FBI raid should be headline news

April 19, 2020

OPINION by JAMES DUENOW

With all the uproar in the national news over the virus some important local developments have taken a back seat. For example it should be headline stuff when the FBI gets multiple warrants from a judge to search the home and office of a local public official, in this case San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill.

We hear it’s the job of the FBI to investigate crimes. We know that for the FBI to get a search warrant they must, by affidavit, show a judge that they have believable, probable cause that a crime has been committed. To get the warrant they must also describe the criminal evidence they are seeking and believe to exist at the places they seek to search, Adam Hill’s home and office.

When Supervisor Hill was served with the search warrant he was so upset that he tried to kill himself. Why?

The FBI is closed mouthed. We haven’t been told what crimes are alleged. The next thing we look for will be indictments, hopefully not under seal.

Meanwhile, this is the stage in the proceedings when defendants and their lawyer try to make a deal. There’s an old saying, that the first one to deal usually gets the best deal. Soon we will know more about this investigation, the criminal activity and defendants.

More will happen soon. This is enormously important and should be front page news.

Watch this news site.

Jim Duenow, a Democrat, has lived in San Luis Obispo County for 54 years. He is a civil trial lawyer, now semi-retired, who has served on multiple San Luis Obispo City commissions and committees.