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Posted Aug. 15, 2005
H.P. City Council Takes
Questionable
Action in
August to Repeal
Campaign Limits
Ordinance Passed In
January 2005 (See Report )
Posted Monday, August 22, 2005
AB 11 on Governor's Desk
for Signature
State Assembly voted 73-0 last
Thursday; Exorbitant H.P.
Council Salaries, highest at
$1,950 month, to be reduced 97%
to $150 month.
(see report)
Posted Monday, Aug. 22, 2005
Noguez's Campaign Limits
Ordinance: Public Funds &
Resources Seemingly
Used for Private Political
Gain
(see report)
Posted  Monday, April 4, 2005
City is Served with Lawsuit Alleging Voting Irregularities Conducted At Lobby of
City Hall  (see full report)
(see Copy of Document as filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on March 30
Posted Monday, June 27, 2005
H.P. City Council Dismisses
Francisco Leal as Redevelopment
Commission Attorney, Places him
on Probation as City Attorney
(see expanded report)    
Updated  Monday, May 2, 2005 8:00 am
Expanded Report
Francisco Leal's Law Firm "Dismissed" as
City Attorney in Commerce
(see expanded report)    
Posted March 8, 2005
State Senator
Martha Escutia
Gives A $1,000
Donation to Elba
Romo (see full report)
Posted Wednesday, March 9, 2005 1:00 am
Voters Oust Ed Escareño
From Office!       
(see full report)
Posted Wednesday, March 9, 2005 9:00 am
Did  Elba Romo Violate State
Election Code?
(see full report)
Posted March 7, 2005
Obtaining Public
Records
Lawyer offers tips
on obtaining
public records
Posted Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Escareño Misses 4th  
Council Meeting in '05
(See full report)
Posted Monday, March 7, 2005
Rosario Marin Endorses
Romo & Molina; Makes
Questionable
Statements (see full report)
Posted Monday, February 28 2005
Ethics Watch: More Deceit, Half-truths & Lies?
Did St. Matthias Catholic Church Approve
Use of Church Picture On Campaign
Brochure By Romo/Molina? (See full report)
Posted Monday, February 14 2005
Ethics Watch:
New Cell Phone
Use  Ordinance
Holds Elected
Officials Accountable
Efforts by WatchOurCity.com,
Pay Off For the Public Interest
Huntington Park, CA -
WatchOurCity.com first reported in
March 2004 on the exorbitant and out of
control
cell phone expenses charged to
public funds by Councilman
Ed Escareno.
If
WatchOurCity.com had not been
watching cell phone costs, nobody would
have noticed and no new ordinance would
have been passed by city council members.
Posted Monday, February 7, 2005
Contribution Watch:
Is Mayor John Noguez A Liar &
Hypocrite With his New Ordinance
Limiting Campaign  Contributions?
Posted Monday, February 7, 2005
Campaign Watch
Three Candidates Fail To File  
Required Contribution Statements
Form 460 with City Clerk
Rebecca Avila, Edward Escareno and Ruben Lopez failed
to submit Form 460. Presumably, they have no  
contributions to report & no loans to themselves to report.
The good news: Nobody influences their campaign. The
bad news: They don't influence their own campaigns either.
Posted Monday, February 7, 2005
Contribution Watch
Waste Management Makes
Campaign Contributions; San Diego
Report Exposes Alleged Corruption
Practices Of City's Waste Hauler
Former US Treasurer & Ex-Mayor Rosario Marin
Voted for Trash Hauling Contract. She now sits on
State's Integrated Waste Management Board.
(see full report at www.monitor.net/rachel/r299.html)
Editorial, Posted Monday, January 31, 2005
A Questionably Swift Turn of Events
For Leo Vargas, A Registered Sex
Offender & Relative of Councilman
Mario Gomez
(see full editorial)
Editorial, Posted Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Catholic Archdiocese Responds To
WatchOurCity.com Regarding Sex
Offender Volunteer at School
A Relative of Councilman Gomez
(see full letter from the Archdiocese)
Posted Saturday, January 29, 2005
Councilman Mario Gomez's Relative
Was "Excluded" From Megan's Law
Sex Offender Website Just 4 Days
After Broadcast by Fox 11 News
(see full report)
Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Convicted Child Molester &
Registered Sex Offender Is Volunteer
Coach At St. Matthias Elementary
School Reported Fox 11 News. He's A
Relative of Councilman Mario Gomez
Ethics Watch
Posted Monday, January 24, 2005
"Outrageous" Councilman Mario Gomez
Calls Efforts Led by Ric Loya To Spend
Public Funds For Saving Vitally Needed
Hospitals From Closure
In Contrast, Gomez Votes To Give $160,000 In Public
Funds on 1-day Celebrations, Fiestas, Flowers, Contracts
to Friends and Campaign Contributors, Council Pay Raises
and a $30,000..
....... (see full report)
Posted Thursday, January 20, 2005
Council Votes 4-1 To Oppose Bill
Introduced By State Assemblyman
Hector De La Torre Cutting Exorbitant
Salaries Of City Officials Sitting on
Commissions
(see full report)

Visit Assemblyman De La Torre's official State website
Posted Monday, January 24, 2005
City Council Votes To Audit Police
Department Use Of Funds
(see City Council Agenda 1-18-05)
Campaign 2005 Watch
Editorial, Posted Tuesday, January 18, 2005
More Seemingly Deceiving Statements, Questionable Promises and Padded
Resumes of Council Candidates  

Elba Guerrero States in her Candidate Statement That She "Will Be A Voice of The People". It seems
that council candidates will say just about anything to sound attractive to what they consider to be dull,
gullible and unintelligent voters.
(see full report)
City Attorney Watch
Posted Friday, January 14, 2005
City Attorney Francisco Leal Resigns As
Attorney For Alhambra School District
Tuesday 1-11-05 On The Heals of
Planned Board Action to Fire His
Law Firm The Same Day

The District Was Sued by a Parent for Alleged
Violation of Ralph M.  Brown Act for Selecting Leal's
Firm in Closed Door Session.  A School Board
Member was hired by Francisco Leal's Firm.
(see full report)
See Report from our Partner LynwoodWatch.com
See Report in the Pasadena Star News
Posted Friday, January 14, 2005
School Board President in Chula Vista
Sneaked A No-Bid Lobbyist Contract
On Its November 2004 Board Agenda
At The Last Minute Benefitting
Campaign Contributor Francisco
Leal's Legislative Advocacy Group

The Sweetwater School District Board President
Quiñones Defends Her Actions of Supporting The
No-Bid $3,000/Month Trial Contract For Leal.
San Diego Union-Tribune
.(see full report)
Campaign 2005 Watch
Job Openings At City Hall; 2 Positions Open; Title: City Council Member
January 11, 2005, Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA- Eight candidates vying for two City Council positions filed their candidate statements
and have reportedly been certified by the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder's Office.

The candidates are: Elba
Guerrero, Ric Loya, Ed Escareño, Elba Romo, Reuben Lopez, Efren Martinez,
Rebecca
Avila and Andres "Andy" Molina. (click on each name to see Candidate Statement)     (see full editorial)
Councilman Escareno Shows Community Pride By Defaulting On His Mortgage Payments Twice,
And As An Upright Citizen, Refuses To Pay Homeowner Association Dues Totaling $3,265. Can He
Be Entrusted With Managing The City's Public Funds?  
January 3, 2005
Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA- Escareño defaults on mortgage payments for his condominium in 1997 and again in 2000,
and in 2001 a “NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE” is recorded.....
(See full report).
Campaign 2005 Watch
Mayor Noguez Honors Gay Lesbian Parade
Is Andres Molina, Candidate For City Council,
Exaggerating His Qualifications and Deceiving
Voters by Listing his Occupation As
"Businessman / Commissioner"? What
Business?

January 3, 2005
WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA- WatchOurCity.com obtained
public documents revealing that Council Candidate
Andres Molina filed a "FICTITIOUS NAME
STATEMENT" on .....
.(see full report)
Mayor John Noguez Honors the 2004 Latina/o
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender Pride
Parade Along with Assembly  Speaker Nuñez
and Other Officials


January 3, 2005
WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - Mayor John Noguez must
be proud to honor the August 2004  Annual Latina/o
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender Pride parade
and festival in Echo Park....
(see full story)
Photo Credit: Latinlgbtpride.org
Ethics / Budget Watch
Why does Mayor John Noguez Make Highly
Questionable Claims And Misleading
Statements That He "Led The Effort To
Establish A Public Transportation System"
And That He Has Worked "To Continue Building
New Schools"?
November 3, 2004,
By Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - In a recent published
interview in a Gay/Lesbian magazine, Mayor John
Noguez is quoted as making the following statements:
1) That he "led the effort to establish a transportation
system"; 2) that he "increased the nutrition program
providing hot meals"; 3)  That he has "worked with
others to continue building new schools".
(see full
report)
Exorbitant Pay of $1,950 For 30 Minutes of Work
A Month, Or $975 per Hour,  For Council
Members'  Redevelopment Commission Work
November 30, 2004
Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA- Public Documents obtained by
WatchOurCity.com reveal the salary paid to council
members acting as the city's .....
(see full report)
Growing Southeast LA Cities Watch Sites
Southeast Cities Forming Coalition Using
Internet Technology To Keep
A Watchful Eye On Local Politicians  
November 30, 2004,
Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - WatchOurCity.com has
partnered with
LynwoodWatch and
SaveCommerce.org, two civic watch sites that are
part of a growing coalition of  internet-based civic
watchdog sites focusing on cities in the Southeast
portion of Los Angeles County
(see full report)
LynwoodWatch.com
SaveCommerce.org
WatchOurCity.com Requests In the
Public Interest A Full and Complete
Public Audit of META 2000 For Its
Use of $30,000 Gift From Public
Funds
October 25, 2004,
By Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - All indications are that the El
Grito event on September 15, 2004 was a complete
success. Meta 2000 should give a full accounting of
the use of $30,000 in Public Funds that was donated
to the private business group. WatchOurCity.com
requests accountability and transparency on the part
of city officials and Meta 2000 directors. $30,000 of
tax payers money is just not given away that easy
without some expectation of providing a full
accounting.
Ethics Watch
City of Huntington Park's Measure "L" Safety
Enhancement Measure Wins Evidently On A
Campaign of Half Truths and Deceit by City
Council Members
November 3, 2004,
By Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - Measure "L" has reportedly
garnered a majority of votes during yesterday's general
elections. According to L.A. .
(see full report)
Is City Deceiving Residents with Measure L
Promising Lower Taxes While Raising
$750,000 Per Year?
October 19, 2004,
By WatchOurCity.com
(see full report)
Questionable and Flawed New City Ordinance
Proposed by Noguez And Approved by
Escareno, Hernandez and Gomez Limits
Campaign Contributions
October 25, 2004,
By Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - A City Council majority voted
to approve a city ordinance limiting campaign
contributions to $1,000 per person or group..........
(see full report)
The Huntington Park Chamber of Commerce
Reportedly Pays the City $12,000 Plus for
Permits for Weekend Street Fair. City Council
Voted to Give $30,000 Cash to Meta 2000 for
Their 1-day "El Grito" Celebration
October 18, 2004, By WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park- Mayor John Noguez spearheaded the
effort to give originally $50,000 to Meta 2000. Noguez
is reportedly a member of Meta 2000 and is not a
member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Councilman Escareño Reportedly Pays City
Back $3,468 Raising Questions About Misuse of
Public Funds and Unauthorized Loans of Public
Money
October 21, 2004,
By Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park, CA - After many months since
WatchOurCity.com first reported about questionable
city cell phone usage..............
(see full report)
The City pays City Attorney Francisco Leal
$2,217 on 6-21-04 for "Gaming Matters"
October 4, 2004, By WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park-
(see Casino 1, Casino II reports)
Budget Watch
Mayor John Noguez Proposes a Resolution
Limiting Campaign Contributions for
Upcoming Local Elections. Total
Contributions in 2003 To The slate of Noguez,
Gomez, Hernandez Was Over $129,000
September 27,
2004, By WatchOurCity.com
Council Members Spend $9,448 on Phone Calls  
in a One-Year Period. Edward A. Escareño Alone
Spends More Than Half: $5,008   
October 18, 2004,
By WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park- Public documents obtained by
WatchOurCity.com reveal that Councilman Escareño
has spent $5,008 on cellular, long distance and basic
phone service. On cellular calls alone...
(see full report)
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Ethics Watch








Huntington Park, Ca - Elba Romo's City Clerk appointment was
spearheaded by free-spending Councilman Escareno. Romo never once
opposed
Escareno's apparent misuse of public funds for cell phone and
travel expenses. Her penchant for spending public funds for
questionable travel in the middle of city budget woes was not
questioned by city council.
(see full report)













Attorney Francisco Leal of
Leal and Abich chosen in    
Closed Door session for City
Attorney Contract according to
a report in local community
newspaper.
.....................................
Employment Status of elected
officials influences how they
vote on the use of Public
Funds.
.....................................
Appointed City Clerk Elba
Romo Spends $2,950 from
public funds on questionable
Travel Expenditures.
.....................................
2 Tacos for your Vote.
.....................................
WatchOurCity.com
congratulates
Mayor John
Noguez for being open and       
transparent about being a
member of the Gay & Lesbian
Elected Official Victory        
Institute, yet is not open and
transparent with regards to
the public trust and use of
Public Funds.
.....................................
City Council Members Ed
Escareno, Mario Gomez and
Ofelia Hernandez, all three       
reportedly unemployed at the
time, vote to pass a  
resolution giving themselves
a  
pay raise of $350 per month.
.....................................
Questionable $3.9 Million
Dollar Transit Service
Contract.
....................................
John Noguez was Huntington
Park City Clerk  during June of
2002. On June 11, 2002,
according to the
City of Los  
Angeles Ethics Commission
records of campaign
contributions, he lists his
address not in Huntington
Park, but  in Montebello,
California, 90640.
.....................................
WatchOurCity.com
respectfully requests of
councilmember Ed Escareño
reimbursement of Public
Funds he charged for
questionable expenses such
as $1,200 for Cell phone  
charges to a single phone  
number in Rosarito, Mexico
.....................................
Public Funds paying for a         
 
Private Romance for council
member Ed Escareno?
.....................................
What does the proposed
2004-2005 City Budget contain
to prompt the Budget   
Committee and Council
Members to
prevent public
scrutiny and public comment?
.....................................
Council Member Ofelia
Hernandez reportedly
surrenders her city issued
cell phone.
.....................................
Council Member Ed Escareno
spends
$25,001 on travel
from Public Funds for 2 recent
years, according to the  
2003-2004 budget.
.....................................
Budget Watch I: Donation of     
$25,000 in Public Funds to       
private business group Meta  
2000 for El Grito is budgeted
in the 2004-2005 budget.
.....................................
Budget Watch II:  City Council
votes 5-0 to "donate" $50,000
in Public Funds to a private
business group Meta 2000 for
a 1-day "El Grito" event.
.....................................
Card Club Watch:
Mayor John Noguez, Council
Members Ed Escareno, Mario
Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez
voted on June 21, 2004 to hire
Tigran S. Marcarian to set up
a card club in the city at
Leonardo's Night Club
.....................................
City Goes in red for El Grito
Program and donates $30,000
to Meta 2000.
.....................................
Mayor John Noguez Votes to
Award a $3 Million
Transportation Service
Contract 2 Months After
Receiving $1,000 Campaign
Contribution.
.....................................
6-23-04:
Park Fees Raised: 500% for
Adult Baseball league and
100% for kids.
.....................................
7-27-04:
City Attorney Makes Campaign
Contributions and Fails to
Report Amounts on State
Lobbyist Form.
.....................................
8-2-04:
Council member Ofelia
Hernandez votes to award the
City Attorney contract to
Francisco Leal only seven
months after he made a
$3,000 contribution to her
campaign.

.....................................
8-2-04:
Mayor John Noguez Votes on
Contract Benefiting Campaign
Contributors. He votes to
award a $3 Million
Transportation Service
Contract 2 Months After
Receiving $1,000 Campaign
Contribution.
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