Martin Hoshino was named by the the Judicial Council as the new Administrative Director of the recently rebranded judicial council staff, a juggernaut of over 800 employees, nearly a quarter of which are highly paid managers or above. Mr. Hoshino comes from the CDCR or the California Department of Corrections and (don’t laugh) Rehabilitation, an agency fraught with its own serious bury the dirt problems.
While we’re somewhat elated to see what appears as an outsider coming in with an untarnished vision, we wonder if he’s had the benefit of perusing the pages of this blog, a blog not based on mere theory or conjecture but one that outlines many of the most serious problems, deceptions and outright frauds perpetrated by the judicial council and their staff.
We’re guessing that our state auditor found some serious problems with the agency formerly known as the AOC and that the current leadership was put on notice, the council promptly rebranded the entity and it’s leader resigned. It was all designed to take the sting out of a report that will now be put off from a September release date to a January release date so that the current leadership can call it all water under the bridge. The new director will be expected to enjoy a stress-free honeymoon of a year or more and in the end, no one will be held accountable for a damn thing.
The same mis-managers running the place into the ground for the last several years will be the same mis-managers covering up, declaring all is well as nothing really changes.
What will remain is an obvious power struggle where AOC and now judicial council staff directors continue to wag the dog over the many committees and the council itself all the while feigning submission to a system that leaves them in charge.
There is a reason for everything the council does. We were not fooled by the sudden rebranding or Jahr’s resignation. He was brought in and paid top dollar and the many perks of the office to keep a lid on things and be the fall guy when the titanic dipped below the surface so that the council could easily declare a new direction and change you can believe in.
Time will tell if Mr. Hoshino will be charting a new course but we seriously doubt he will be doing any housecleaning anytime soon and that’s unfortunate.
And now a word from Judge Steve White:
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Very truly yours, |
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Judge Steve White |
Judicial Council Watcher 
unionman575
September 3, 2014
Thanks for the word Judge White.
😉
wearyant
September 3, 2014
Great letter by Judge Steve White. Thanks for posting, JCW. Long live the ACJ and JCW! And now we watch and wait … again. It should be an interesting Christmas for all.
JusticeCalifornia
September 5, 2014
Two comments.
1) I wonder if Mr. Hoshino is tight with Clark Kelso.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/the_state_worker/2011/04/lawsuit-prison-receiver-calpers-pension.html
https://judicialcouncilwatcher.com/2011/04/30/mr-vickrey-its-about-your-special-consultants/
2) I do not think the Judicial Council or anyone connected with it is going to get a honeymoon. I think they are going to get an earful and slow-but-steady demand for action in the next year or two. LOL. Just a feeling I have.
Upcoming events may fall into the “be careful what you ask for” category. When the Governor and the Attorney General direct someone to take their issues about the branch to the Judicial Council, I fully expect the Judicial Council and its staff to welcome those referred by the Guv and AG with open arms.
Again, LOL.
JusticeCalifornia
September 5, 2014
Oh look, a lawsuit filed less than two months ago involving CDCR for “illegally refusing to publicly disclose information, data and studies regarding its solitary confinement rules, policies and practices.”
http://sfbayview.com/2014/07/prisoners-and-advocates-commemorate-the-one-year-anniversary-of-the-hunger-strike-by-california-prisoners-and-file-lawsuit-against-cdcr/
“A year ago on July 8, over 30,000 people inside California prisons began a hunger strike to bring an end to the state’s use of indefinite solitary confinement. On the one-year anniversary of the largest prisoner hunger strike in California history, the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CHRCL) today is filing a lawsuit charging Jeffrey Beard, secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), and CDCR with illegally refusing to publicly disclose information, data and studies regarding its solitary confinement rules, policies and practices.”
JusticeCalifornia
September 5, 2014
Hoshino has been with the CDCR since 2003.
http://www.rafu.com/2013/09/martin-hoshino-named-to-dept-of-corrections-post/
He must know an awful lot about CDCR solitary confinement rules, policies and practices. He is apparently second in command. He was likely involved in some point at developing those rules, policies and practices, and was also likely involved in some fashion in deciding whether they should be released to the public.
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/About_CDCR/Executive_Staff.html
Looks like Hoshino left CDCR while the getting was good. Lead Counsel Peter Schey in the case against the CDCR apparently has a take-no-prisoners (LOL, pun intended) reputation. He does not mince words.
“Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law President Peter Schey tells the press on March 20, 2012, about the petition he had just filed asking the United Nations to intervene on behalf of the thousands of California prisoners in solitary confinement. “California holds more prisoners in solitary confinement than any other state in the United States or any other nation on earth. The treatment of these prisoners is barbaric and, numerous experts agree, amounts to torture,” he said.”
So conceivably Attorney Schey may have the opportunity to depose our new Judicial Council Administrative Director. And the Sacramento Courts may be ruling on a case involving the new Judicial Council Administrative Director.
Very interesting.
So what happens if the case ends up in the CA Supreme Court, and Hoshino is working with the Chief Justice?
Begs the question we are all dealing with. Who is guarding the guards.
Delilah
September 5, 2014
Justice California (and readers), my apologies for being somewhat off topic, but please share or direct us to details and info about the September 19 rally in SF.
MaxRebo5
September 5, 2014
Not sure but if he is linked with Kelso. Time will tell. For the moment I say Mr. Hoshino deserves the benefit of the doubt. Not saying I trust him given who appointed him to the job but it’s like Reagan said with the Russians. You gotta “trust but verify” which pretty much is a positive way of saying I don’t trust them at all.
The link you provided of Clark Kelso’s double dipping also reminded me of what Sacramento Superior Court was doing with their court executive Dennis Jones (while Judge Steve White was PJ I would add) where Dennis Jones was paid by the AOC so he could get a state pension on top of the Sacramento County pension he had already been collecting. Kelso and Jones both got sweet deals on the taxpayer dime thanks to the AOC.
I really do like Judge White for all of his work on the ACJ’s but I also do not forget it was he who went before the confirmation committee for Tani Cantil-Sakauye and said there was not much that all of the judges of Sacramento Superior Court agree upon but there is one thing we all agree on 100% and that is in this nominee for Chief Justice (or something to that effect- go see the video on YouTube). His comments that day remind me of the foolish character Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars who is a good guy but asks for Chancelor Palpatine (who is actually a sith lord) to have more power so Palpatine can become the Emperor.
My view is White got played the fool that day ,as we all did, by Ron George. George who was appointing his legacy successor, not a reformer at all, and he handled the stagecraft so well that there wasn’t any dissent. In Star Wars Episode III , Padme says “So this is how liberty dies… to thunderous applause.” I would paraphrase to say, So this is how justice dies…. with 100% agreement. Sort of like any Judicial Council meeting too.
White’s mistake with Tani makes me wonder if he is being fooled again with this new State Court Administrator. I hope he is right about Mr. Hoshino and real reforms are on the way but I doubt that will happen. History teaches otherwise. Look at the former Solviet Union which no longer exists (sort of like the former AOC). Are the Russians today any more into reforming, embracing western ideas, sharing power, and being democratic? Not at all! Instead of fighting with them over eastern Europe as we did in the 1980’s we fight with them over Ukraine. The fight moved to the East, which is good, but the opposing views are just as hardened as before if not more so.
My own view is the Chief Justice has a vested interest in preserving the status quo with Miller, Hull, and Huffman behind the Judicial Council’s as that is who helped her came to power. We don’t expect Putin to reform his communist party or a mafia Godfather to go against the family who put him there. The exact same game being played in CA Courts at the top level.
Tani got ahead playing politics (not following merit) and is now beholden to those who pushed her up to the top job before her due time. If she followed merit she’d maybe have Justice Scottland’s job at best in the 3rd District Court of Appeals by now where she was a junior justice. Playing politics with George and Vickrey was perfect because she got the top job in CA Courts early and nobody can touch her now. Pretty blackjack playing on Tani’s part to advance her career I’d say. She followed the exact opposite path to the one I took in my own career in CA Courts where I rejected the brass ring offered to me and have been blacklisted.
To me merit is everything or advancement means nothing. For me, and many others, Lance Armstrong cheating to win makes his “victories” pointless. I feel that same way with football where USC had their national championships stripped because they cheated (off the field) and Reggie Bush had to vacate his Heisman Trophy. If the win isn’t done fair and with the highest ethical standards then it isn’t worth doing. I see Americans are very concerned about merit in sport and follow their games very closely for cheating. We even have instant replays to ensure the game officials get calls right. But we are not so careful when it comes to Wall Street Execs or the coronation of a Chief Justice for California. There, where the stakes are much bigger the deck is rigged.
Time will tell if outside forces can force Tani to change and I hope your 2nd point comes to pass Justice California. The odds are against it but I always have hope.
JusticeCalifornia
September 5, 2014
Thank you MaxRebo5.
The “who is guarding the guards” question — as it applies to those within the judicial branch–will be a topic of discussion at the September 19th, 2014 broken branch protest/rally in SF right on the Judicial Council’s doorsteps (350 McAllister). 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. More about that in the next day or two. Everyone who has a problem with what is going on in the branch is invited to attend. It is the beginning of a focused effort to stop court crimes and fix our broken branch. There will be an “open mic” (well, open megaphone–hey, it’s the initial rally and getting permits for that whole podium/mic setup is expensive) opportunity after the presentation so that people attending have a couple of minutes to tell their stories or share their thoughts.
Lack of effective oversight, whistle blower retaliation and the need for court reporters will be a focus.
This will be the first event and we hope to build momentum over the next year.
The AG and Guv want people to go to the Judicial Council with issues about the branch, the people will go to the Judicial Council.
Power to the People.
Judicial Council Watcher
September 5, 2014
Google Martin Hoshino on Solitary Confinement. Mr. Hoshino was acting head of CDCR during the recent hunger strikes which were meant to call attention to solitary confinement here in California for years at a time. In referring to the use of SHU’s (segregated housing units) Mr. Hoshino’s exact words were “We (THE CDCR) tend to move away from the traditional definition of solitary confinement”
For those of you who have ever ventured to a third world country where dogfighting and cockfighting are legal, you might have learned that solitary confinement is what is used to make fighting dogs and fighting cocks meaner. It’s just as effective on prison inmates as well, which is why most states and countries limit the amount of time you spend with no human contact.
Mr. Hoshino has demonstrated that a spade can in fact be a heart, or a club or a diamond depending upon who happens to be signing his paycheck and while you may have seen the governor praise the move to the judicial council, it has won no points with the legislature which is where the money ultimately comes from.
Our prison system is a mess. If you want to live, you become a gang member. If you become a gang member you’re labeled for life. Yet if you don’t join a gang, you exit prison in a body bag.
JusticeCalifornia
September 6, 2014
I respect the ACJ, but it appears giving Hoshino the benefit of the doubt based upon his prior relationship with Judge White years ago may be going overboard. That is how they got Sakauye past certain of us. She was supposedly an anti-domestic violence advocate, but as soon as George told her to throw her constituents under the bus in order to advance her career, she did, with determination and enthusiasm. Supposedly a defender of immigrant mothers and children of color who were victims of domestic violence, then-Judicial Council Member Sakauye supported and defended the Judicial Council’s collaboration with the Marin Court as it engaged in the mass destruction of child custody evidence while a legislative audit of the Marin Family Court was pending. That audit was brought about in part by well-documented charges that financially disadvantaged immigrant mothers were losing their children to abusive, white, wealthy, well-connected Marin fathers. Domestic violence was Marin’s number one violent crime.
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_12869767
In supporting Marin’s mass destruction of child custody evidence notwithstanding her well-packaged beauty-pageant domestic violence platform, our gambling barmaid made it clear that she was “for sale”.
A prologue to my following comments:
Hoshino has been mired in California’s notoriously troubled prison system (and has done extraordinarily well there) for 11 years.
I am not soft on crime, not at all. But if the following is true, something is VERY wrong:
“California holds more prisoners in solitary confinement than any other state in the United States or any other nation on earth. The treatment of these prisoners is barbaric and, numerous experts agree, amounts to torture.”
If the above is not true, someone should enlighten us. But it sure sounds from legislative hearings like the solitary confinement system — and the prison system in general–in CA is messed up.
That said, I did google Martin Hoshino on Solitary Confinement. Forgive me for being jaded, but it is not encouraging to read this man’s amazing double-speak. Sounds just like Sakauye and her Team George minions. “We learned our lesson and are working on it”. But nothing changes.
At least the legislature knows what to expect from him when he says that same thing about the judicial branch’s “top leadership” and its policies.
So. . . .why on earth did Sakauye choose the second in command of a VERY troubled prison system to be the top administrator of the judicial branch?
JusticeCalifornia
September 6, 2014
Oh wait, let me guess, she wants her very own Bill Vickrey. Vickrey was Director of Corrections in Utah.
Michael Paul
September 6, 2014
Regarding Hoshino: Res ipsa loquitur.
I have no doubt that Judge White has fond memories of a competent, take charge individual. Mr. Hoshino has had plenty of time in the widely recognized as dysfunctional CDCR to make a difference – a difference that should have and could have been made without federal intervention. I’ve done quite a bit of reading the past couple of days on Mr. Hoshino and my impression is that he’s not one to rock the boat. He’s gained experience at the CDCR, he was passed over for the top job and like most, would be only to happy to take on a role that offered him a substantial increase in his pension payout for shielding the judicial council staff as well as he shielded the CDCR.
What’s on the record insofar as public statements made assures me that he is the right man for Team George. Unlike his predecessor, I do feel that Mr. Hoshino will have more respect for both judge White and the rest of the ACJ than his last couple of predecessors and will likely at least give them an audience and listen to their concerns. As to whether he effectively addresses those concerns and holds people accountable, I have my doubts.
Let’s see who is not working for the AOC anymore by January 1st. Given the new timing of the latest audit release our new executive director is either being brought in to say all has changed or is being brought in to change it. I do find it odd that they have basically two boards of directors, the judicial council supposedly assuming the role of directors and the actual AOC division directors.
Which board does Hoshino serve?