1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Kf I am six forty. You're listening to the John 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: and Ken Show on demand on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 2: You know, forever after. 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: This is, August twenty eighth will be an official John 5 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: and Kenn Holiday, a John and Ken legal holiday. In fact, 6 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: write this down every year August twenty eighth, if we're 7 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: on the air, we are going to commemorate the anniversary 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: of Mark Ridley Thomas's stinking corpse being thrown into prison. 9 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know, the gods shone the light on 10 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 3: us because this was supposed to happen last Monday. Neither 11 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 3: one of us was scheduled to work because we took 12 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 3: vacation time. But the tropical storm delayed by a week 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 3: so we could be here to celebrate the day this happened. 14 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 2: I made a plead to the judge. 15 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: You did, said, please allow me to be in the 16 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: city of Los Angeles when Mark Ridley Thomas is tossed 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: into prison. 18 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 3: He was sentenced today to three and a half years 19 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 3: in federal prison. He also got hit with a fine 20 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 3: and three years of supervised release. That brought out all 21 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 3: we could Did you find did you did you bring 22 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 3: John Champagne? I thought you were gonna drink champagne when 23 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 3: this happened. 24 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:25,919 Speaker 2: I forgot about that. I missed. 25 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: I missed when he was when he was convicted. I 26 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: was supposed to have champagne then, and I'm supposed to 27 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: have champagne now. 28 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 2: I'm out a whole bottle here. Yeah, this is quite 29 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 2: a backlog of champagne. You need to drink. 30 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: You know why, I'm gonna go home tonight and celebrate. 31 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Like does he go to prison immediately? 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 2: Now? 33 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 3: Well, let's talk to Blake Trolley. Can't f I news 34 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 3: and to answer some of these other questions, A good idea? 35 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: Wait, wake, what guy doing? Hey? Does he go to prison. 36 00:01:58,680 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: Doing? 37 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're doing good, We're great. Did he go to 38 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: prison immediately or no? 39 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 4: I believe he does go to prison immediately. I didn't 40 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 4: see him exit the courthouse. It's interesting, though, you know, 41 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 4: we just stepped out of a dueling press conferences between 42 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 4: Mark Ridley Thomas's legal team and the prosecution, and nobody 43 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 4: had asked that question. I do know he was ordered 44 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 4: to pay that thirty thousand dollars fine immediately. But yeah, guys, 45 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 4: he was here with a three and a half year 46 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 4: prison sentence today. Prosecution went in looking for six years, 47 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 4: and the defense was looking for probation, and the judge 48 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 4: essentially threw the idea of probation out and verbally she had, 49 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 4: we'll just say, denounced the idea of probation being a 50 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 4: fit punishment for the crimes here as being a like 51 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 4: I said, A, I guess you could say a I 52 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 4: don't know why I'm drawing. I'm having a I don't 53 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 4: know foundational punishment for this. But yeah, So today the 54 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 4: defense came out swinging, essentially saying they pointed to other cases. 55 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 4: They pointed to Mitch Englander. They said he got fourteen 56 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 4: months for a cash ivory case. They wanted the court 57 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 4: to take into effect that Mark Ridley Thomas is about 58 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 4: seventy one years old. They said his age should be 59 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 4: taken into consideration. 60 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 5: No. 61 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 4: They they had also said that some of the some 62 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 4: of the evidence, they you know, they took issue with 63 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 4: one of them being that some of the items that 64 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 4: had passed would have passed anyway. They say, some of 65 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 4: the things he voted on would have passed unanimously. But 66 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 4: the judge fired back saying if that was the case, 67 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 4: it's almost worse that he convinced the dean of the 68 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 4: School of Social Work at USC that the only way 69 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: to get his vote was to allegedly, you know, take 70 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 4: these deals. 71 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: That's right. They didn't. 72 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: They didn't need his vote, and he was making money 73 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: off of selling a vote that wasn't even necessary to 74 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: pass a bill. 75 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 2: See what it really came. 76 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 4: Down to was the judge said that a lot of 77 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 4: this is about protecting the public. She said, you know, 78 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 4: we cannot catch all the public corruption that goes on, 79 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 4: but she said it is vast, it is wide, and 80 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 4: it hurts public trust. So her punishment to Ridley is 81 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 4: took into consideration certain factors. One of the ones that 82 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 4: helped him kind of knock down the six years prosecutors 83 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 4: were going for was the fact that he has no 84 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 4: prior criminal history. That said, she said, you know, we 85 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 4: still do need to protect the public and we need 86 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 4: to send a message to other politicians that are thinking 87 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 4: about engaging in corruption. So that's where she came up 88 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 4: with this three and a half year sentence. It's really 89 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 4: right smack down in the middle if you really think 90 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 4: about it, or at least close to the middle, between 91 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 4: what the what prosecution wanted and what the defense wanted. 92 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 4: Now During this sentencing hearing, Mark Ridley Thomas himself did 93 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 4: speak and at one point he said that what he 94 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 4: did and his belief was somewhere in the middle of 95 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 4: legal and illegal. That was essentially how he described what 96 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 4: he did. So when the US attorney stepped out, I 97 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 4: had asked him to respond to that statement, if we 98 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 4: can go to bite one well. 99 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 6: In terms of acceptance and responsibilities. Certainly he chose to 100 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 6: go to trial with the charges against him. Certainly he 101 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,799 Speaker 6: continued to seek a very aberrant sentence, I would say, 102 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 6: a completely probationary sentence, notwithstanding what is called for normally 103 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 6: in these types of cases, notwithstanding with the sentencing guidelines 104 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 6: called for at the sodial sentence, and that for US 105 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 6: demonstrates a lack of accounting for responsibility. But I do 106 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 6: think what's important is that the message sent by the 107 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 6: court today by imposing a forty two month sentence, which 108 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 6: we do think is a significant sentence, it shows that 109 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 6: regardless of what type of power one has, there will 110 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 6: be consequences when you engage in corruption. 111 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you very much. 112 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 4: And there it is. They cut off the questioning right 113 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 4: that question, and people really wanted to stratt it away 114 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 4: and on overall on just public corruption in LA, which 115 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 4: he said, you know, he essentially can't with his position there. 116 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 4: But yeah, guys, that was one thing that the court 117 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 4: seemed to really take issue with, was just the idea 118 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 4: that the court didn't feel that Mark Ridley Thomas accepted 119 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 4: responsibility for this. His defense argued that the only thing 120 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 4: he did to justify or to show, to demonstrate that 121 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 4: he didn't show or didn't accept responsibility was go to trial. 122 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 4: So that was their argument that, you know, it shouldn't 123 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 4: be viewed that just because he went to trial that 124 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 4: he wasn't accepting any sort of responsibility. But as you 125 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 4: just heard there from the US attorney, I mean, all 126 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 4: the way up until this point, the judge even today 127 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 4: claimed Mark Ridley Thomas is not accepting responsibility. 128 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 2: And these are federal charges. 129 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: And he was convicted on seven counts, seven counts, so 130 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: he didn't get much prison time for seven counts. 131 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: That comes to six months per crime. What is he 132 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 2: talking about? 133 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: It was between a gray area between legal and illegal. No, 134 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: read the law, it's all illegal. But I've never heard 135 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: anybody say that. 136 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 4: You know, prosecution really kept its statements pretty short today. 137 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 4: I mean really, prosecution really hinged on that this hurts 138 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 4: public trust and we need to set the example and 139 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 4: also deter other politicians considering corruption of engaging in corruption. 140 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 4: That was really where prosecution light its case. Prosecution, i 141 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 4: would say, probably made about half his lengthy of a 142 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 4: statement as the defense did for Mark Ridley Thomas. At 143 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 4: the end, you know, defense closed in an interesting spot 144 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 4: before it really wrapped up its final argument, and it 145 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 4: really wanted the court to take into consideration that Mark 146 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 4: Ridley Thomas had a tough childhood and despite that he 147 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 4: did extraordinary things for people. 148 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 2: He's seventy one. 149 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: You can't live off the tough childhood when you're seventy 150 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: one years old. His childhood was fifty sixty years ago. 151 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 2: What the hell? 152 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 4: Well, prosecution and the courts also pointed to, you know, 153 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 4: one of the things that defense wanted to say was 154 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 4: look how many good things he did for people. They 155 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 4: also pointed to the fact that he had one hundred 156 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 4: and thirty letters sent to the judge in support of 157 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 4: Mark Ridley Thomas. And the defense really had issue with 158 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 4: prosecutions saying, well, that's his job. He's a public servant. 159 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 4: He's supposed to you know, part of the job is 160 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 4: to do well for people. The judge wide in saying 161 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 4: by him doing well for people, he gets gain out 162 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 4: of that. So she really seemed to toss a lot 163 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 4: of that out as far as that Effer decision. 164 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: When you're a public servant, you're supposed to do good 165 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: for people. He actually wants extra special credit to excuse 166 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: his felonies. 167 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: It's like I did good for all. 168 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: Yes, you took public money for decades, public tax money 169 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: for decades. Yes you're supposed to do good for people, 170 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: but you didn't. You stole this money, you took primes. 171 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 4: It's gonna be now. One thing I want to point out, guys, 172 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 4: is I US attorney Martinez Strata, who we just heard 173 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 4: speaking there, said he expects an appeal. Now I'm curious 174 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 4: how that's gonna work, because the way they laid out 175 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 4: the terms of this sentencing was and Mark Ridley Thomas 176 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 4: verbally agreed to not ask for any further reductions to 177 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 4: his sentencing. So maybe they're talking about an appeal to 178 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 4: the case, but that was something that Martinez Straut had 179 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 4: touched on. So we're working to get clarity on that. 180 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: But they lost their appeal already on the evidence. 181 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's really it was really a curious thing because 182 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 4: so he said, we're expecting, you know, some sort of 183 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 4: appeal on all of this. But the way the judge 184 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 4: had laid out the sentencing was that he was to 185 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 4: not ask for any further reductions in his punishment, and 186 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 4: he agreed to it, and then they proceeded with handing 187 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 4: down the punishment. So I'm trying to figure out exactly 188 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 4: what type of appeal the US attorneys are expecting in this. 189 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 4: I guess we can expect one, but as of right now, 190 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 4: three and a half years in prison, three years supervised release. 191 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 4: And again, when you really look into this, guys, it's 192 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 4: it's right down the middle between what the prosecution want 193 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 4: and what we wanted. 194 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, we don't know what federal prison this will be. 195 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 4: I'm still working to get all this, you know, the 196 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 4: actual details worked out of exactly where he's going. 197 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: When you find out, let us know, because I want 198 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: to send him a card. Yeah, I was thinking about 199 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: a gift. And there's no way that they shave this sentence. 200 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 3: They don't have that good time halftime crap at these 201 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 3: federal prisons, did they I've heard. 202 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 4: That federal prison sentences are typically pretty sticky, you know. 203 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 4: One person described it to me as an in federal prison, 204 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 4: you usually get a shorter sentence, but it's going to 205 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 4: stick and not move. 206 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: And one of the reasons that he got a sentence 207 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: of three and a half years was he took the 208 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: case to trial. He could have done a plead deal 209 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: and probably would have gotten less time. 210 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 3: Right, That's why here's co defendant, Marilyn Flynn got the probation. 211 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: She's old too, but she worked well. 212 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 4: Actually Ken also when they had add So that was 213 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 4: one of the things that the defense was asking for 214 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 4: is why isn't he just getting the same exact punishment 215 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 4: as Marilyn Flynn, And the judge said the judge herself 216 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 4: said that she felt that Ridley Thomas was really the 217 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 4: moving force behind this bribery scheme and that he took 218 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 4: advantage of Marylynd Flynn's position with a struggling school to 219 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 4: come up with the scheme to vote for county contracts 220 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 4: to benefit that's school in exchange for his son getting 221 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 4: a scholarship a paid professorship. And also that that's funneling 222 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 4: mechanism for him to pipe one hundred thousand dollars through 223 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 4: the school to his son's nonprofit. So the way the 224 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 4: judge fewed it was Ridley Thomas was much more involved 225 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 4: than Marilyn Flynn, or at least he was much more 226 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 4: the uh oh yeah. 227 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: And he's the politician here, right, He's the serv and 228 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 2: he's the one that people elected over and over for decades. 229 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 2: All right, Blake, we got to go. Thank you very 230 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: much for that coverage. 231 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 4: All Right, guys, thank you, Hi. 232 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 3: Blake Trolly Ki who's covering the sentencing of Mark Ridley Thomas, 233 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 3: which happened a couple of hours ago, and he's getting 234 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 3: three and a half years in federal prison plus a fine. 235 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 2: We'll have more when we come back. 236 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 3: Johnny KENKFI AM six forty Live Everywhere i Art Radio app. 237 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 7: You're listening to John and Ken on demand from KFI 238 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 7: AM six forty. 239 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,559 Speaker 2: Do you like the way I play that? Yeah, you're 240 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 2: doing pretty good. Thank you. I want to know you 241 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 2: play it while you talk. I know, I know I'm 242 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 2: outside of your mouth. Is that what you do? 243 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 3: It's like you've been Charlotte rist thing. I love the vuvuzella. 244 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 3: I just do it just it's so sad, but that's 245 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 3: also so triumphant. Tony ken Shaw and KFI and we 246 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 3: are celebrating the demise of Mark Ridley Thomas, who is 247 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 3: gonna eventually, we hope soon surrender to serve prison time 248 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 3: three and a half years for Yeah, for this whole 249 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 3: bribe scheme he concocted for his son. Sebastian was a loser. 250 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: I'm upset. 251 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,439 Speaker 1: I was hoping there'd be audio of the judge sentencing 252 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: him and yelling at him, what a what a corrupt snake? 253 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: He was right, she called him that, Gord right, she 254 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: did a snake. Yes, she said, mister Ridley Thomas, you're 255 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: a corrupt snake. 256 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 3: And again, we've known him a long time. He is 257 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 3: obnoxious and we knew he'd fight this go to trial. 258 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 3: That hurt him because because his co defendant didn't she 259 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 3: was contrite, as they say, and she only got probation. 260 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: Plus she's a lot older than him. He shows you 261 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 1: what a dumb cluck he is. Because you're guilty, you 262 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: know you're guilty, you know there's a lot of evidence 263 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: pointing at your guilt, and you decide to fight the 264 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: federal government on a corruption charge. His chances were zero 265 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: because his his. 266 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 2: Accomplice admitted to everything. Yeah, that's a problem. 267 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 3: How you managed a lot of email correspondence between the 268 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 3: two to really we remember the jury in this case 269 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 3: really went with this conviction because of this one hundred 270 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 3: thousand dollars. In May of twenty eighteen, Ridley Thomas sent 271 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 3: one hundred thousand bucks to USC with the letter used 272 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 3: the funds at your discretion. But the next day he 273 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 3: calls her up or emails her giving her bank wiring instructions, 274 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 3: and the money eventually ended up in the pocket of 275 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 3: his son Sebastian. That's really this money laundering thing is 276 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 3: really what this jury said. That's not right, and that 277 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 3: was a strong basis for the conviction of Mark Ridley. 278 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: Thomas, and that's what he was up doing. Again. 279 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 3: What they got back was this telehealth contract USC did, 280 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: and he actually emailed her saying you're I repeat, you're 281 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 3: the best. 282 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 2: The money was en route to his son's nonprofit. 283 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: He's so arrogant he thinks he could conceive a complicated 284 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: money laundering scheme and put everything in writing and do 285 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: it with a prominent person from the most famous university 286 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles. But he could do it because he's 287 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: Mark Ridley Thomas. That's the size of his ego. His 288 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: ego is as big as the Hindenburg and. 289 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 2: It blew up. 290 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 3: So the update from Blake Trolley John, Yes we call 291 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 3: him MRT. 292 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: You just think that is like a metro line. I do. 293 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 3: I know Mark Ridley Thomas has a November thirteenth surrender 294 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: date destination. 295 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 2: Not knowing November thirteenth. Yeah, they give you time to 296 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 2: put your affairs in order. 297 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: Oh he's going to run off, surrender your passport. 298 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,359 Speaker 2: He's probably not playing somewhere. 299 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 3: Now you've heard about these letters there he goes from 300 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 3: such luminaries as Sheila Cule, one of John's friends, Jackie Goldberg, 301 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 3: that old hack asking the judge to go light. 302 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 2: Did you see the story? 303 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: There was one former public official in Los Angeles who 304 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 3: went completely in the opposite direction. Remember Bernie Parks. Oh yeah, 305 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 3: used to be LAPD chief, used to be a city councilman. 306 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 2: Oh. 307 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 3: He sent a letter to the judge that was it 308 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 3: ripped Ridley Thomas. I love this, Yeah, I know, I 309 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 3: have new respect for him. It says here what was 310 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 3: missing in the sentencing recommendation is how Ridley Thomas's colleagues 311 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 3: were also victimized by his crimes. He misled his colleagues 312 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 3: by soliciting their voting support while failing to advise them 313 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 3: of his corrupt behavior. 314 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 2: Like he was going to advise them. I bet you 315 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: they all knew. 316 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: All those supervisors, all the women who are on the 317 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: supervisor board, they knew what he was. Everybody knew what 318 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: he was. This isn't breaking news. Nobody somebody gets convicted 319 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: at the age of seventy one. Oh, it's his first time, 320 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: isn't it. And then and then tries to say it's 321 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: a gray area. Wow, he must have studied all this 322 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: really closely, always trying to find the gray areas. 323 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 3: Parks even brought up the fact that Ridley Thomas, you know, 324 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 3: played the race card too, which was just the awful 325 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 3: thing that always does. 326 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: That's that's his first go to. His first go to 327 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: is to play the race card. Oh, I guess I 328 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: didn't go to the Candlewaite visual last week? 329 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 2: Did you? I think it was yesterday? 330 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: Was it? Well? 331 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 2: I think it was over the weekend, right. 332 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 3: And by the way, too, we got to work on 333 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 3: this because his name is on all these landmarks. 334 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know. 335 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 3: Let me see here, he's on a bridge. He's on 336 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 3: another building. They got that's good. Oh here it is 337 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 3: a wellness center, a high school health center, a youth 338 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 3: facility in a bridge spanning Los Ciana. 339 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: Go, okay, that tests to be taken down. Who wants 340 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: to see the name of a felon plastered all over 341 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: buildings everywhere? 342 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 3: Huh? 343 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: Who wants to see that? Yes, this was on Sunday 344 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: night last night. Yeah, I thought it was last night 345 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 1: and the night before the sentence. Yeah, it was a 346 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: silent candlelight vigil. So do people actually show up and 347 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 1: just sit there and stare. 348 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: That's the idea. You hold a candle in your stare. 349 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: And look at their across the Mark Ridley Thomas Bridge. 350 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: They should take down the whole bridge. The entire bridge 351 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: needs to be removed. That's just outrageous. We can't just 352 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: change the plaque with the name. 353 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: Oh no, but John Colebilt Bridge. 354 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 1: I don't have a bridge. He has a bridge. I 355 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 1: haven't stolen money from anyone. I didn't take any bridges. 356 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: I should have a bridge. 357 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 3: I will be celebrating throughout the afternoon here on the 358 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 3: John and Kent Show. The sentencing of Mark Ridley Thomas 359 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 3: in the corruption scheme involving the USC School of Social Work. 360 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 3: Coming up next, we turn our sites on another LA politician. 361 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:05,880 Speaker 3: Did she really say this? We're gonna have to play 362 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 3: the audio to believe it. We're talking about Mayor Bassetti 363 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 3: and all of the smashing grants that are going on. 364 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 2: I gotta hear this one. I gotta hear this too. 365 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 3: Johnny KENKFI A six forty live everywhere iHeartRadio app. 366 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 7: You're listening to John and Ken on demand from KFI 367 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 7: AM six. 368 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: Forty ron from one until four, and then after four 369 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: o'clock you go to the iHeart app for the John 370 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 1: and Ken on demand podcast. Rick Caruso, who maybe the 371 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: only sane public figure in LA. He released a statement 372 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: on Mark Ridley Thomas. Far too many public officials behave 373 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: as though the law doesn't apply to them. In the 374 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: past four years alone, criminal charges have been filed against 375 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: four current or former Los Angeles City Council members. The 376 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: pervasiveness of corruption is staggering. He goes on from there, 377 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 1: you notice you didn't get that state from any of 378 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: the other County supervisors or any of the other LA 379 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:05,160 Speaker 1: City council people. 380 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 3: Oh, the ones that are talking are expressing sorrow. He 381 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 3: was such a great leader in a community inspiration. Yes, 382 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 3: all right, well now we turn our eyes to I'm 383 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 3: looking at the transcript of this, and I tell you 384 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 3: it's Kamala esque. Karen Bessetti, the Los Angeles mayor, appeared 385 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 3: on Friday's broadcast on Fox eleven of the Issue is 386 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 3: with Alex Michaelson, who was on Tim Conway Junior Show 387 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 3: every Friday. 388 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: I guess to promote it anyway. 389 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 3: She was asked about the smashing grabs, the retail theft. 390 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 3: I'm reading the transcript here and it's just it's babbel. Well, 391 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 3: let's play the clips that we have. 392 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 5: Begin with the first, Well, the uh, you know what, 393 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 5: things like this happen when there's profits to be made. 394 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 5: And law enforcement put the task force together that I'm 395 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 5: supportive of, and it has a number of different agencies. 396 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,360 Speaker 5: The city attorney, the district attorney, etc. All at the table. 397 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 5: And I will tell you that just the other day 398 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 5: they may eleven arrests and so these are crimes that 399 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 5: are significance. They are felonies, they are not misdemeanors. And 400 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 5: one of the things that we need to look at, though, 401 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 5: rest assured they are not selling ten thousand dollars purses 402 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 5: in poor communities. They're selling those purses online. They're selling 403 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 5: those stolen goods online. 404 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 2: And so I. 405 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 5: Believe when you have a crime like that, all of 406 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 5: the actors are culpable and need to be dealt with. 407 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 5: And so we need to look at the online sales 408 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 5: of stolen property, because that's what it is. 409 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: That's Gascone's routine from a couple of weeks ago. 410 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 2: He did the same thing. They immediately pivot. 411 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: To, well, we have to go after the people who 412 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: are buying these things. No, no, no, no, The crime 413 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: here is those who steal. 414 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 2: And oh my god, Well she wants. 415 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 3: To go after the organized units to take all the 416 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 3: stolen crap and then fence it online. 417 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 2: That's what I think she's pointing at it. 418 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 3: Well, where are we still have to start with the 419 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: people that steal and you have to put them in prison. 420 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: And what you do is you offer them a deal. 421 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: You rad out who runs the organization and will give 422 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: you a break on your prison sentence, because you want 423 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: to put everyone in the entire operation in prison for 424 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 1: a long time. But she says, Oh, the reason they're 425 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: doing this is because of profit. Yeah, they do it 426 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: once because of thing. 427 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 3: They like to say, Oh, these are just poor people 428 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 3: in poor communities and they can make a lot of 429 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 3: money by stealing stuff, so they just can't resist. So 430 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 3: let's go after the guys that are operating at the 431 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 3: top of the food. 432 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: Chain here in poor communities. They have this thing called schools. 433 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 1: You go to school and you get good grades, and 434 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: in these communities, somebody with good grades is going to 435 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: get their choice of scholarships. And then you go to 436 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,719 Speaker 1: college and get good grades, and then you get a 437 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 1: good job and you don't have to join a gang 438 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: and put on a hoodie and terrorize people at an 439 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 1: art drums, go to school and then go get a job. 440 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: That's the civilized way of doing things. And and for 441 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: her to sit there blabbering and blubbering and whimpering, well 442 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: doing it. We know they're doing it for profit. The 443 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: point is they should only get one crack at making 444 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: a profit because they ought to be arrested put into prison, 445 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: and then they're never going to try to make that 446 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: profit a second time. And that's the issue. Everybody cats 447 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: steal once, but that dries up the operation. 448 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 3: That people aren't stealing stuff for you, you can't sell it, 449 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 3: so stop the people that are stealing right there at 450 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,440 Speaker 3: the source, and they're easy to get. They're running into 451 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 3: the stores, smashing stuff and running out just to have 452 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 3: somebody nab them and throw them into prison. Now part 453 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 3: two to this because I guess Alex Michaelson kind of 454 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 3: persisted about consequences. 455 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 2: Let's listen. 456 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 6: You know there are a lot of viewers that feel 457 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 6: like there aren't enough consequences for crime in Los Angeles. 458 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 2: What do you say to those people? 459 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 5: Well, you know, they especially focus on that with these 460 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 5: retail crime. I think that there's a lot of misunderstandings 461 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 5: about that these are felonies and in some cases, especially 462 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 5: when bear spray was used in other these are crimes 463 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 5: that do have major consequences. The reforms that people object 464 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 5: to have nothing nothing to do with these crimes. 465 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 2: That's not true. 466 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: It encourages the crimes, It obviously does. 467 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 2: It encourages the crimes. 468 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 3: I have read and I have not personally researched this, 469 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: but some of these people that have been arrested for 470 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 3: being part of these flash mobs end up getting released quickly, 471 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 3: and they're nabbed again in the next round. 472 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: And they have most likely stolen many times before and 473 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: either not got caught or they had no serious consequences. 474 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 1: I told you she's close friends with George Gascone. We 475 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: told you that she was a public supporter of George Gascone. 476 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, she was against the recall. She was that clear. 477 00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: She was against the recall, and she was part of 478 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:06,880 Speaker 1: his campaign. She was the first person on his website endorsing. 479 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 2: It's right, they scrubbed that later. 480 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, but when you went to the endorsement page George 481 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: Gascon when he was first running for office, her name 482 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: and photo were first in the upper left hand corner. 483 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: And when she kicked off her mayoral campaign, George Gascone 484 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,639 Speaker 1: was on stage with her. We've been calling her Bassetti, 485 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: we should call her Bascone, Bascone Bascone. 486 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 2: Well, that could stick. 487 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: She's the same person. In fact, we're going to give 488 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 1: her an upgrade. She's no longer Karen Bassetti. She's Karen Bascone. 489 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: Carcetti's long forgot that's right. He's in India. So Karen 490 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: Bascone has the same philosophy and She's had the same 491 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: philosophy her entire life. 492 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 2: She just covers it up with her very nice approach 493 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 2: and friendly demeanor. But you're right she does. 494 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 3: It's in the words there if you read them to 495 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 3: try to support the task that's the DM task force. 496 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: She and Newsome with their task forces. I want to 497 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: know the sentences for these guys. I want to know 498 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 1: the sentencing for the first round of spashion grabs from 499 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: December twenty twenty one. Yeah, I want to know if 500 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: it's the same people bouncing in and out of the 501 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,920 Speaker 1: criminal justice system that's the problem here, all right, Speaking 502 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: of Gascone, we have another challenger to George Gascone as 503 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 1: Elie County District Attorney, and it's a familiar name to 504 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: the John and Ken Show. He'll join us at two 505 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: o five Johnny KENFIAM six forty Live everywhere iHeartRadio app. 506 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 7: You're listening to John and Ken on demand from KFI 507 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 7: AM six forty. 508 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 2: Yeah. 509 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 3: A couple of stories making national news right now. I'm 510 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 3: looking at a satellite image from earlier today of two 511 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 3: storms with a track to hit the Florida. One of 512 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 3: them is this tropical storm Idolea, which is expected to 513 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 3: make landfall, perhaps as early as tomorrow. This would be 514 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,439 Speaker 3: along the Gulf coast of Florida. And the caution that 515 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 3: they're putting out again is what we saw a couple 516 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 3: of years ago storm surge, which could really affect communities 517 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 3: there along the Gulf coast of Florida. The other one 518 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 3: is Franklin, which is Hurricane Franklin. 519 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: That's not a good name for a hurricane to the 520 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: east of the Atlantic. Franklin Franklin. 521 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, they really diversified the names. 522 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 2: That's a dull name for a hurricane. 523 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's all sitting out there to the east in 524 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 3: the Atlantic. Not sure what that track will be and 525 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 3: how soon it could follow the other one, but that 526 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 3: one is expected to hit and then make its way 527 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 3: north through states like Georgia. 528 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 2: And the Carolinas. 529 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 3: This now tropical storm expected to be hurricane probably category three. 530 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 3: But at least things are back to normal, aren't they. 531 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 2: What was it? Do we couldgo? 532 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 3: Everybody was freaked out over tropical storm Millery heating. You 533 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,679 Speaker 3: see the Times did none one of those stories. If 534 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 3: it was the story was hyped too much and I 535 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 3: did too much, Yeah they did. Most people agree that 536 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 3: the media hyped itself. It was it was at most 537 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 3: it was going to be a tropical storm. Tropical storms 538 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 3: aren't aren't that bad that those winds are below seventy 539 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 3: five miles per hour? So yeah, nothing bad happens below 540 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 3: seventy five miles an hour. I mean we get plenty 541 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 3: of that during the Santa Ana winds in wintertime. 542 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 2: Right. 543 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 3: Is if they stall, if they stall and sit there 544 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 3: and continue to jump a whole lot of water, then 545 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 3: the flooding becomes immense and a problem. 546 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: But what do you want? Do you want droughts? And 547 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: do you want long fire seasons? Or would you like 548 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 1: big rainstorms? 549 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 2: Oh no, I'm thinking that tropical storm we got last 550 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 2: week should set us up for a while now, both 551 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 2: with water and with the no fires. Fire season should 552 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 2: be over now, right, Trout's over? What more do you want? 553 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 2: You get it wet? I'll mean shut up. 554 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 3: The other story making news nationally is that Trump has 555 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 3: a trial date March fourth, twenty twenty four. This is 556 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 3: the election interference case that was announced a couple of 557 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 3: weeks ago, the one where you know he had the 558 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 3: fake electors and stuff like that, among the allegations. 559 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 2: This is, this is the one. There's so many now 560 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 2: we have to try to claterify them. This is the 561 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 2: federal case. This is the election grand jury in Washington, 562 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 2: d C. And died a Trump on four charges. 563 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 3: And this all dealt with the lead up to the 564 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 3: January sixth takeover of the cap. 565 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: Right, right, because Georgia's election interference too, but that's separate, that. 566 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,199 Speaker 3: Is and that's a state case. This is a federal 567 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 3: case against Trump. Not happy about it because that's the 568 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 3: day before Super Tuesday. 569 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 2: Oh juices turnout joy selection begins in December. 570 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 3: Well, they heard arguments from Trump' lawyers and federal prosecutes 571 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 3: which case could be set for trial, and the prosecutor 572 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 3: proposed the trial start in January. Trump's team said it 573 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 3: should be pushed back until April twenty twenty six. The 574 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 3: judge chose March fourth for next year for the trial 575 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 3: to begin. 576 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: There is a there's a guy on Fox News named 577 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: Raymond Arroyo, and he went on the other day and 578 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: he says he thinks Trump with that mug shot now 579 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: puts him in company with great American rebels that if 580 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: you remember, if you've seen mugshots of Frank Sinatra or 581 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hupac, Shakur, those kind of guys, hmm. 582 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 2: And that he's a. 583 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: Folk hero now that he's a rebel and Americans identify 584 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: with that because he sees taking on the system and 585 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: they're firing bullets at him from all sides, and he 586 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: just plows on fearlessly. And that all this stuff really 587 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: does enhance his reputation and his image among a lot 588 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: of people. 589 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 3: So you're thinking the trial itself is as good as campaigning, 590 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 3: So why not have it during the middle of the 591 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 3: primary voting. 592 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: Unless he gets convicted and thrown in prison, but you'll 593 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 1: put that aside. He'll still run the angel. 594 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 2: Vote for me. That's right. A lot of people will 595 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 2: do what jail sell interviews. It'll be great. 596 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: I have casual conversations. And everybody where this has come 597 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: up that doesn't believe it that you can be convicted 598 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: of a federal felony and still service president president. You 599 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: can go to prison and be president. 600 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 2: That's right, he campaign, you can win. 601 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: There's a decent chance this is gonna happen. You'll have 602 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: a little oval office in his cell. 603 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 2: All right. 604 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 3: Coming up next, we have another challenger to George Gascone. 605 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 3: George Gascon, the only county district attorney, of course, is 606 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 3: up for reelection in twenty twenty four. There'll be a 607 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 3: primary around the middle of next year, and it's a 608 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 3: familiar name to the Johnny Ken Show listeners. Deputy District 609 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 3: Attorney Eric Sadahal has announced he is also running to 610 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 3: replace Gascone. We'll talk to him next Johnny Ken, caf 611 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 3: I Am six forty Live everywhere, iHeartRadio app and Debora 612 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 3: mark Litten the twenty four Hour Cafe Newsroom. 613 00:30:58,160 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 2: Hey, you've been listening to the john and Ken Show. 614 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 3: You can always hear us live on KFI AM six 615 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,120 Speaker 3: forty one pm to four pm every Monday through Friday, 616 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 3: and of course anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.