Latest news with #KarlRacine
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I-TEAM: $750-an-hour Cleveland police monitor defends billing
**Watch a previous report on the police monitor group above CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered the latest report from a group overseeing Cleveland police at up to $750 and hour, and the report calls out the city for raising questions about the cost and more. Lead monitor Karl Racine wrote, 'It is our sincere hope that the city does that which the residents of Cleveland expect: focus solely on achieving compliance with the Consent Decree, rather than pursuing a strategy of litigation against this settlement.' The monitoring team reports to a federal court judge, and the city law department has filed challenges to some of the group's billing. And, the city has raised questions about how the oversight is measured. Meantime, the I-Team has exposed outrageous bills and oversight with no end in sight. The monitoring team has billed the city for big money after sending a letter of condolences when an officer died, after preparing for and sitting down for an interview with reporters including the I-Team, and after watching police awards ceremonies. Last year, we even revealed the monitoring team billed city taxpayers $2,400 just for the cover letter of a report. In the cover letter to the latest report, the monitor wrote, '…the city has doubled down on its disputes with the monitoring team regarding the reasonableness of the monitor's bills and recently has taken issue with the methodology supporting the monitor's ratings in the 16th semiannual report…The court is evaluating the city's objections to the monitor's bills…' State Senate will soon tackle Browns funding request: I-Team The latest cover letter also says, 'The city's attack on the monitor's process for rating the city via semiannual reports is particularly troublesome.' The city has argued it can't fix the police department without knowing more specifics about standards and goals police need to meet. The latest report says the…'city deserves credit for achieving 15 upgrades.' Progress in areas such as Community and Problem-Oriented Policing, Crisis Intervention Training and Use of Force. Video captures new street takeovers in Cleveland –What's being done? The new report also notes three 'downgrades.' The monitor points to concerns over other police oversight. That includes issues with the operations of the City's Office of Professional Standards and delays with the Community Police Commission. This is the first report since Lead monitor Karl Racine had an encounter with police at the Jack Casino. An off-duty officer called for back-up saying Racine was refusing to leave. He, ultimately, did leave, and no charges were filed. He, later, issued a statement he had not been acting inappropriately. Still, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno has called for discipline of Racine through a bar association. City Councilman Brian Kazy also asked a federal judge to remove Racine as Monitor. But, the judge over this case decided not to do that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police monitors making $750/hour: The new charges for taxpayers
CLEVELAND (WJW) — In February, the I-Team took hard questions to the head of the Cleveland Police Monitoring Team, and now we've found out what that group has charged taxpayers to answer those questions. Records show the lead monitor has billed the City of Cleveland a total of $3,300 for sitting down with the I-Team and other reporters. The bill included 'discussing with City officials regarding the media interviews' and 'preparing and participating in the interviews.' 3 Huron County teens credited with heroic water rescue Members of the Monitoring Team earn up to $750 an hour oversee reform in the Cleveland Division of Police as a result of a Federal Consent Decree. The group has been doing this job for 10 years, and the lead monitor tells us he does not know when the job will be finished. Another member of the group also billed a total of $3,200 for the interviews and preparing for them, though she never answered any questions for us on the day of the interviews. About three weeks later, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno spoke out about what the I-Team has exposed in the past about taxpayer money going to the Cleveland Police Monitoring Team. For that story, we requested comment and we were told the Monitoring Team could not comment. But an invoice shows Karl Racine and Abby Wilhelm billed the City $900 for dealing with a media inquiry. Tesla Cybertruck reportedly vandalized in Solon U.S. Federal Judge Solomon Oliver gives the final approval over the bills turned in by the Monitoring Team. Cleveland City Hall has protested some bills in the past, and the city currently has some objections pending with the Court. When we talked to Karl Racine, the lead monitor, in February, we asked about the billing and what taxpayers are getting for their money. He responded, 'Making a mountain out of a molehill around issues concerning the cost of the consent decree misses the big picture.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I-TEAM: Police monitor will not be removed after casino incident
[Attached video shows a recent I-Team story regarding the police monitor investigation] CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has found a federal judge will not force the head of the Cleveland Police Monitoring team to resign despite an encounter with police at the Jack Casino. A filing just posted shows the Court continues to support Karl Racine overseeing reform in the Cleveland Division of Police. Dashcam video shows suspect open fire in Wooster officer-involved shooting An order from Judge Solomon Oliver says, '…the court finds that there is no information before it which would justify removal of Mr. Racine as Monitor based on the Casino incident.' And, 'The Court is strongly convinced that Mr. Racine and his team are committed to helping the City attain full compliance as soon as possible.' Racine heads a group overseeing Cleveland Police reform with some members earning up to $750 an hour. In January, an off-duty Cleveland Police officer working downtown at the casino asked for back-up. The officer said Karl Racine was refusing to leave the casino. Racine did ultimately leave and no charges were filed against him. Days ago, the FOX 8 I-team revealed a letter sent by Cleveland Councilman Brian Kazy asking Judge Oliver to force the Police Monitor to resign. But, the new court order also says, 'The court recognizes, and regrets, the distraction this incident has caused. Mr. Racine and his team have served the court and the parties well in our desire to see the City reach full compliance with the Consent Decree. Much progress has been made, but there is still considerable work to be done.' And, 'The court looks forward to working with the City, the United States, and the Monitor on an ongoing basis in an effort to meet our shared goal of full compliance.' Councilman Kazy had written to the Judge, 'I am taking the unusual step of contacting you directly about this case because of my urgent concerns about the fitness of the court's monitor based on recent conduct as reported in the media.' Racine has previously told us he acted appropriately and he brought up the matter with the Cleveland Police Chief, but he did not file a complaint against the officer involved at the casino. Kazy's letter to the Judge also said, 'This incident – and the reported investigation by the Office of Professional Standards – creates a shadow of bias and a cloud of suspicion of impropriety that can't be undone. If OPS terminates its investigation, is that because of the fear of the Monitor? If OPS finds that there is no wrongdoing by Monitor Racine, are they worried about retaliation? If the Monitor gives a positive evaluation of OPS or the City, is that a reward? If the Monitor gives a negative evaluation of OPS or the City, is that retaliation?' I-Team: What's next for Browns dome plans? The Judge's order also addressed that, saying, 'The court also indicated to the parties that it was confident Mr. Racine would not be biased in his role as Monitor as a result of the Casino incident.' The FOX 8 I-Team also has reported, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno filed a formal complaint against Karl Racine. Senator Moreno sent a letter dated March 25 to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in Washington D.C. about his concerns since Racine is a lawyer based in D.C 'I write to express my profound concerns about actions taken by Karl Racine that may constitute serious professional misconduct under the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct,' the letter states. I respectfully request that the Office of Disciplinary Counsel open an investigation to determine whether Mr. Racine violated applicable D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct and should be subject to disciplinary action.' The Judge has never responded to any request for comment from the I-Team during the years Cleveland Police have been under federal watch. Racine has also said, previously, in a statement, he could not understand why he was not being allowed inside. Meantime, the head of the Cleveland Police union has indicated what he learned about the encounter with Racine in January. 'He didn't use an ID. He said, 'Hey I'm, here with the Department of Justice. I'm a monitor,'' said Andrew Gasiewski, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association . Teen pleads in Cleveland street takeovers Gasiewski added that he believes his officers acted properly. Additionally, Senator Moreno's letter also brings up questions about bills the federal monitoring team sent to the City of Cleveland. The I-Team has reported issues with the bills in the past, including a bill the group sent to the city for writing a sympathy note after an officer died. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
District of Columbia drops civil lawsuit against Jan. 6 groups, citing ‘challenges' facing the city
Washington, D.C., and the victims of the violent, pro-Trump insurrection attempt on Jan. 6 lost an opportunity for recompense on Monday when D.C.'s attorney general dropped a civil lawsuit filed against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militia groups. In 2021, then-Attorney General for the District of Columbia Karl Racine announced the suit, relying on the Ku Klux Klan Act to bring the case. At the time, Racine said: The history will show that when these acts like the KKK act and other laws were used against hate groups — what did they do? What do cowards do? They go running. They go hiding. They get decentralized, and frankly, they're less dangerous. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the KKK Act was used to some success in breaking up chapters of the klan. It was also used more recently to punish extremists who held a deadly rally in Charlottesville back in 2017. But D.C.'s current attorney general is Brian Schwalb. And the statement his office issued Monday explaining the decision to drop the case referred to 'challenges currently facing the district.' 'Given the challenges currently facing the District and the relatively small potential recoveries the District could obtain, OAG's resources are now needed and best used elsewhere,' the office said. Let's take a look a some of the 'challenges' currently facing the district. The federal government just passed a budget that imposed steep cuts on Washington, which has long been the target of a Republican Party eager to impose federal authority over the city (the Senate passed a measure that would restore that funding, but it's unclear whether Republicans in the House will support it). Meanwhile, Trump is on the record as saying he thinks the feds should 'take over' the city altogether. When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently authorized painting over a street mural in her city honoring the Black Lives Matter movement, she was fairly clear that it was in response to the White House, saying: 'I'm not going to talk about specifics, about my conversations, but I think it's safe to say that people don't like it, didn't like it.' So it certainly seems like the administration is having its way with the city government, whether that's through Trump's appointment of Ed Martin, a pro-insurrectionist lawyer tapped as the district's top federal attorney, or his initial backing of a budget that threatens to impose strict austerity. This scenario is precisely why I was so disgusted by the Biden administration's support for a 2023 GOP-backed bill that forced changes to D.C.'s criminal code, which had been changed by the city council in response to the racial justice protests in the summer of 2020. In signing on to that power grab, Trump's predecessor set the stage for the federal government to impose its will on the district's residents. And Trump seems more than willing to take that power grab to the next level. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
District of Columbia drops civil lawsuit against Jan. 6 groups, citing ‘challenges' facing the city
Washington, D.C., and the victims of the violent, pro-Trump insurrection attempt on Jan. 6 lost an opportunity for recompense on Monday when D.C.'s attorney general dropped a civil lawsuit filed against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militia groups. In 2021, then-Attorney General for the District of Columbia Karl Racine announced the suit, relying on the Ku Klux Klan Act to bring the case. At the time, Racine said: The history will show that when these acts like the KKK act and other laws were used against hate groups — what did they do? What do cowards do? They go running. They go hiding. They get decentralized, and frankly, they're less dangerous. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the KKK Act was used to some success in breaking up chapters of the klan. It was also used more recently to punish extremists who held a deadly rally in Charlottesville back in 2017. But D.C.'s current attorney general is Brian Schwalb. And the statement his office issued Monday explaining the decision to drop the case referred to 'challenges currently facing the district.' 'Given the challenges currently facing the District and the relatively small potential recoveries the District could obtain, OAG's resources are now needed and best used elsewhere,' the office said. Let's take a look a some of the 'challenges' currently facing the district. The federal government just passed a budget that imposed steep cuts on Washington, which has long been the target of a Republican Party eager to impose federal authority over the city (the Senate passed a measure that would restore that funding, but it's unclear whether Republicans in the House will support it). Meanwhile, Trump is on the record as saying he thinks the feds should 'take over' the city altogether. When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently authorized painting over a street mural in her city honoring the Black Lives Matter movement, she was fairly clear that it was in response to the White House, saying: 'I'm not going to talk about specifics, about my conversations, but I think it's safe to say that people don't like it, didn't like it.' So it certainly seems like the administration is having its way with the city government, whether that's through Trump's appointment of Ed Martin, a pro-insurrectionist lawyer tapped as the district's top federal attorney, or his initial backing of a budget that threatens to impose strict austerity. This scenario is precisely why I was so disgusted by the Biden administration's support for a 2023 GOP-backed bill that forced changes to D.C.'s criminal code, which had been changed by the city council in response to the racial justice protests in the summer of 2020. In signing on to that power grab, Trump's predecessor set the stage for the federal government to impose its will on the district's residents. And Trump seems more than willing to take that power grab to the next level. This article was originally published on
