On August 23, 2007 OC Treasurer-Tax Collector Chriss Street hald a press confrernce where he presented to the assembled media representatives a 3″ binder of documents for their review. At the time Street said; “We’d like to have the facts stand for themselves.”
Well, Ronald Campbell and Peggy Lowe of the Orange County Register did a good job reviewing those documents in their story today.
In their review they discovered a number of conflicting communications that through doubt on Street’s version of events related to the Ware Malcomb design contract currently being investigated by the District Attorney. None of the information identified in the Register’s review gives me any confidence in the integrity of Mr. Street’s statements on the matter.
As a ten year county employee I cannot reconcile the timeline and d coresponding documentation in any other way than to conclude that Street made the selection of Ware Malcomb and then tried to back date the time line to make it appear that RDMD made all the decisions. While, I am for some reason initially willing to consider that Street may have made an initial mistake in failing to follow the county process; the fact that there are so many conflicting bits of information leads me to distrust his version of events.
The Board of Supervisors should take immediate action remove Chriss Street’s investment authority as he has demonstrated a lack of the needed integrity to hold that authority. Further, Street should save the taxpayers of Orange County the expense of recalling him from office and resign immediatley. No amount of spin can save him now.
We agree completely!