Category Archives: Andrew Lamberto

iePolitics: San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto MUST go!

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I have been calling for San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto’s termination for a while now.  It’s not only the things his department has done to me personally, but also having a Human Resources director who supports a hostile work environment.

In my own personal situation, I have been discussing the Equal Employment Opportunity investigation that was completed at the Victorville Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) in 2005.  Many accusations were made, and most substantiated, including the fact that our three female African American employees were referred to as “The Sister Act” and “The Black Caucas;” our younger female employees were subjected to sexual harassment and intimidation including the fact that a nearby apartment was used by our district manager to bring his latest conquests to; older employees and others the district manager did not like were subjected to a “personal vendetta;” etc.  The end result was that he was demoted and transferred.

Unfortunately, Human Resources has a very short memory and denies the investigation even took place.  Well, that was until an investigation was initiated at this manager’s new office.  Hmm . . . guess what?  He had to be demoted and transferred yet again.  Seems like once should have been enough and termination should have been the only outcome.  But we know of the disparate treatment in county government. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Is there really a “plan”?

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The story below from inlandpolitics.com is disturbing to say the least.  The problem is that it may only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of backroom deals and cover-ups that have occurred as part of the investigation into San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos and his sexual exploits.  We will probably know more next Tuesday after the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors meet in closed session.

On Decemer 18, 2009, Mark Kirk and I met to try to resolve differences.  I asked him about the status of the Mike Ramos.  Mark’s only response was “I have a plan.”  Last Friday when I received the call about the memo where it appears the report was gutted and the investigation covered up, I kept asking, “Are you sure?  Mark said he had a plan.”  I sure as heck  hope what we see now is not the “plan.”

Continue reading →

InlandPolitics Commentary: Santa Monica law firm at center of Ramos report focus

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Was the true scope of the law firm hired by San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto to mount a politically explosive investigation really focused on just three questions?

Will county supervisors answer that question soon, or just try and delay until after the June election.

The Santa Monica office of law firm of Curiale Hirschfeld Kraemer, LLP was hired to investigate misconduct allegations leveled against District Attorney Michael Ramos and certain members of his management team by Investigative Technician Cheryl Ristow. Ristow says she a had a 17-month long affair with Ramos and that when the affair became public last may she was retaliated against after expressing concerns to management.

Continue reading →

InlandPolitics Commentary: S.B. County: Disclosure of DA investigative report and other materials required by law

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The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is expected to take-up the matter of the Ramos investigation and report next week. It would be nice to be a fly on the wall for this meeting.

Case law not only requires the disclosure of the report, but also other documentation from the four-month-long, $140,000 inquiry.

The controlling legal case governing the release is BRV, Inc. v. Superior Court, 143 Cal. App. 4th 742.

The BRV case involved the release of an investigation report into the conduct of a school superintendent, who was eventually given a ’sweetheart severance deal”, which was a matter of public concern. A local newspaper filed a lawsuit to have the report and related materials released.

The Superior Court denied the request to release.

The California Court of Appeal reversed the Superior Court and ordered the release. The California Supreme Court denied review.

Not only does the BRV case require disclosure of the report with certain identifying information redacted, it also requires the release of other supporting information. Continue reading →

iePolitics: The Little Things In Life

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I know we still have a lot of former San Bernardino County Jobs and Employment Services Department Employment Services Specialists reading the blog. How many of you remember the days before TAD decimated our department when we went through programs to help make us better employees rather than destroy our ability to get our job done?   Anyone remember the poverty training we had to go through?  Somewhere I still have the book describing the survival skills necessary to be living in a lower-class situation, a middle-class situation, and an upper-class situation.

Do remember the questions we had to answer?

  • Do you know how to get the executive membership at the country club?
  • Do you know how to keep your laundry from being stolen at the laundromat?
  • Do you know how to pick a daycare center?
  • Do you know the time of day stores deposit their expired food in the dumpster?
  • Do you know how to get your child into the most exclusive private schools?
  • Do you know where the food banks are located and when they give out food?
  • Do you know how to hire a maid?
  • Can you tell the difference between silk, linen and cotton and how to care for each?
  • Do you know how to get your children to fall asleep when they are still hungry?

And many more. Continue reading →

iePolitics: More on the Ramos Report

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I had a chance to meet with Cheryl Ristow, the claimant in the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s sex scandal, yesterday and she showed me her documentation.  One of things the newspapers seem to have forgotten is that the report does not clear District Attorney Michael Ramos of lying to the public nor does it suggest that he DID NOT have an affair with Cheryl or any number of other subordinate employees.  All it states is that the District Attorneys office did not create a hostile work environment for Cheryl.

Cheryl has the proof, which leads those of us close to the situation to believe that the more-serious hanky-panky is between San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Ovitt, along with his Chief of Staff, Mark Kirk, and the law firm investigating the accusations.  Helping along with the deceit is likely Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto and County Counsel Ruth Stringer. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Once Again–Andrew and HSS Administration

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Geez, does it never end in this county?  We’ve been harping on hostile work environment around here for how long now?  Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) management incompetence?  The stupidity of Service First when interpreted by Linda Haugen and her band of dumb-ass managers?  The lack of education of TAD managers costing taxpayers?

Let’s see.  I even met with Fourth District Deputy Chief of Staff Joy Chadwick over the fact that we are paying TAD directors $100,000-plus a year, they manage millions and millions of dollars in taxpayer money, and they don’t even have to have a high school diploma.  What did she do?  Nothing.  I mentioned the same to Assistant County Administrative Officer Dean Arabatzis and he chastised me for suggesting there might be something wrong with it.  And Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto will do anything a pair of legs wants him to do, especially those belonging to one Ms. Haugen.

So, it should be no surprise that TAD managers do really stupid things.  After all, they are stupid.  Or perhaps ignorant is a better term.

A few days ago iePolitics posted a question about a rumor circulating that a TAD manager had been demoted to a EWIII position.  Well, the rumor is true.  Guess what she did among other things? Continue reading →

iePolitics: Sometimes Timecard Fraud Is Okay and Sometimes It Is Not

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Well, justice administered disparately apparently is the theme de jure, or in this case, the theme de soir, and it remains alive and well in San Bernardino County.  Former San Bernardino County Assessor’s Office employee and Rancho Cucamonga councilman Rex Gutierrez appeared in court today for his preliminary hearing.  This desperado required the combined lawyering skills of six deputy district attorneys and two deputy attorneys general.

What crimes could have garnered such a showing of prosecutorial might?  Certainly Gutierrez must have executed a cross-country rampage leaving death and destruction at every turn.   “Right?” you ask. Continue reading →

iePolitics: Andrew Lamberto and Ruth Stringer Strike Again

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In what has been an ongoing discussion on this blog about the incompetence and unethical practices of San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto and County Counsel Ruth Stringer, we now find out just how unscrupulous both are.  Added into the mix this time is the reported collusion with said scoundrels by Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Ovitt and his Chief of Staff, Mark Kirk, Supervisor Paul Biane and others, and we can only conclude that the level of corruption in the upper echelons of county government has reached a new high.

Last August, at the insistence of Third District Supervisor Neil Derry, Lamberto initiated an investigation into allegations of hostile work environment by District Attorney Michael Ramos aimed at investigative technician Cheryl Ristow.  Ristow admitted a previous 17-month sexual affair with Ramos, who had told her during the affair how he had fallen in love with her and claimed he was divorcing his wife, Gretchen. However, once Ristow realized that Ramos was lying about his feelings for her and his status with his wife, Ristow ended the relationship.

Ramos continued to pursue Ristow, even to the point that when Ristow was facing possible breast cancer surgery, Ramos asked to have one more encounter with her before her breast might be damaged or removed during the surgery.  Ramos continued to pursue Ristow as will be shown in an updated article tomorrow.  Ristow has said from the beginning all she ever wanted out of this is for Ramos to admit the affair and apologize for lying to and about her.   It seems Ramos cannot tell the truth.  Despite that fact and although the investigators seem to have ignored the evidence, tomorrow we will provide evidence in Ramos’ own handwriting to show what he has done. Continue reading →