Nutting: Disclosure problems an ‘honest mistake’
By Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee
El Dorado County Supervisor Ray Nutting testified Tuesday that his failure to report state income on economic disclosure reports was an honest mistake and that he never tried to mislead anyone.
The four-term county supervisor appeared by turns confused and emotional as he spent almost all day on the witness stand fielding questions from his attorney in the turn-of-the-century courthouse in Old Placerville.
Nutting faces charges stemming from state fire grants he received for clearing brush from his ranch. Prosecutors allege that he failed to describe that income on his political disclosure forms. They also say his board votes to fund two local fire districts were a conflict of interest and that he illegally borrowed money from county employees to post bail when he was arrested last year.
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson has called Nutting a “hypocrite” for criticizing government as a fiscally conservative politician while accepting government grants as a citizen.
Nutting, in turn, has accused Pierson and other elected officials of prosecuting him for political reasons.
It happened, innocently of course, while he was helping little old ladies cross the street. Give the guy a medal.
Seriously Ray? You think we are as stupid as you look?
I hope that he is used as an example and given the maximum penalties and that he has to appologize for his hypocracy and is made to pay back the money and given years of community service picking up trash along the highway and fighting wildfires. He needs to feel the shame…
Ray Nutting is “the mistake!”