---
category: Organized Crime
summary: On December 12, 1991, Robinson filed a 'Pro Per' affidavit in the U.S.
tags:
- Person
- OrganizedCrime
---

[Calvin Robinson](/people/calvin-robinson/) was dubbed the "drug tug" captain by local media. He was represented by attorney [David Mayer](/people/david-mayer/) of Marin County, [California](/places/california/). Robinson's tug was seized in the San Francisco Bay in the Spring of 1988, found hauling a barge containing 157 tons of hashish and marijuana.[^1]

On December 12, 1991, Robinson filed a "Pro Per" affidavit in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of [California](/places/california/), requesting that Judge [John Paul Vukasin, Jr.](/people/john-paul-vukasin-jr/) be recused from his case. Robinson believed that Vukasin was a long-time associate and political ally of [Edwin Meese III](/people/edwin-meese/) and that Vukasin was appointed to the district court bench as a "damage control agent" for Meese and the [U.S. Department of Justice](/organizations/department-of-justice/).[^1]

Robinson's affidavit for recusal also stated that he obtained the assistance of attorney [David Mayer](/people/david-mayer/) to represent him at his 1989 trial, but Mayer died from a gun-shot wound the night before he was to appear in court to defend Robinson. Mayer's death was ruled a suicide, and a suicide tape was found.[^1]

[Sean McDade](/people/sean-mcdade/) interviewed Robinson in prison. Robinson reportedly had some connection to a former [U.S. Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) official and the [Cabazon Indian Reservation](/places/cabazon-indian-reservation/), but McDade's investigation was closed before he could prove the connection.[^1]

---

[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.