CINCINNATI (TDB) -- An e-mail from Todd Portune says the clerk's office appears to have stalled collections and and mishandled procedures for collecting millions of dollars in forfeited bail bonds. Portune wants Sheriff Simon Leis's office to take an active role in efforts to find out what has gone wrong. Portune said the bail bond scandal involves "potential violations of regulation, policy or law . . ." and had been the subject of a review by county officials in 2009. The Daily Bellwether has a copy of the e-mail, which was sent to Republican Clerk of Courts Patricia M. Clancy, whose office is responsible for collecting and issuing bail bonds:
"Dear Patty:
Last September 2009 Kathy Binns and I met with you and John Williams to discuss several irregularities in connection with bail bondsmen and uncollected forfeited bonds in Hamilton County . You recall we shared with you the results of an investigation we had conducted with the help of others. In light of severe county budget concerns and also potential violations of regulation, policy or law, we wanted to make certain the matter was addressed.
You and John Williams assured us that the matter was being addressed and that your office was on top of the matter along with the Prosecutor’s office. It has come to my attention that matters may still be very much amiss with forfeited bonds not collected along with certain other practices that are either wrong or unlawful being conducted.
I am writing to you for the purpose of asking that we meet to discuss these matters and the efforts to put an end to the practices; to pursue those who may be engaged in wrongful practices; and to collect all moneys due Hamilton County. In particular I would like to know what the prospects are of collecting on amounts due in time to utilize sums in connection with Hamilton County ’s 2011 budget or to disburse to such other parties or political jurisdictions that are entitled to receive a percentage share of the same.
Unlike our previous meeting I believe it will be important to also have the assistance of proper representatives from the Sheriff and Prosecutor’s office to discuss the status as well as the county’s options in this matter.
Thank you for your assistance in connection with this important issue.
Sincerely yours, "
Todd Portune
President of the Board
Hamilton County Commissioners
With the Republicans gaining the majority on the Hamilton County Commission, I can see this will quickly become a non-issue. And the budget crisis continues.
ReplyDeleteI know that the bond forfeiture procedure is not as simple as most people believe it to be. There are enough variables to it to make it a very complicated procedure to process and then attempt to collect and keep any monies that are collected on these forfeited bonds. For one, just because someone does not show up for court, does not mean that their bond will be forfeited. The judge has to order that to be done. The clerk has no say for that to happen. Even if the bond is forfeited and attempts are made for collection of the bond are taken, the defendant may end up being brought back into custody by some means, and then this forfeited bond for whatever amount can be requested to be set aside and granted and then you have no bond forfeiture anymore. So for Mr. Portune to say that the clerk mishandled procedures in processing and collecting may not be as accurate as he believes. Maybe he should take a lesson on how a bond works from start to finish and maybe he would understand on how difficult the bond world can be. Just thought your readers might like to hear the rest of the story before passing judgment on a subject where some people may not understand what they are talking about.
ReplyDeletethank you for whoever posted the previous comment. Mr Portune maybe he should step foot out of his office and see how a bond is done from start to finish and maybe sit in the arrainment court at 9 am and see how many people show and how many of those bonds are forfeited. Then see all the ways the clerk has tried to collect on the bonds.
ReplyDeleteI believe there is more than adequate information in public records about bond forfeitures to initiate a lawsuit on behalf of taxpayers that alleges there is misfeasance in the clerk's office. There are court judgments that have been unacted upon for years. The collection efforts are inefficient or non-existent. This is a known fact. I suspect that there will be a lawsuit, and it will allege a failure to follow the law, regulation and duties of public office. There are monies due that have not been collected. There is a culture of complacency in the clerk's office.
ReplyDeleteThere has been no way the clerk have collected a bond forfeiture, they stall because of the pay off's to the clerks office. When the story comes out later this week you will understand more and more about what goes on in the clerk of courts office, pay offs to ill-legally let people out of jail. What about making your own powers in the back room and no insurance company behind the bonds. Whats wrong with you the reason these bonds are owed is because they were making their own powers to write the bonds to begin with and the clerk of courts office helped them to commit these frauds. They should all go to jail and be charged with perjury( the clerks office). I have thousands of cases to show the fraud and the ODI is not even interested in this. Who is the head of the Bail Bond Association for the State of Ohio they should be on this, this will not be washed under the rug. Videos do not lie, contriry to Mr O'Brien's belief, people lie. Mr O'Brien thinks videos can be doctored, give me a break, maybe he ought to see the ones we have on him. LIES AND LIARS but it won't work this time. Let the brotherhood but A HIT ON YOU and see how you feel. It has been reported many times about a hit and the clerk of courts has ignored it and never had a prosecutor get in touch, they know where I am. But do they care? NO they only care about saving their-selves. I will take a lie detector, test, WILL THEY. Let's go LIARS
ReplyDeleteWe have confidential informers who tapped the brotherhood, one in perticular, Mr Johnnie Cockran Jr, saying he called off a hit on the lady bondman. I guess he'll say the recording isn't his voice and then there is another recording with him talking about her and his family will take care of her if she messes with his money. Come on Johnnie you should not allow yourself to be recorded. Don't worry about being filmed in the hallway you can run and cry to the deputies but it won't do any good. You're so stupid there are other people filming you that you don't even know about. Quite running into room 107 trying to get the lawyers when they come out of the court room we're filming you there you and Leroy Jones. We have several tapes and written statments from different lawyers who you approach. We got you every way you go. HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NOW, JUST WAIT UNTIL THIS WEEKEND AND see yourself on the news. You take good pictures. Yuck! But Johnnie I'm disappointed in you I though with all your college (Ha Ha) (probably didn't even gradurate from high school) you should have did a better job of defending your clients, the brotherhood. It won't be long and you'll all be ib prison.
ReplyDeleteI'm an attorney in Hamilton County and I'm so tire of these bondsmen, Mr Leroy Jones, Mr Randall Wyatt and Mr Ronald Trimble. Everyday running up to me asking me to pass out their cards to my clients. This is soliciting through an attorney. Do it yourself. You guys were all complaining against that woman and you do the same thing and worst. Grow up and quite acting like little babies, running to the deputies and crying. You brought it on yourself. You guys want to snitch on everybody else but then you are doing the same thing. Quite running up to us and asking us to pass out your cards. Do it yourself. You brough the heat on yourself. Cry-Cry-Cry. Shame-Sjame-Shame on you
ReplyDeleteThere will be many lawsuits before this is over. If just half of the rumors flying around are true, the Clerks Office will be sued for millions. That lady has all the evidence and she hired Mr. Newman and as I hear it there will be lawsuits filed for millions, not just the Clerk of Court but all the bondsman, some of the Clerks personally and the Department of Insurance. There are Federal Injunctions already filed and more to come. They can't even get public information from Mr. O'Brien, when he's under a federal injunction. The prosecutor has been called many times on him leaving him personally and financially obligated for his actions. I'm sure this will be going on for a long time
ReplyDeleteWhere is the sheriff when you need him? Those bondsman are committing crimes everyday out here soliciting in the hallways. They are sneaky, sneaky, sneaky and they should have no business in the courtroom or the hallway for that matter. Make your deputies arrest them for soliciting, it's a crime. Then stop Mr Leroy Jones and Mr Ronald Trimble from coming in and out the back door. He should be going through security like every one else. He's no one special.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to watch channel 12 news Friday, Saturday Sunday( news maker has a long version). You'll see what really goes on at the justic center with the Clerks and the Brotherhood
ReplyDeleteMaybe Ms Clancey should remember the tapes and all the videos she saw months ago. Then she'll know about all the irregularities going on with her Clerks. Ms Clancey, John Williams and Mr O'Brien have know about these things for months, but they choose to ignore it. That leads me to believe that they think it's normal for her Clerks to accept bribes and let people out of jail who should not be out. If they though any different they would have done something about it when they became aware of the problem. Is that they way the Clerks office should be run, taking bribes to let people out of jail. Letting th bondsmen make their own powers and then accepting money for them to use them. o insurance company behind the powers, thats why the can't pay the police department their part of the money.
ReplyDeleteNow it has been brought to my attention that Ms. Clancey knew back in November 2009 that there was bad bonds being done and she never did any thing about it. Todd Portune will be on News Maker on Sunday to tell that Kevin O'Brien, John Williams and Patrica Clancey admitted they knew. But guess who got in trouble A-1 Bail Bonds, for telling the truth. Now let's tell who the clerks are, big Steve, supervisor been there for 20 years, Shirley, and Dave the bald headed one. If they don't go to jail, whats life about. Crooks, thieves and criminals. When is the department of insurance going to do something about this. The ODI is involved in this, Lexington National knows that Trimble is writing bad bonds and now they want to pay off the Clerk of Courts for less money, they want to make a deal with them to sweep this under the rug. Why is the Trembeling man still writing bonds. I can only guess some of the money paid to the Clerk of Courts is being funneled to her campaign re-election. Why Why Why is Kevin O'Brien still doing his Fiscal Job when he can't stop them from printing their own powers, Crooks, Thieves and Liars.
ReplyDeleteThis is the United States of American how can this be going on. Please help
ReplyDeleteI am wondering how an e-mail sent to Patricia Clancy got into the hands of the Bellwether, unless Todd Portune gave it to them. Something seems very much amiss with this. Does every time Todd Portune sends an e-mail to someone, does he also give it to the Enquirer and the Bellwether. Something smells fishy here. Is this how a political figurehead conducts buisness? Maybe something is going on in his backroom that the public does not know about.
ReplyDeleteThe rumor here is that Judge Nadine Allen set aside a $100,000.00 bond forfeiture. Maybe Told Portune should e-mail her to see if there is anything amiss there. Thanks Bellwether, this story is really starting to get interesting.
ReplyDeleteYes somebody is doing things ill-legally Ms. Clancey and Mr Kevin O'Brien
ReplyDeleteWait until Sunday on channel 12 Newsmakers and you'll see how interesting this can get and the Enquirer story this weekend
ReplyDeleteThe point that people are missing in the conspiracy that the Clerk of Courts Office in involved in. Ms Clancey knew since last November 2009 that most of the bondsmen were nmaking their own powers and that her clerks were accepting them for a bribe. But she and Mr Kevin O"Brien did nothing about it. They keep letting the bondsman write bad bonds tha they printed in their back room. There was no insurance company to back up these bonds. So she allowed them to continue to write bonds and she helped them to break the law, by protecting them. Now the county is holding the bag for the money, while she sits in her ivory tower pretending to do something about it. When is there going to be a special prosecutor called in from the state Attorney Generals Office. Probably never if its up to her because she might go to jail along with the bondsmen. She should be charged.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't the department of insurance involved in this isn't this their job
ReplyDeletewhen are the tax payers going to wake up and file a law suit against her
ReplyDeleteI would just like to know how Kevin O'Brien can keep over 30,000.00 of my money. Mr O"Brien has stolen over 30,000.00 from my account I have copies of some checks to prove it. I guess he thinks he can put this in his own pocket.
ReplyDeleteWell Trimble is still there soliciting him and Leroy Jones we got the cards statements and videos. But no one ever does anything about it. Even when he's making his own powers, they still let him solicit. But I guess when you are two of the brotherhood and you tell the Clerk's what to do it's ok
ReplyDeleteLets be clear about something:
ReplyDeletethis:
"Anonymous said...
The rumor here is that Judge Nadine Allen set aside a $100,000.00 bond forfeiture. Maybe Told Portune should e-mail her to see if there is anything amiss there...."
Is an attempt to shift attention and find a way to point blame somewhere else, a clumsy one at that.
If ou read everything the reason the bond forfeiture was sat aside was that the clerks officemessed up by not notifying the suriety and then the judgement was in 2007 theyn never even tried to collect the money from the insurance company in 3 years. Read the documents and maybe you'll understand what happened.
ReplyDeleteLet's talk about Ms. Clancey breaking the law for 14 months and allowing the bail bondsmen to make their own powers and allowing her clerk's to take them. Everyone of those clerks, oncluding Ms. Clancey should be charged with a crime. She helped them committ crimes, then there was the money exchanging hands to the clerk's for taking the bad bonds. I know I was approached by the Clerk's Office for money
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn't the State Attorney General Office been notified and a special prosecutor, why because they been investigating this for 14 months and allowing the crooks to continue to committ the crimes. If Ms Clancey, Kevin O'Brien and John Williams are not involed why hasn't a unbias prosecutor been called in. Afraid they will catch you in your dirty deeds
ReplyDelete