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In all but a few daily newspapers, such as the New York Times, obituaries tend to gloss over or not even mention news that a community doesn't want to recall. So it is with the Union-Tribune's report today (March 4) on the death of former U.S. Attorney and District Attorney Ed Miller, one of San Diego's true battlers against entrenched corruption. Back in the 1950s, 1960s and into the 1970s, San Diego was essentially controlled by banker/congomerateur C. Arnholt Smith and his close associate, bookmaker John Alessio, whose family owned major slugs of Smith's empire. Indeed, the federal government said Smith's bank was a riot of self-dealing. Much of those intertwining transactions were with Alessio and his family. When Miller was U.S. Attorney, one of the Alessio family members was convicted of interstate gambling in support of racketeering. Smith was very close to Richard Nixon. When Nixon won the presidency, he replaced Miller with one of Smith's cronies. Miller later ran for D.A. and defeated another Smith crony. Federal prosecutors sent John and Angelo Alessio to prison, but were not able to put Smith away, despite his obvious financial crimes. As D.A., Miller took the case and was able to get Smith on tax evasion. He finally got eight months. The U-T did not relate any of this story. Thanks to Matt Potter for pointing out the U-T's deficiencies. Best, Don Bauder
In all but a few daily newspapers, such as the New York Times, obituaries tend to gloss over or not even mention news that a community doesn't want to recall. So it is with the Union-Tribune's report today (March 4) on the death of former U.S. Attorney and District Attorney Ed Miller, one of San Diego's true battlers against entrenched corruption. Back in the 1950s, 1960s and into the 1970s, San Diego was essentially controlled by banker/congomerateur C. Arnholt Smith and his close associate, bookmaker John Alessio, whose family owned major slugs of Smith's empire. Indeed, the federal government said Smith's bank was a riot of self-dealing. Much of those intertwining transactions were with Alessio and his family. When Miller was U.S. Attorney, one of the Alessio family members was convicted of interstate gambling in support of racketeering. Smith was very close to Richard Nixon. When Nixon won the presidency, he replaced Miller with one of Smith's cronies. Miller later ran for D.A. and defeated another Smith crony. Federal prosecutors sent John and Angelo Alessio to prison, but were not able to put Smith away, despite his obvious financial crimes. As D.A., Miller took the case and was able to get Smith on tax evasion. He finally got eight months. The U-T did not relate any of this story. Thanks to Matt Potter for pointing out the U-T's deficiencies. Best, Don Bauder