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Monday, October 22, 2007

Fabian Nunez - Hot Under The Collar

Dear readers,

Wild fires rage across Southern California.

But the one feeling the most hot-under-the-collar is the California Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nunez.

Fabian was elected by about 100,000 votes and represents Huntington Park and other backward municipalities in
Southeast L.A. County, in addition to parts of Downtown Los Angeles.

Fabian started out being the Golden Boy, the Oscar-De-La-Hoya of Latino and California Democratic Politics.

Then this website started looking into sweetheart contracts worth millions of dollars in Huntington Park that were
issued to the City Attorney, to transportation contractors and others. WatchOurCity.com began reporting back in
early 2004 that councilman Edward Escareno, then roommate and campaign manager for Huntington Park's
current councilman Noguez, was openly supported and was called a "man of honor" by Fabian. In December 2005,
Escareno was convicted in L.A. Superior Court for "Grand Theft" of public funds.

Recipients of all these million-dollar contracts had a few things in common: Rosario Marin, John Noguez and
Francisco Leal, shyster City Attorney at your service, best friend with Fabian who covers his back in Sacramento,
and best friend to Southeast Council of corrupt Mayors.

Then this website reported that Fabian openly supported the campaigns of Huntington Park's take-over by the
Rosario Marin slate, managed by Escareno, that is now dolling out contracts to only a hand-full of companies, all
friends and campaign donors, all rolling in the same mud, happy as all get-go.

Fabian is now under fire for highly questionable use of campaign contributions for lavish trips and purchases of
expensive luxury items like Louis Vuitton from France.

Nothing wrong for a Mexican in a position of power buying Louis Vuitton. A public office holder, using campaign
funds meant to be spent on official state business, that's different. Mexicans have always had a fascination
intertwining history with the French going back to pre-revolutionary days

For the Record, this editor owns a $350 Louis Vuitton wallet, a gift from a very dear and loved friend who harbors
no expectations of any benefit in return. The editor could have bought one that functioned just as well at Target
for all of $19 dollars.

Fabian claims all the money he uses to spend on his new-found jet-set life comes from campaign contributions. I
can bet all of my sub-prime loan that those giving to Fabian do so in expectations of getting something in return.
These are not loved ones giving simply because Fabian is a lovable guy. Fabian justifies the trips as necessary to
help him assess how other countries deal with public transportation and universal pre-school. And trips to the
Louis Vuitton office are justified as well to see how it could impact public transportation in East L.A. car culture.

Quid-Pro-Quo, anyone?

See how Quid-Pro-Quo works in Huntington Park and in the Assembly Speaker's office in Sacramento.

How close, intimate and cozy is the relationship between Fabian Nunez, Huntington Park City Attorney Francisco
Leal and Huntington Park council member John Noguez?

Well, let's see. John Noguez called a meeting at the California Club in Downtown Los Angeles in May of 2006. This
is no allegation. This is a factual item. Attending the meeting was city attorney Leal. The guests were two
gentlemen from Pacific Charter, an organization that builds charter schools in Los Angeles and Oakland. Pacific was
inexplicably having trouble getting city approvals in Huntington Park. So Noguez calls Pacific Charter over for a
friendly discussion to grease things along.

Noguez didn't beat around the bush. He requested that the non-profit give him a $50,000 campaign contribution
for his run at the Assembly seat to be vacated when Fabian Nunez is termed out of office in 2009; that Fabian has
anointed Noguez as his successor, a-la Mexican PRI politics when Mexican presidents pick their successors with a
"Dedazo", or fingered anointment, of a hand-picked loyalist, which became a Carte-blanche to loot the treasury.

The mere presence of Francisco Leal was meant to assure folks at Pacific Charter that such a request was legit,
after all, Leal is well connected to Sacramento's power core, or more precisely, to Fabian. And also to confirm that if
such a contribution was made to Noguez, that their construction project in Huntington Park would be given the
green light by Noguez, who controls the majority city council votes. Huntington Park now sports a brand new
charter school that opened just four months after this meeting took place. No campaign contribution was ever
recorded on public documents. Noguez was neither registered with the State of California to request campaign
funds, nor was he registered as a candidate for state-wide office. But he did have Francisco Leal at his side, who
was one phone call away from Fabian.

It so happens that Fabian, too, likes to request campaign contributions in $50,000 chunks, like cocaine addicts
who buy $10 bags, seems to be a common currency, like a magical number in the universe of Quid-Pro-Quo. It was
revealed last week that he asked 49 California Legislators for a highly unethical, and grossly questionable
contribution of $50,000 each to float a ballot initiative during the upcoming February 2008 primaries to extend his
expired term limits.

It's like Putin in Russia who wants to continue ruling, but the constitution prohibits it, so Putin schemes to
finger-anoint a no-body loyalist successor while Putin does cart-wheelies around the laws, scheming to join the
State Duma, and become Prime Minister while his President-successor accedes. Power is intoxicating. It is better
than sex and just as ephemeral, but with more brutal results. It seems that Fabian is willing to cut a deal with the
devil to stay in power just one more term, "Give me just one more term, I beg you, and I will do anything in return
for that pleasure of power".

The editor likes his Louis Vuitton wallet and would like to travel to France, Argentina and China to see how other
local citizens are dealing with corrupt politicians like Fabian and his loyal 'hood friends in South L.A.

In the public interest,

The Editor,
WatchOurCity.com