the media has played par for the course in at least reporting the overturning of the verdict... it would be nice of them to show Hindelang's mugshots and a big leaf beside his head, but that might hurt his feeeelings. :-)

[ZGuy]

From what I saw last night, the local stations in LA gave it wide coverage.

The best coverage though was when they showed reporters asking Davis for a response and he just walked away hiding his face! As the reporters kept asking, he picked up his pace, put his face down and tried to keep his back to the cameras. It was like some scene from a movie trying to portray the local corrupt politician!

[PhiKapMom]

I think Simon can win as well! They just need to get the grassroots out knocking on doors and asking for their vote.

We did that here in the OK 4th for Tom Cole and avoided a run-off. We had person after person thanking us for taking the time to come and ask for their vote for Tom! Several had not planned to vote including one woman who I saw at my polling place on election morning voting!

[fooman]

Sorry, cant sue for slander. Public figures such as politicians get an exemption.

BUT, Bush should now come in big and help raise money and the TV ads should run big.

When dems are vindicated they are very loud. I hope that we do the same thing.

[MamaLucci]

From the article:
Melanie Goodrich, a 22-year-old college student who was the youngest juror, was furious when she heard Chalfant had overturned the verdict.

"We spent a lot of time and it feels like a waste," she said.

"This is so surprising from him because he seemed like such a no-nonsense judge. I hate to think it was political because he seemed so nonpolitical, even though he was a Wilson appointee."

Am I the only one that finds it odd that 22 year old Melanie Goodrich,
a college student, would know that Judge Chalfant was a Pete Wilson appointee???

[PhiKapMom]

I find it very odd and would say her statement sounds like something out of the DNC playbook! Seems the DNC (mcauliffe/clinton) have gotten totally involved with some state campaigns like in FL and CA and who knows where else!

[cactusSharp]

Dubya should now appear 5 more times for Simon

[Coop]

"They were a big business acquiring small businesses and not caring about what happened to them," she said. "They weren't treating people with any kind of respect for them or their company."

Well, ma'am, since you're so worried about people being treated with respect by the "big" guy, you be sure to run off and vote for Gray Davis. He'll take good care of you. [wink]

[Coop]

BUT, Bush should now come in big and help raise money and the TV ads should run big.

Bush has already conducted five fundraisers for Simon, raising many millions of dollars. And Simon's TV and radio ads have been on for a few weeks now. Folks here on FR that tried to prematurely write off Simon should now take the time to make a donation.

[fooman]

I am talking about Bush avoiding Simon in their joint appearances.

This one is so important that Bush should do victory lap with Simon.

Bring in Rudy too!

Being down only a couple points before this hit means we could still pull this one out!

[NormsRevenge]

Front Upper Left Corner of Merc News



BTW .. The Cat Story is about a 25 pound cat in need of a home. (Adopt a Republican for Hanukkah!) :-)

[Coop]

I am talking about Bush avoiding Simon in their joint appearances.

President Bush did no such thing. You should read up a bit on this race. Simon's been in position to "pull this one out" for many months.