Did Kreis just admit he is being investigated? Did Kreis use his chambers for campaign related activities?

 

I want to thank KMUD and particularly Lauren Schmitt on the meet the candidate coverage as well as election forums. These forums posted online allow access to any voter at any time. Lauren did a very job moderating and I liked the format with a brief rebuttal.

This evening both incumbent Humboldt Superior Court Judge Gregory Kreis and his challenger former Deputy Conflict Counsel and attorney Ms. April Van Dyke were asked questions submitted prior to the forum. If you did not watch it live, you can via this link: https://fb.watch/pMjlKs5tMU/?mibextid=Nif5oz

I also don't feel like transcribing Kreis' bs and by accessing the link, you will support KMUD.

There is so much I could say but my regular readers and others specifically following coverage about Kreis all over the state and California and the hundreds of defendants and families whose lives have been ruined by Kreis must be 🙄.

Kreis appears to be sitting in his office at the courthouse with his campaign sign.

According to rules of ethics for judicial candidates posted below,  should Kreis be doing a campaign event from chambers and having a campaign sign in his chambers?

May I use my staff, telephone or copying machine for campaign-related activities if those do not interfere with court business? A. No. Judicial candidates are prohibited from using any governmental resources for campaign purposes. This includes the use of staff, equipment, facilities, court email and official stationery for campaign purposes. However, staff, colleagues or friends may participate in judicial campaigns away from the courthouse and during their non-duty hours.

xviii A memorandum from the Administrative Office of the Courts was issued on September 28, 2006 to all judges and justices of the California courts. Intended to provide “general guidance on common election-related questions,” the memorandum states that “a judge may not use court resources in connection with campaign related activities,” based on statutes and case law. The memorandum discusses Government Code § 8314, Penal Code § 424 and the Code of Judicial Ethics and is available to judicial officers from any Presiding Judge, Court Executive Officer, or the AOC Legal Opinions Unit

Ms. Van Dyke brought up coverage including the lawsuit against Kreis by former Deputy Public Defender Rory Kalin which was recently settled and as it is standard, a request of dismissal was filed after that settlement. I have covered all this many times, in detail, with court records. Ms. Van Dyke brought up a juror she spoke with recently who was afraid to serve in case she ended up in Kreis' courtroom. I did a post before the Kalin lawsuit and this election about a female juror being afraid to serve in Kreis' courtroom because of the way Kreis spoke to jurors. She told me this after she was dismissed and not chosen to be on the jury and told others about her experience.

I submitted a question. Someone else also submitted the same question. I was fine with my name being used but I was told questions would be asked and they would be as anonymous submissions. 

The question that was asked was if either candidate was being investigated by the California State Bar or by the California Commission on Judicial Ethics?

The California State Bar has no jurisdiction over a Judge unless he is no longer a Judge. There is no  California Commission on Judicial Ethics. There is a Committee on Judicial Ethics. There is a California Commission on Judicial Performance. Kreis could have said he wasn't being investigated by those agencies. He did not. I worded my question on purpose and he failed the test.

Kreis claims that the investigation is confidential and not subject to inquiry. He looked it up. Why? Was he expecting this question? He also said, "I cant talk about current cases pending but I can say I have never been disciplined." Did Kreis just admit he is being investigated? 

I guess that opens the door to see who is right and if Kreis just admitted to being investigated. Does that allow the CJP to answer? There is only one way to find out and that is by contacting the appropriate agencies. After this post was published, I have already received feedback from people who are concerned and intend to follow up themselves.

I am still waiting for Kreis to fix the missing FPPC number on his campaign form; one which has now been incorrectly filed; twice.

I reported that Kreis was being investigated by the Commission on Judicial Performance years ago and several times since then in many months. The CJP will not comment to media on an ongoing investigation and the people filing complaints or being interviewed are subject to certain rules but I am not aware of any restrictions on the person being investigated. 

Ms. Van Dyke said she researched and the person being investigated can speak about an investigation. 

You can watch how Kreis responded. In the beginning, Kreis appears friendly while he is pontificating about who he is just like Rex Bohn but at the end, his facade slips when he is asked about the Kalin lawsuit and any investigation. The two sides of Kreis just like the two sides of Rex. It all depends on who you are.

You dont have to believe me or Ms. Van Dyke. There are court records and plenty of people who have had personal experience with Kreis in the community, including many of you. Kreis getting endorsements from good ole boy Rex and Billy Honsal isn't a plus for many people.