Tojo Thomas
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ELECTION ’12//ALAMEDA COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 4
May 2, 2012 | Tojo Thomas, an Alameda County probation officer, challenging long-time Supervisor Nate Miley, laid the burden of proof for the county’s recent spate of scandals squarely on the incumbent during a candidate’s forum this week in Castro Valley.
Although, Thomas, a newcomer to county politics, was woefully short on specifics, he deftly turned the spotlight on Miley on a host of controversies ranging from the supervisor’s involvement with the demise of the Associated Community Action Program, the hiring of disgraced chief probation officer David Muhammad to receiving campaign donations from a local cannabis club in his district.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the growing number of scandals coming from county government these days,” said Thomas, who immigrated from India in 1992. As a probation officer in Alameda County since 2000, Thomas is clear his expertise is limited to public safety. On several occasions, Thomas said he would supplement his knowledge by surrounding himself with knowledgeable staff, but more often the spotlight was on Miley throughout the 50-minute forum last Monday at the Castro Valley Library.
Miley, who is often easily animated when attacked, was no more agitated then when dealing with a question pertaining to the bankruptcy of ACAP starting in February 2011. Although, the executive director and her husband were charged by the Alameda County District Attorney earlier this year for mismanaging the anti-poverty program, the role of Miley and other locally elected East Bay city officials is not yet clear.
“It’s not my job to micromanage. It’s not my job to do the everyday operations of the organization,” said Miley, “I only know what the executive director is telling us. I discharged my responsibilities. There were other members of the board who should have been discharging their responsibility.”
“When it comes to a non-profit organization, if there’s $500,000 mismanaged,” countered Thomas. “I’m going to micromanage.”
“If someone wants to say I was responsible for ACAP,” said Miley. “I stand accused.”
Later, Thomas revealed Miley, a long-time advocate for medicinal marijuana in the unincorporated areas, received a large donations from one of the two cannabis clubs in District 4. “He received $10,000 from a cannabis club,” said Thomas, “so, he’s going to support that. It’s against my integrity to accept donations from cannabis clubs.” Thomas said he favors its use for treating patients, but is against misuse of prescriptions and, what he called, profiteering by some clubs in the county.
“I take money from everybody and vote against them, if necessary,” said Miley, who called the war on drugs a “fiasco” and said any prohibition on cannabis will ultimately “hurt people who really need it” to kickstart their appetite and pain relief.
A non-specific question dealing with the county’s probation department also allowed Thomas to heap another county scandal on Miley. Not to be outdone, though, some Thomas supporters later claimed the moderator from the League of Women Voters was attempting to limit questions on Thomas’ bailiwick of public safety when he said admitted wariness from asking four questions dealing with probation since he felt it presented a conflict of interest due to Thomas’ employment with the department.
However, the query instead became an indictment of the county’s once-heralded hiring of David Muhammad, the former county chief probation officer, who was place on administrative leave last February after an employee alleged sexual harassment and assault against him. A report last week said Muhammad penned a news article 15 years ago under a pseudonym where he admitted wanting to kill another person as a teenager. The news may shed light on the county’s vetting of Muhammad, who was hired in 2010.
“If I wrote an article that I wanted to kill someone, I would never be hired,” said Thomas. “For the county to hire someone with such a poor background, that was just a slap in our face for some of us who work to keep our backgrounds clean.”
Miley disagreed and said Muhammad’s background and personal story made him a shining star and that the county, indeed, did a thorough vetting of Muhammad. “He is a good example of someone who we thought could be a role model,” said Miley, and “a change agent.”
“Mr. Muhammad was thoroughly vetted,” Miley added. “We did with him what we do with all of our county hires. Unfortunately things happen.”
The issue of criminal justice realignment is also a major issue in county politics. Relying on his role as probation officer, Thomas, was blunt, if not somewhat alarmist, in his assessment of the governor’s plan to transfer low-risk parolees to county jails. “Criminals are coming to our neighborhoods and we should all be nervous about this,” he said. “These are not safe people.”
Miley, though, sounded more confident in the county’s comprehensive plan for public safety, he said, has been crafted by six separate county agencies and encompasses not only policing, but health care for parolees, housing and specific achievement plans to help ex-cons to thrive in the general population. “We’re doing what we can do with the $9 million, but it’s not a zero-sum game, because the sheriff’s department lost about $20 million with realignment,” said Miley. “So, for someone to say we’re not doing a good job with the $9 million, I totally disagree.”
Now, lets remember who Tojo is; he is a Public Servant from perhaps the most corrupt Probation Department in California!Now, I seen this man campaigning each day as I picked up my Granson from School. Tojo was there everyday for TWO MONTHS,Whether it was !:30 p.m., or 3:00p.m., a great luxury of time for a Deputy…I'm retired and yet I don't have such a luxury.Could it be that we Taxpayers helped finance Mr. Thomas' Campaign? I think so! For every hour he was not in his Office “Protecting Us” he was Stealing from us–after all we pay his salary. Someone should tally is AWOL hours and have him pay us back.
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I am really enjoying the comments from the sockpuppets!
It's silly season alright.
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Haggerty made the “crud” remark because he has been assigned clean up by Miley. In return, Miley almost certainly promised to lobby for new district lines in the county that would not place Haggerty's home outside of his district. Haggerty's Dublin home is right on the border of the former district lines he and Miley share and just a little move of the line would have meant he couldn't be a county supervisor any more. This is yet another example of the cronyism that works against the best interests of the people in county administration.
If Tojo wants to get some goods with a grip he should look into the particulars of the redistricting process.
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Miley is just spouting the same cover story that the politicians and county agencies have been feeding the public. Folks, they are lying to us! Steven Tavaras, you should consider doing a story on the truth behind the realignment and atart with the people doing the job: cops, parole agents, probation officers, community rehablitation agencies and then the offenders themselves.
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I was at the debate on April 30 and I can tell you that neither of these guys is perfect. But with all of the scandals and allegations swirling around Miley, the Board and County officials, who really wants another 4 years of the same? Miley's been around for over a decade. I say let some new blood in there and maybe someone with everyday, middle-class values will bring an end to the nonsense.
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Nate gives money to his wife, son, community senior group, and friends with no shame
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Nate Miley is a scoundrel. His “public service” includes allegations of sexual misconduct, misappropriations of funds, nepotism and cronyism. Miley has shown himself to be a self-serving, entitled elitist, propted up by the political establishment. To Anon 6:54am, I was at the first debate found on YouTube and witnessed Miley become unhinged; out of control. Tojo clearly won that debate. Tojo Thomas is a good and honest man. That alone qualifies him to be on the BOS in this dysfunctional, corrupt county.
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If Tojo dude is a clown, what do you call Nate? i have a worse name for him but can't say that publicly! Nate is a text book example of what you call “Elitist”. Nate needs to go! Tojo is only one in district 4 who had the balls to challenge Nate(dishonest politician) Somebody needs to let Nate know that being a County supervisor does not mean hiring all your family to work there. I will vote for Tojo just to bring ethics and integrity to county administration.
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Is there someone that anyone can recommend as a viable write-in candidate?
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This Tojo dude is a clown. He has NO clue about county government or even what it does despite his employment with the probation department. If anyone doesn't believe me, attend a debate an listen to this guy. Miley may not be perfect, but Tojo is extremely unqualified for the gig.
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