The Conservative Cave
Current Events => General Discussion => Topic started by: SVPete on September 22, 2026, 02:08:28 PM
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Gun Control Graft: Ex Santa Clara County Undersheriff Gets Slap on the Wrist in Years-Long Concealed Carry Corruption Case
https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/concealed-carry/gun-control-graft-ex-santa-clara-county-undersheriff-gets-slap-on-the-wrist-in-years-long-concealed-carry-corruption-case/ (https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/concealed-carry/gun-control-graft-ex-santa-clara-county-undersheriff-gets-slap-on-the-wrist-in-years-long-concealed-carry-corruption-case/)
Few places took more advantage of the opportunity to rake in cash and merchandise in exchange for coveted pre-Bruen concealed carry permits than the dedicated public servants who worked in the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Laurie Smith was at the top of the stinking pay-to-play corruption mountain, raking in campaign dollars and lots of valuable, uh, gifts.
She was indicted, abruptly “resigned” was convicted of public corruption back in 2022.
Smith faced six counts of corruption and willful misconduct stemming from allegations that she sidestepped gift reporting laws and engaged in a pay-to-play scheme. She was accused of not reporting gift tickets to a Sharks hockey game and awarding concealed gun permits to friends and colleagues who donated to her reelection campaign.
But Smith wasn’t the only one who was in on the juicy action. Undersheriff Rick Sung made sure he was pulling in the payola, too. Now, four years later, he’s finally getting…a slap on the wrist.
The grand jury indicted Sung in 2020, accusing him of holding up the distribution of concealed carry licenses until applicants provided something of value. He was initially indicted on three charges for incidents dating between 2017 and 2019, and [District Attorney Jeff] Rosen said at the time that investigators found some of the bribery money was sent to Smith’s 2018 reelection campaign. …
Sung’s first prosecution ended in a mistrial last year. Now he’s reached a plea deal with the DA that will result in zero time spent in the graybar hotel.
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It seems the DA just wanted to make this years-long case finally go away.
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But the Sheriff was found guilty, so she’s behind bars, right? Well, no. Because she wasn’t criminally prosecuted. She only faced civil corruption charges for which the only penalties were removal from office (again, she abruptly resigned days before she was found guilty) and disqualification from holding public office again.
I'm so old, I remember when public officials were supposed to be held to higher standards, with greater consequences for corruption, than ordinary people. Now, things have reversed, with some officials getting lighter sentences because of their "public service".