The latest revelations in The Fresno Bee show that the controversial Genesis Family Center has leased a new BMW as a company car and is headquartered in a fancy office in high-rent complex in north Fresno. You can read the story by clicking here.
Last we left you, the head of the child welfare agency, Elaine Bernard, was tossed in the slammer for violating probation after pleading no contest to embezzling from Genesis, and Fresno County was finally concerned enough to pull multi-million-dollar contracts from the agency.
The latest story in The Bee also tells us that former Fresno City Councilman Ken Steitz was put on the Genesis payroll. Steitz is Bernard's live-in boyfriend, and his employment at Genesis could be a conflict of interest because of his relationship to Bernard. Fresno County officials said the Steitz arrangement should have been disclosed.
Fresno County Supervisor Judy Case had this to say about Genesis' spending habits:
"There's a lot of money going into things that aren't for the kids. They need administration but they don't need to be living high off the hog. We don't need to pay for Taj Mahals for Genesis."
Fresno County has given contracts worth $19 million to Genesis since Bernard was indicted for embezzlement in July 2005. The Board of Supervisors was silent during most of that time, and just now is questioning the Genesis contracts. Better late than never, but the five supervisors are as much to blame as anyone for the Genesis mess.
"...Elaine Barnard was tossed in the slammer..." Jim Boren! This mega rip-off of taxpayer money has gone way beyond charming levity. What, in the name of God, is the matter with local government? Fresno County contracts worth $ 19 millions have been given to Genesis since Elaine Barnard's conviction of embezzlement. And how, in the name of all that is sane, could the rip-off continue? To extend the out of place levity, Fresno County government officials should be keeping Barnard company in the slammer. It would be superfluous repetition were I to continue pontificating about the Genesis scandal. But one thing is a fact...it is ripe for a Senate investigation. We all should be most intolerant of elected and appointed local government officials who are a party to misappropriation of taxpayer's money. What we don't need is to have Mafia type clicks exacerbate the economic difficulties of the currently depressed economy. Did you know that President Eisenhower made one of his cabinet secretaries resign because the guy's wife accepted a gift from someone lobbying.
And I repeat EACH OF US NEED TO BE A GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG. TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. IT IS NOT FUN. BECAUSE THOSE WHO MAKE THE EFFORT, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, ARE HAVING THE PACK YELPING AT THEIR HEELS. So what's it going to be; a no-win popularity contest, or the hand of tax raiders in our pockets? We the People have the power. Have it got the will????
This story gets worse and worse.
This woman had a lot of enablers in City and County government. Now they think She is outragous? Come on.
Where is the stories on them? Start with checking political constributions? Hmmm
Blogger Miro Spiro! Both of my posts are not focused on Ms Barnard of Genesis, but the apparent failure of government. So where does your censorious "Come On" come in? But I am sorry, even if I did not say that the woman is outrageous, stealing $ one half of a million from the taxpayer is not just pilfering petty cash. It is outrageous. Forgiving may be divine, but "Crime and Punishment" keeps a people within being civilized. I believe the current name for it is Law and Order.
The government funding needs to pulled from Grnesis imediately. There are far better uses of the money to help kids as they are clearly not using it for them. Ken Steitz has no business on the board. What next all of them will run for office. They already operate like the losers in Sacramento. Dont put anything in those out held hands.
The lesson, dear folks, is that, when government, at any level gets involved in anything, the potential for abuse and misuse is greatly increased. As George Wallace used to say, government couldn’t run a three car funeral if you spotted them two cars.
The lesson, dear folks, is that, when government, at any level gets involved in anything, the potential for abuse and misuse is greatly increased.
Gee, maybe Bernie Madoff should have run a group home instead of doing all his swindling in the private sector?
Or was the government Bernie's enabler / co-conspirator?
Wait.....people are only corrupt if government is involved? Is that what I'm hearing?
"... when government, at any level gets involved in anything, the potential for abuse and misuse is greatly increased." I am hearing loud and clear that the POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE IS GREATLY INCREASED..." Mr. Morgan, your hearing may need adjusting to the English language.
Hold on to your seats, folks. Looks like T.C. is about to spin a brand-new conspiracy theory out of nothing. (Wonder if the Illuminati will be involved?)
That the government is inefficient is not much of a conspiracy. At least I’m not like the libs who are more prone to read Dan Brown’s novels and hold them up to the world as truthful conspiracies.
Potential for corruption is in everything when people are involved, even the Church, right T.C.?
O my God, the Dan Brown Illuminati conspiracy wackos are coming out of the woodwork! Gotta be an explanation for this - maybe lib inbreeding?
"...even the church" ???? What else makes all those agnostics? "..inbred democrats; lib inbreeding..." Mr. Morgan is either into selective breeding or he can't stop seeing sex in everything.
And how do we get the Genesis' BMW into all this inbred stuff?
Obviously, the Genesis fat cats and their government enablers are inbred libs! There can be no other explanation!
Relax TC, Dan Brown writes fiction, not mythology, like the King James Bible.
I sometimes feel like the writer of Ecclesiastes: "I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom--the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness" - (Eccl. 7:25 The Message).
Well, I’ve finally done it - that is, identified the "evil, the stupid, the foolish and the crazy" - inbred Libs! And what do I get for my efforts? What do I get for providing this much needed service? "A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble" - Prov. 29:9.
TC I asked a simple question; "Potential for corruption is in everything when people are involved, even the Church, right T.C.?"
All you do is resort to petty partisan attacks. Not in the least bit a Christian, none at all. What kind of example do you set, or follow? Obviously you do not put your so-called Christian belief into practice.
It seems evident you've diminished the Bible to just a black book of quotations. It is sad your religious belief is far from living the lifestyle you preach.
Blatent hypocracy, political partisanship has nothing to do with this.
I would have no problem putting Mr. Morgan in an executive position at Genesis. People like him respond to trainwrecks to assess the damage after they save the passengers.
This is a Fresno story about which Mr. Arax could produce a two volume piece. I look forward to reading my autographed copies.
I don't know who Dan Brown is and I don't suppose I care, but you still entertain me enough TC. "Inbred libs."
If you're feeling like Saul of Tarsuas, you've got bigger issues, TC, delusional issues.
Mr. Morgan, "....you feel like the writer of Ecclesiastes..." comparing yourself to Solomon (the Sage) king of Israel, son of David.
I shall never again utter the suspicion that you might be putting us on. I am satisfied that you believe who you are and that you believe the sermons you post.
Gosh you people sure get off topic.
Fresno County ... stop giving taxpayer money to convicted embezzlers.
Kthanxbai.
I just got done reading "Ex-Fresno Lawyer insanity defense accepted." (Fresno Bee , May 16.) The (convicted) thief of Genesis money missed a good bet. She should have entered a plea of temporary insanity, and she would have gotten off like that disbarred lawyer did who was accused of having stolen clients' money after his wife died in a tragic plane crash. It took just 2 hours for the jury to decide that when you have tragedy in your life and it drives you temporarily crazy it is OK to steal. That lawyer sure was not and is not crazy.
MollybyGolly | May 16, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply
Gosh you people sure get off topic.
Not that much. Mostly T.C. Morgan's evangelical morsels of wisdom ,and his inbred everything.
Congratulations to the Bee! I give the Bee credit for reporting the facts of these events and hopefully embarrassing the supporters of the management at Genesis.
Being "well connected" should not have been a reason the the non-sentence that was originally given.
These ladies are criminals.
The plot thickens! Now the convicted thieving sisters of Genesis get a raise of reportedly about $25.000 per year. Throughout the Genesis scandal that involved Fresno County government, I looked for political connections that managed to make the stealing of about $ one half of a million of taxpayer's money like shoplifting a lollipop. Eureka! Exclaimed that Greek of auld, and so do I!
Michael Der Emanouel Sr.; (and some names of his cohorts.) Not only is Der Emanouel on the board of directors, but he also sells insurance to Genesis the highly controversial agency whose engine is predominately tax money. He sells the insurance not for the profit in commission, but for the love of children, because that stops making it a conflict of interest, I am told.
In all fairness, for lack of knowing anything differently, I must not include Mr. Der Emanouel jr. in my censorious post. All I know is that he is the head of the Lincoln Club, a PAC a Republican Political Action Committee. It is to each of those who are within earshot (reading) of the Genesis/Fresno County scandal to draw their own conclusions.
Ms. Lawson, if you are going to pretend to know something about someone three times in two paragraghs, the least you can do is spell the name of that person the same way they do.
Per mea culpa! I spelled the name Der Manouel wrong more than once. Mr. Michael Der Manouel Sr.; Mr. Der Manouel jr. I am truly sorry for the faux pas. But my un-intended insult should be offset by the warm feeling of having Bart Turnipseed as the protector of your good name.
I truly believe that a number of folks at Genesis has been caught red handed and should pay for their unethical and immoral behavior. Our "leaders" should put a stop to it and our criminal prosecutors should go for the jugular of those in the wrong. About the car though, BMWs are excellent vehicles, with proper maintenance, it will run forever with little to no problems. That may have been the only good decision they've made. I'm kidding, not about the quality of the vehicle, but I'm kidding so don't start in on me.
By now it has become painfully obvious that the Genesis scandal is more than just the embezzlement of taxpayer money.
It is a mirror of our community ethics, and the lack thereof consequently.
We had been given instructions in the most important document authored in the making of this nation. Those instructions were unambiguous and easy to understand ".....governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, whenever any form of government becomes destructive to this ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it..." 56 men signed the Declaration Of Independence, pledging support with their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, in the year 1776.
Right now in the year 2009, the good citizens of Fresno County are passing their judgment on the members of Genesis, found to be responsible for the theft of about $one half of a million of taxpayer money. Some say that we should leave the thieves alone and move on, others would like to see harsher punishment in the mix.
But what is truly shockingly unbelievable is the absence of extensive grassroots righteous indignation about local government that made the stealing of the money so easy. Where is the demand for retribution according to the letter of the Declaration of Independence , to remove the responsible officials from office.
Make no mistakes, in nations with free (democratic) form of governments , it is not governments that dictate the morale, the ethics of the populace. It is the people who determine the quality of their government. But even in this limited medium of the blog, I am having them yelping at my heels for being totally dedicated to the American Ideal, the American Dream.
Today is Monday 5/18/09 and as we read in the Fresno Bee, the Genesis case has finally started to crack wide open, thanks to the superlative investigative reporting and columnist comments that have pressured the weak board of supervisors to act. While the following comments relate to old news, I found it interesting to study how people react, and how many think…if at all.
I went back to read all the twisted logic about how they perceived the Genesis case. It is surprising how some people can weave their own agenda's into EVERY possible story. For example, many believe that the government caused these felons to steal! There are references to scriptures, and I honestly could not see the connection. But then I am no authority in that field, thank God! There are references to enablers...yet none are named though they are blamed for felon Bernard’s behavior! Several people want to forget and forgive! ... Wake up Fresno...Bernard and her colleagues are still laughing at the inability of the system to purge them from their nest egg. We need to kick out the so-called board of directors, fire all involved and related staff, including those who knew but did not blow the whistle when they saw what was going on. We need a clean sweep and a fresh start. I am sure there must be a method to close down a dysfunctional organization and establish a new one to provide services.
I am sorry that these women and their supporters pulled the wool over the eyes of their well-wishers and benefactors like President John Welty of CSUF and convinced him to go to the court as a character witness. I am sure Dr. Welty will be doubly careful in future before lending his name to any former student without seriously reviewing what he is doing. He is too kind and was too naïve and obviously fell prey to the desperate efforts of the lawyers to save convicted felon Bernard from being incarcerated.
We all learn the hard way…don’t we?
Blogger A. Brown (gender not given) this is still "Monday 5/18/09" about four hours after your post, which almost looks like an attempt to absolve the Fresno Counter Supervisor from any involvement (indirect or otherwise) in the by now notorious Genesis scandal. Even if their fault is in omission, this is not what they had been elected to do or no to do. And if I have surprised you with an agenda of my own (other than the demand for good government) than so be it. I shall stand pat on my contention that government, elected and/or appointed, owes the electorate (the people) utmost vigilance as to what happens to taxpayers' money. Wool or no wool over the eyes, in the final analysis, the dishonest Genesis bunch has not been sworn to represent us We the People. The Board of Supervisors have. It seems that I fully share Mr. Jim Boren's journalistic opinion as follows:
"Fresno County has given contracts worth $19 million to Genesis since Bernard was indicted for embezzlement in July 2005. The Board of Supervisors was silent during most of that time, and just now is questioning the Genesis contracts. Better late than never, but the five supervisors are as much to blame as anyone for the Genesis mess." by Jim Boren.
"To govern with the consent of the governed' (Declaration of Independence) I have not given any of the County Supervisors my consent to be errand in their responsibility to represent my interests. A. Brown, I hope that we can win you over to our side that government must not be errand in their responsibilities. I let the courts take care of the thieves at Genesis. But the Supervisors must be answerable to us We the People. And that is the agenda of the taxpayers of Fresno County.
Isabel, my gender is irrelevant to this debate!
I will concede that the government watchdogs failed in their work. BUT they failed AFTER the Board of Directors of Genesis failed. So, let's stack the blame in the correct order...Board of Genesis, the County bureaucrats and then the Country Board...in that order.
We are on the same page...just don't let the real culprits get away.
Your gender was only relevant in the exercise of the social amenities (of address)...Ms or Mr? Too old to feel comfortable breaking the habit.
A. Brown, I am on the same page. But having lived around here for 57 years and more than 50 of them in the loop, I fear that the Genesis affair shall pass into oblivion, as this blog topic shall within hours. There were no new posts of relevance since 5. 19. 2009 5:54 PM. The thieves of Genesis shall enjoy their ill-gotten gains. Government will retreat back into their closed door meetings, violating the Ralph Brown Act left and right, and the citizenry shall have lost a lot of tax money due to lack of government oversight, and private contractor's dishonesty. And as for the Genesis Board of Directors ...each is no stranger to wheeling and dealing. Sorry A. Brown. I truly hope that I am wrong. But socio/political fantasizing is not one of my vices. And if someone has the fortitude to dig through morgue-files of yesteryear, they could find the multi-page feature stories on Isabell Lawson. A. Brown, I consider it a privilege to have blogged? with you.