Longtime Bee reporter Sam Stanton to be honored with lifetime achievement award at SPJ gala
Stanton will be awarded the Norwin S. Yoffie Career Achievement Award during SPJ NorCal's 40th annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards in San Francisco. The Yoffie award is named after the former Marin Independent Journal publisher and co-founder of SPJ's Northern California Freedom of Information Committee.
'Stanton's reporting is defined by not only a commitment to the right to know, but also journalistic excellence,' SPJ NorCal said in announcing the honor.
Stanton's 42-year journalism career began in 1982 at The Arizona Republic, where he covered state and national politics. He joined The Sacramento Bee in 1991, quickly becoming a standard-bearer for accountability journalism in California's capital. His byline became a mainstay of The Bee's coverage for more than three decades.
Colleen McCain Nelson, The Bee's executive editor, described Stanton as 'irreplaceable.'
'His ability to source, report and make sense of chaos has set a standard few can match,' Nelson said in remarks to SPJ.
Stanton's reporting often broke new ground in government transparency. His work securing public records and pushing for government accountability led to lawsuits by The Bee to enforce public access laws. He worked closely with attorney Karl Olson in high-profile cases, including the fight for internal affairs records from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office and police shooting files from the Sacramento Police Department.
Olson, who has represented The Bee and other McClatchy newspapers in California for decades, received the Yoffie award in 2024. The Bee and Stanton were honored by SPJ NorCal in 2020, recognizing work by Stanton and his colleagues in seeking compliance with Senate Bill 1421, a police transparency law, among other investigative work.
In 2017, Stanton and then-Bee education reporter Diana Lambert received SPJ's James Madison Freedom of Information Award for their investigation of former UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi. Their reporting uncovered Katehi's use of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to manage her online image, along with her participation in lucrative board appointments and international trips. The revelations led to a separate University of California investigation and Katehi's resignation in 2016.
The investigation earned two first-place awards from the Inland Press Association for investigative reporting in 2016.
Over his 33 years at The Bee, Stanton won numerous awards for breaking news and investigative reporting. Among his notable work was a 2013 investigation of Carissa Carpenter, who proposed building a large movie studio in Dixon despite a history of failed projects and legal troubles. Stanton's reporting, alongside longtime Bee reporter and editor Marjie Lundstrom, led to Carpenter's conviction in 2018. Lundstrom, a 1991 Pulitzer Prize winner, retired after serving as deputy editor at CalMatters.
Before his retirement in May, Stanton was named Journalist of the Year by the Sacramento Press Club.
In honoring Stanton, the club remarked: 'The Sacramento Bee editor who nominated Sam Stanton for journalist of the year called him a weight-bearing wall of a journalist. We agree.'
The Madison awards honor the 'people and organizations who have made significant contributions to advancing freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment.'
Among other honorees at Thursday's event is Fresno Bee reporter Melissa Montalvo, whose nine-month investigation into Pitman Family Farms in Hanford exposed unsafe working conditions following the death of employee Jesus Salazar. Her reporting prompted a state investigation into the company.
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Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Fox News expert suggests that ‘bystander apathy' is to blame for Manhattan shooting
A frequent Fox News guest, who touts himself as a law enforcement expert due to his brief tenure with the New York Police Department, groused that 'bystander apathy' led to the deaths of four people in a deadly Manhattan shooting Monday, urging citizens to 'deputize' themselves and confront gun-wielding suspects. Shane Tamura, 27, opened fire at a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper with an assault-style rifle around 6:30 p.m. after traveling to the city from Las Vegas, authorities say. He killed four people, including an NYPD officer and a senior executive at the company Blackstone, before turning the gun on himself. New York police said that Tamura had a 'documented mental health history', and wrote a suicide note claiming he suffered from a CTE brain injury, suggesting football was to blame. He appeared to have been targeting the NFL, which had offices in the building, but took an elevator to the wrong floor, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday. Around two hours after the shooting, 'Wild' Bill Stanton, a private investigator and one of Fox News' go-to police experts, appeared on Sean Hannity's primetime show to discuss the latest developments. Stanton is regularly referred to as a 'retired NYPD officer' during his Fox News appearances but left the department in the late 1980s after roughly two years on the job, following an accident that left him with an injured trigger finger and allowed him to collect a pension. According to Stanton, the Midtown shooting not only suggests the need for more police officers in New York City and across the nation, but also means that ordinary citizens should be prepared to stop an armed suspect. 'But we need to deputize ourselves,' he declared, before referencing Hannity's self-proclaimed martial arts expertise. 'Sean, let's take you as an example. My understanding is that you train really hard in MMA. I'm guessing you train with your firearm, as well.' After Hannity affirmed that he has been trained with guns, Stanton said that 'we each need to empower ourselves not to be a victim' because 'bystander apathy is what occurred' during this latest shooting. 'This cretin walked with a long gun down the street. No one said anything. I'd be curious to see how many 9-1-1 calls were made. We need to empower ourselves, deputize ourselves,' Stanton added. Turning back to Hannity, he reiterated that the Fox News star's fighting skills would have come in handy at the scene of Monday's massacre. 'If you would've seen that person, I guess you would've acted a lot different, as would have I,' Stanton boasted. 'These businesses that have security in the lobbies, there's a knee-jerk reaction. They may enhance it, but they do a cost-benefit analysis, and it'll go right back to the same.' Over the years, Hannity has regaled his viewers and guests with tales of his deadly martial arts training, describing himself as something of a lethal human weapon due to his 'street fighting' and 'blade' skills while sharing video footage of himself in the gym. The Fox host even touted his MMA training and 'personal security plan' when covering the 2023 Maine mass shooting. Stanton, meanwhile, also used his Fox News appearance to fume about the so-called 'defund the police' movement while claiming that it is loss of respect for law enforcement that leads to mass casualty events. 'We see this perpetrator, this sicko, as well as criminals all over Manhattan, all over the country, not respecting the law, feeling they can do what they want. Only when we collectively push back, fight back, and act will this lesson hopefully stop,' he declared. 'Yeah, it's sad,' Hannity responded. 'I do think people need situational awareness. And you know, if you see something, say something. Make the phone call. Call the police. Try and get on top of it.' Stanton's status as a security and law enforcement expert, who is regularly featured on Fox News and other networks to provide analysis, has been criticized by police accountability activists who have labeled him a 'copagandist'. It has prompted Stanton to sue several NYC civic association leaders for trying to 'cancel' him with 'defamatory' social media posts. A Bronx Supreme Court judge, however, largely dismissed Stanton's claims last year, asserting that 'cancellation' is not an actual cause of action while specifically taking issue with his argument that he's not a public figure. 'Plaintiff may not be a major 'celebrity,' but by his own admission he regularly appears on national TV to promote his security business and personal brand,' the judge stated last year. 'Plaintiff also took the step of running for and being elected to a leadership position with a local civic organization. Hence, plaintiff took purposeful steps to thrust himself into the spotlight as a security expert and local politician. Therefore, plaintiff is a limited-purpose public figure. As such plaintiff must prove by clear and convincing evidence that defendants' defamatory statements were made with actual malice to recover.'
Politico
28-07-2025
- Politico
Tech exec Liam Stanton eyes mayoral run
Happy Monday, Illinois. Stay cool, cause it's gonna be hot again. TOP TALKER SCOOP: Liam Stanton, a 38-year-old tech entrepreneur from Rogers Park, is gearing up to run for mayor. He hasn't formally launched but is in the early kitchen-cabinet conversations and strategic reach-outs, he told Playbook. 'Chicago should be on the world stage. We need to do a better job promoting the city and just being open to business,' he said in an interview. Stanton joins a growing list of Chicagoans considering a challenge to Mayor Brandon Johnson. Others include state Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, state Rep. Kam Buckner, County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Chicago Alds. Bill Conway and Andre Vasquez, former Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson, government consultant John Kelly and businessman Willie Wilson. Worth noting: The mayoral election isn't until February of 2027 — two months after the 2026 General Election. Stanton isn't a household name — yet. But he says he's lining up some Democratic firepower behind his campaign, including operatives from former Mayor Rahm Emanuel's and former President Barack Obama's teams. Stanton also counts David Spielfogel, who worked in Emanuel's administration, as a friend. At 38, Stanton is part of a new breed of young Democrats looking to make change. 'I call myself a radical moderate,' Stanton said in the interview. Most Chicagoans are just tired of the extremes, he added. 'They want common sense.' Stanton speaks the city's cultural dialect having been raised in Rogers Park as the youngest of eight, the son of a Chicago Police officer and now living in Bowmanville with a young family of his own. But he also speaks with the fluency of someone who's helped run global strategy for large companies. The tech-exec-meets-neighborhood guy wants to boost tourism and create a better climate for small businesses. On public safety, Stanton says he supports community policing and also wants to attract new officers. 'We need a reset. Who would want to be a cop in this city right now?' And when it comes to the city's financial challenges, Stanton says, 'I firmly believe we're not going to tax our way out of this.' He pointed to Chicago's period of growth during the Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan days. Since then, he said, 'We've kind of gotten on the back foot. Now, we have to get on the front foot and start growing again.' THE BUZZ Judge throws out Trump's lawsuit against Illinois over sanctuary policies: 'The case is just one in a series of lawsuits that the DOJ has filed against blue states and cities,' report POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein. 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If you are Bruce Rauner, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At 555 West Monroe Street at 11 a.m. to sign gun and safety legislation WHERE's BRANDON No official public events Where's Toni No official public events Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Community leader Paul Kendrick is kicking off his campaign today for Illinois House District 12. It's the seat now held by state Rep. Margaret Croke, who's running for state comptroller. Croke is also endorsing Kendrick for the statehouse job as are Ald. Brian Hopkins and Water Reclamation District Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis, according to Kendrick's team. 'I'm running because I love our community and I want to keep it safe and vibrant for my daughters and generations to come,' Kendrick said in announcing his campaign. 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Alex Sutton: 'As college student body president, I rewrote our constitution and bylaws and executed projects to expand the gymnasium, law student lounge and 3D printer makerspace.' NEXT QUESTION: If you could choose a political party mascot besides an elephant or donkey, what would it be? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Trump has Hegseth's back. Some of Hegseth's allies worry it won't last, by POLITICO's Rachael Bade — Democrats desperately look for a redistricting edge in California, New York and Maryland, by POLITICO's Liz Crampton, Jeremy B. White and Nick Reisman — 'Donaldddddd': Foreign leaders schmooze Trump on his personal cell, by POLITICO's Eli Stokols and Dan Bloom — Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to 'avoid scaring' the public, by POLITICO's Corbin Hiar TRIVIA FRIDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Joseph Morris and Michael Penicnak for correctly answering that Wabash Avenue and Calumet Avenue share their names with the Wabash River and Little Wabash River and the Calumet River and Little Calumet River, respectively. TODAY's QUESTION: Which future U.S. senator wrote for the Chicago Defender during the 1940s? Email your answer to: skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, governor's chief of staff Anne Caprara, former state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, former state Rep. Darlene Senger, former Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin, political and media consultant Delmarie Cobb, tech entrepreneur and former mayoral candidate Neal Sales-Griffin, education advocate and comms expert Peter Cunningham, Blue Raven Campaigns partner Joshua Kaufman, retired BMO senior bank exec Susan Payne, former White Sox exec Sam Mondry-Cohen and broadcast legend Walter Jacobson -30-
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Yahoo
Fresno area school founder charged for using public funds to pay lavish expenses
A former Madera charter school executive faces federal charges two years after an audit tied him to the misuse of public dollars. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it is charging Nicolas Retana, 67, with one count of embezzling money from a program that receives federal funding. His indictment was unsealed and Retana was arraigned Monday, according to a news release. Retana co-founded Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy in Madera in 2005 and served as its executive director until he was fired in 2020 following allegations he physically abused students. The school, which serves students in grades K-8, is now called Liberty Charter School. Two years ago, an audit of the school concluded $1.06 million in public funds were potentially misused between 2016 and 2020, and that Retana was tied to the alleged fraud. The FBI launched an investigation of Retana after the audit. Now, the federal government says Retana 'concealed the misused funds by mislabeling the expenses in school accounting records and misrepresenting the expenses when asked.' 'For example, Retana purchased new Ford F-150 Raptor pickup trucks for his two sons using school funds,' the federal news release says. 'He also had a personal relationship with a self-proclaimed sex worker turned relationship coach whom he paid $12,000 using school funds.' The 2023 audit of the school also found nearly $38,000 went to Retana's daughter's higher education expenses. If Retana is convicted of embezzlement, he faces 'a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine,' the federal news release says. John McClure, executive director of Liberty Charter School, said in a Wednesday statement to The Bee that it was the school that requested an investigation by law enforcement at the outset of the case. 'We want to thank both the FBI and Department of Justice for their hard work on this case,' McClure said in an email. 'The charter school and its board will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as this case moves forward.' The Bee's attempts to reach Retana on Tuesday were unsuccessful. But in a 2023 phone interview with The Bee, Retana said the audit report's findings were simply 'not true.' He added that the motivation behind the report was racism against him because he is a Chicano who has spoken out about the lack of effort schools put into Latino students. 'There's no ifs, ands or buts about it,' Retana told The Bee in 2023. 'I've always been a target.' 2023 audit: Wild spending at Madera school In 2023, when Liberty Charter School was still called Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy, McClure said he had filed a police report related to some of the audit's findings three years prior. 'I can assure you that these issues all stopped when I took over as Executive Director and will never happen again,' McClure said at the time. The Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team, the state's school finance watchdog that provides financial guidance to schools, initiated the audit in 2021. The auditors found charter funds were used to make payments totaling $37,563 to colleges between 2016 and 2018. They also found Retana's daughter held several communications positions at the school before being hired as a teacher in 2016. 'Interviews with charter staff indicated that these charges were for (Retana's) daughter's college education,' the audit report said. The report also said Retana's two sons were hired as custodians and later became the school's night security officers. Both received gas cards from the charter and both were issued Ford F-150 Raptors. The audit found that both of them crashed their trucks – each of which cost about $40,000 – and that one of them used his in a hit-and-run. An invoice found in the report also showed the school's board approved a $12,000 payment to an 'Associate #2' for six '8th Grade Life Coaching Workshops' in 2019. The report stated that interviews with staff revealed Retana may have been romantically involved with the life coach, though he denied that in his 2023 interview with The Bee. The report found that the life coach did not possess any type of teaching or counseling credential in California. But Retana said a credentialed counselor is not what he was going for. 'I just wanted someone who was going to be able to do to deal with the eighth-graders, that they would like and that they could work with,' he told The Bee in 2023. Solve the daily Crossword
