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10/29/18 – There is a good reason people call the paper the “fishwrapper”: The Record Gazette just endorsed a convicted criminal, Colleen Wallace, for Banning City council.

Court documents indicate that District 5 City council candidate Colleen Wallace’s criminal record includes multiple convictions, felony charges, as well as probation violation.

In 2011 Wallace was charged with a felony for defrauding a Cabazon outlet store, after she was allegedly observed paying for merchandise with a counterfeit Visa traveller check.

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WALLACE LYING TO POLICE OFFICER, SUSPENDED LICENSE, NO INSURANCE, PROBATION VIOLATION, ARREST WARRANT

Fast forward to 2018 – Court records show that candidate Colleen Wallace has been convicted of lying to a police officer about her identity, driving on a suspended license and driving without registration and without insurance, (San Bernardino Superior Court case # 604773CW) .

For these criminal offenses the court granted her probation in 2001. Wallace violated her probation within only a few months, when she wrote a bad check to the San Bernardino Superior Court (view court docket entry).

In 2008 a bench warrant was issued for Wallace’s arrest, which resulted in her arrest and arraignment, (view court docket entry).

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2011 : FELONY CHARGES FILED AGAINST WALLACE FOR TENDERING A FAKE TRAVELLER CHECK AT CABAZON OUTLET CENTER

The following affidavit describes the felony charges brought against Colleen Wallace for passing a counterfeit traveller check to a merchant:

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CHARGES DISMISSED

Wallace has denied being at the Cabazon Outlets that day. She claims she had lost her drivers license. This stands in sharp contrast to eyewitness accounts, who positively identified Wallace as being the person who passed the fraudulent traveller check. Also, according to the police affidavit, the signature on the check matched that of Wallace on her drivers license.

It appears that there was ample evidence to convict Wallace. But due to prosecutorial negligence, more than 60 days lapsed between hearings. This lead to Wallace’s right to a speedy trial being violated. For this reason, the court dismissed the case in 2011.

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UNEMPLOYMENT/WELFARE FRAUD ? – JUDGMENT BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AGAINST COLLEEN WALLACE

In 1996, the State of California entered the following judgment against Colleen Wallace for “benefit overpayment” :

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This type of judgment is usually entered against individuals who receive State unemployment or welfare benefits, when they are not entitled to them. Did Wallace try to defraud the system? It sure looks like it.

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CRIMINALS FREQUENTLY ON THE BALLOT FOR BANNING CITY COUNCIL

Convicted criminals seeking office in Banning are nothing new.

In 2012, not one, but two convicted criminals were on the ballot. One of them was Adam Buchanan, a lowlife who at the time had two DUI convictions with weapons charges pending in Idaho (see story).

At the time Buchanan ran for City council, he was also wanted for arrest in Idaho as a fugitive from justice.

Despite (or because of?) his criminal record, three corrupt Banning City council members embraced Buchanan with open arms and endorsed him: they were Bob Botts, Barbara Hanna and Don Robinson.

During the same election, a second candidate, Larry L. Tucker, had been convicted of check fraud. In addition, Banning PD was alerted that Tucker was wanted for lewd acts with a child under the age of 14 by the State of Oklahoma.

When Banning PD tried to question him, he had already skipped town.
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CONCLUSION

There are no laws preventing convicted criminals from running for office, nor are there any background checks required for candidates to qualify. As a consequence, three convicted criminals have been on the ballot for Banning City council over the past 6 years.

What does the endorsement of a convicted criminal tell us about the credibility of the Record  Gazette? And what does this say about their other endorsements, for example David Happe for District 4? It tells us that the Record Gazette is either completely ignorant , or they want to destroy Banning for the benefit of ruthless developers. Either way, this is just awful. It may be time to cancel your subscription.

One thing is for certain: To wrap a dead fish in the Record Gazette would be a disgrace – to the fish!

 

 

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