Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and The Briggs Law Corporation — Letter of Engagement
We can now disclose the Engagement letter signed between Sheriff Shane Nelson and the Briggs Law Corporation (BLC). (A link to the letter is provided below.)
We have learned several things from reading the letter. The first is the billing rates for BLC’s legal services are as follows:
- $750.00 per hour for the Responsible Lawyer and each senior lawyer,
- $275.00 — $375.00 per hour for each non-senior lawyer (depending on the lawyer),
- $175.00 per hour for each paralegal or legal assistant, and
- $75.00 per hour for each of the other members of BLC’s staff.
The Deschutes County taxpayer will of course be on the hook for any and all legal expenses generated by this absurd lawsuit. Keep in mind, this doesn’t include the time spent by Sheriff’s Office employees on this “project.”
Recall just this past year Sheriff Nelson raised property taxes on the county’s tax payers to the maximum permitted under the law, and recently he and Captains Bailey, Garrison and Shults went before the budget committee, to ask for even more money.
At least now we know where all this money is being spent.
We have also learned that BLC’s primary contact at the Sheriff’s Office is legal counsel Cary Colaianni. He is designated as the primary contact for BLC to communicate with regarding the legal services provided to the Sheriff’s Office.
This tells us that Colaianni is neck deep in this whole sordid affair.
Finally, the agreement was signed not by Sheriff Shane Nelson, but by non other than Detectives Division Commander Captain Paul Garrison.
Garrison is Nelson’s go to man for threatening employees and using other questionable tactics… Such as signing an engagement letter with an out of state law firm to sue another law enforcement agency for dirt on a Sheriff’s Office employee.
So we have the “Three Musketeers” — Nelson, Colaianni and Garrison — all actively working to target and undermine a candidate for elected office, namely Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp. What a swell group of guys.
When considering all of the above, it’s very important to keep in mind that Shane Nelson is NOT running for office. All this chicanery is to get his protege and endorsed candidate Captain William Bailey elected. Why?
Speaking of Bailey, we note that quite conveniently there is no mention of him to be found on any documents related to this matter.
Ironically it should be Bailey’s election campaign conducting opposition research into Vander Kamp, but why burden his image and his campaign finances when the Deschutes County taxpayer can foot the bill.
We also suspect a part of Nelson’s strategy is to try and keep Bailey as pure as the driven snow. We think that ship sailed a long time ago.
There is no question to our minds that William Bailey knows about, endorses, and approves of these tactics. Anything to the contrary is simply not credible.
If Bailey were to claim he has no knowledge of this, he would show himself to be clueless to the point of being disqualified to hold the office of Sheriff.
Ultimately, we wholeheartedly believe the lawsuit against the City of La Mesa, is simply a ham fisted political ploy by Sheriff Nelson to target William Bailey’s opponent Kent Vander Kamp.
By making unfounded allegations that Vander Kamp is on a “Brady list” from almost thirty years ago, Nelson is trying to kick up dust and hang a cloud of uncertainty over Vander Kamp and his campaign for election.
Nelson must understand that the next court hearing in the matter is not until 9/16/2024. Thus he can keep his unverified accusations floating in the air to create doubts about Vander Kamp in the minds of the electorate. But that is just our theory.
We have also learned that La Mesa, CA Chief of Police, Ray Sweeney, a former US Marine, is unsurprisingly not at all pleased with Sheriff Shane Nelson and his shenanigans.
This includes Nelson’s targeting of Sergeant James McLaughlin which we wrote about extensively, the latter of whom recently filed a tort claim notice against the Sheriff’s Office. (Articles linked below.)
Nelson’s arrogant and threatening letter (linked below) and the insinuation contained within it that the La Mesa Police Department is hiding information subject to public records disclosure based on nothing more than vague and unverified claims must have angered the good folk in La Mesa.
But why would Shane Nelson and the members of his command staff take such drastic measures to prevent Kent Vander Kamp from becoming the next Sheriff?
We know Nelson and Garrison are retiring in short order. Colaianni cannot be far behind. So what could possibly be the motivation?
Is it to hide criminal behavior, such as the embezzlement of public funds? Is it to protect Nelson’s legacy and future political aspirations? Is it simply that Nelson is a narcissist who cannot stand to lose? Or perhaps this is all totally legitimate and Shane Nelson is acting completely above board.
We don’t have the answer; however, there is no question the truth will ultimately come out. It always does.
Whatever the case may be, there is no question to our minds that there is a lot more to this story than a simple desire for Captain William Bailey to win the next election.
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