Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Judge demands $250 million from California, stat
Oakland Tribune ^ | 10/7/8 | Josh Richman

Posted on 10/07/2008 7:04:45 PM PDT by SmithL

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge seemed ready to order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Controller John Chiang to cough up $250 million in the next few weeks for prison health care construction.

But Senior U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson isn't quite ready to hold the governor and controller in contempt of court, a move that could put California on the hook for millions of dollars in fines per day until state officials do the judge's bidding.

Henderson said the $8 billion price tag that his appointed receiver, J. Clark Kelso, has placed on construction required to bring the state's long-addled prison health care system up to constitutional snuff is "the best approximation that anyone can make at this time," and his orders have been clear that the state must pick up this tab.

"Politics, whether based on partisanship or the desire to remain in or be elected to office, will have no place these proceedings," he warned — perhaps a dig at Attorney General Jerry Brown. Brown's Justice Department defends Schwarzenegger and Chiang in the case.

Kelso's plan calls for building seven facilities with 10,000 beds for chronically sick or mentally ill inmates by mid-2013, as well as improving existing facilities at the state's 33 prisons. Despite Schwarzenegger's support, the plan was repeatedly rejected this year by Legislative Republicans.

"Sacramento politics overtook us," Kelso told Henderson on Monday, and attempts to work with Schwarzenegger and Chiang to bypass the Legislature also proved fruitless. Only then did he file his motion asking Henderson to hold the officials in contempt of court, he said.

Fewer inmates are dying needlessly due to inadequate care, he said, but "I remain ultimately convinced we cannot establish sustainable improvements"... unless we complete the improvement and expansion construction program." And the state "has offered absolutely nothing substantive to suggest these facilities are not necessary," he said.

Deputy Attorney Gen. Daniel Powell argued Monday that Kelso has offered no substantive evidence to prove his $8 billion plan is the least intrusive, most narrowly tailored remedy to prison health care's constitutional problems — a test required under the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act. And the money should come from lease-revenue bonds, he said, not a raid on the state's already deficit-plagued general fund.

But Henderson had little patience for Powell's arguments, and indicated he'll issue a ruling within a few days ordering the state to come back before him Oct. 20 to explain when and how — not whether — it'll cough up $250 million already available for prison health care construction under AB900, a $7.8 billion prison-expansion bill Schwarzenegger signed into law in May 2007.

Prominent San Francisco trial attorney James Brosnahan, whom Kelso retained to handle this pay-up-or-be-held-in-contempt proceeding, told reporters Monday that he and Kelso "don't want to find the governor and the controller in contempt. "... It will be a terrible day if it has to be done," but they're dead serious about pursuing it if necessary. Once they have that initial $250 million in hand to get Kelso's operations through the end of 2008, they'll go after the rest of the $3.5 billion they want in this fiscal year for the first three new facilities, Brosnahan said; Kelso added it will be hard to start construction in February as planned unless that money is firmly committed by then.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: activistjudge; blackrobedtyrant; govwatch; judiciary; prisonhealth; tyrant
Black Robed Tyrants!
1 posted on 10/07/2008 7:04:46 PM PDT by SmithL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Henderson, Thelton Eugene
Born 1933 in Shreveport, LA

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Northern District of California
Nominated by Jimmy Carter on May 9, 1980, to a seat vacated by Cecil F. Poole; Confirmed by the Senate on June 26, 1980, and received commission on June 30, 1980. Served as chief judge, 1990-1997. Assumed senior status on November 28, 1998.

Education:
University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1956

University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1962

Professional Career:
U.S. Army Corporal, 1956-1958
Attorney, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1962-1963
Private practice, Oakland, California, 1964-1966
Directing attorney, East Bayshore Neighborhood Legal Center, East Palo Alto, California, 1966-1969
Assistant dean, Stanford Law School, 1968-1977
Private practice, San Francisco, California, 1977-1980
Associate professor, Golden Gate University School of Law, 1978-1980

Race or Ethnicity: African American

Gender: Male
Bibliography

2 posted on 10/07/2008 7:05:39 PM PDT by SmithL (Drill Dammit!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Let the judge raise the money. Kalifornia has paved its own miserable road to hell.


3 posted on 10/07/2008 7:09:05 PM PDT by caisson71 (Times change, values don't.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: caisson71
"Let the judge raise the money. Kalifornia has paved its own miserable road to hell."

The judge need not worry. The congress will give them billions in the form of a bailout ......after the election.

4 posted on 10/07/2008 7:12:04 PM PDT by KoRn ("Change": Come Help A Nitwit Get Elected)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

All the better. California has got to be an example of how not to do things.


5 posted on 10/07/2008 7:16:59 PM PDT by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

America’s criminal class live better than many middle income Americans. Thank you, American Taxpayer!


6 posted on 10/07/2008 7:25:24 PM PDT by Jack Hammer (here)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brilliant

I must have slept through civics class. I thought public monies could only be appropriated by the people through their legislature.

The legislature REJECTED this plan—for good reasons or bad.
And if the PEOPLE don’t like it, then it’s in THEIR power
to choose a new legislature.

But I guess I was wrong. I guess Judges can appropriate tax money any way they see fit.

Because judges are never wrong and they know what’s best for everyone. And so they can just rule by decree.

What a fine system of government...


7 posted on 10/07/2008 7:29:42 PM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

So,

Is California about to implode?

I’d love to see them change to an electorate system like Maine. Never happen.


8 posted on 10/07/2008 7:30:42 PM PDT by CriticalJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondorFlight

“Henderson said the $8 billion price tag that his appointed receiver, J. Clark Kelso, has placed on construction required to bring the state’s long-addled prison health care system up to constitutional snuff is “the best approximation that anyone can make at this time,” AND HIS ORDERS HAVE BEEN CLEAR THAT THE STATE MUST PICK UP THIS TAB.”

All hail King Henderson!

If he thinks the prisoners need more spent on their health care, then GO CONVINCE THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE of that need.

Don’t crown yourself sole arbiter of what is necessary. (Otherwise, where does his power end?)


9 posted on 10/07/2008 7:34:15 PM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

I have a better idea. Send our prisoners to Sheriff Arpaio and we’ll pobably get a $250 million refund.


10 posted on 10/07/2008 7:34:48 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham ("The land of the Free...Because of the Brave")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondorFlight

Too bad they can’t just print the money like the federal government does. Then everybody gets all the goodies they want!


11 posted on 10/07/2008 7:46:27 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Ask the little shirt if he will loan Kaleephornya the money!


12 posted on 10/07/2008 7:51:21 PM PDT by stboz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
Black Robed Tyrants!

Is a check OK?

13 posted on 10/07/2008 7:52:23 PM PDT by stevem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Thelton Henderson tried to overturn the majority vote over Prop 209 (the repealing preferences and quotas in CA using state monies). He tried to rule it as “invalid”.


14 posted on 10/07/2008 7:54:45 PM PDT by Alia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

when do judges get to make spending decisions?


15 posted on 10/07/2008 8:03:21 PM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alia
Thelton Henderson tried to overturn the majority vote over Prop 209
16 posted on 10/07/2008 8:07:28 PM PDT by lewislynn (What does the global warming movement and the Fairtax movement have in common? Disinformation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

How much does bus fare for all the illegals cost?


17 posted on 10/07/2008 8:39:32 PM PDT by cookcounty (Dismissing Ayers as a 1960's radical is like saying Barbara Walters was a 1960's TV dogfood salesman)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Like painting yourself into a corner huh?


18 posted on 10/07/2008 9:05:25 PM PDT by enduserindy (Just say NO to the curtain!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lewislynn
From your url: At a hearing earlier this week, attorneys told Henderson the measure would turn the "glass ceiling" for minorities and women into an "iron cage."

This is the line angle Erwin Chemerinsky was arguing - that males would be allowed to be put in charge of girls' PE locker rooms, therefore 209 should get the "no" vote, in addition. Chemerinsky keeps on getting promoted. When his track record is clearly not good.

19 posted on 10/08/2008 2:54:02 AM PDT by Alia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
Its unconstitutional. Judge Henderson can issue contempt orders all day long but the state is not obligated to give him anything. It answers to the people of California, not to Henderson.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

20 posted on 10/08/2008 12:31:46 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson