The California First
Amendment Coalition
salutes
WATCHOURCITY.COM
with its
2004
BEACON AWARD



See the L.A. Times
Report on
WatchOurCity.com
A new collection of original short
stories from the editor of
WatchOurCity.com that revives the
Noir Pulp Fiction genre, with a Latino
twist, based on real-life shenanigans at
small-time local city halls where the
public record is stranger than fiction.

The intrigue, the corruption, the
comedy, the incompetence and every
policeman's ultimate fantasy of sex in a
donut shop
.

CUT ME IN is a series of riveting stories
of  bumbling and deeply flawed
characters - mobsters, fringe players,
petty thieves turned politicians turned
petty thieves - with dark agendas who
betray their honor, and the public's
trust, on a dime's turn; at times
humorous and tragic; redemption is
always around the corner but flees
when tempted by small ambition; rare
moments of truth are discarded like
chump change, all played out over the
background both bleak and colorfully
gritty of a blue-collar immigrant town
in the shadows of the big city, a town
of second chancers, forgotten and
abused, but aching for a comeback...
tales with no moral lessons to
uncover, only everyday political dirty
dealings with the help of one lone
hero,
Chucho* and his beloved
low-rider.
The Editor presents:
Recent Posts:
All politics is local
Copyright © 2008 WatchOurCity.com
Links
In The Public Interest .punto com
A gay    
  Latino
   Mayor
with a lust
A  convicted
for money,
cop,
and a hot
Latina
January 22, 2009
WatchOurCity.com
THE GEOMETRY OF
CORRUPTION

BELL GARDENS CITY
COUNCILMAN MARIO
BELTRAN HAS ISSUES:

MARIO BELTRAN
CONVICTED............AGAIN

BELL GARDENS CHIEF OF
POLICE GETS CAUGHT UP
IN THE CITY'S
NOTORIOUS TOWING
TROUBLES


January 12, 2009
WatchOurCity.com
REVOLUTIONS AND
REVELATIONS IN '09

October 8, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
A HOT LATINA:
Rosario Marin, A Paid
Consultant of Stealth
Campaign Killing
Legislation to Regulate
Freddie Mac & Fannie

October 8, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
GEORGE COLE ABRUPTLY
RESIGNS FROM BELL CITY
COUNCIL

October 6, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
EX-DA INVESTIGATOR
HIRED AS BELL GARDENS
NEW CITY MANAGER:
BELL GARDENS GETS
INTERESTING AGAIN

CITY OF BELL PUBLIC
RECORDS REQUEST

September 16, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Lipstick on a Guinea Pig

September 8, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
YES WE CAN'T: Noguez
Gives META 2000 over
$500,000 in 5 years in
Gifts of Public Funds

September 2, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
BROKEBACK CITY:
SUMMER OF LOVE

The Political Adventures
of Curious George

May 21, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
FBI Serves Subpoenas on
Bell Gardens Police Chief
& City Officials in
Connection to Beltran

May 17, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Mario Beltran is arrested
and Booked on Felony
Charges

May 12, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Taco Trucks, Steve
Cooley and Corrupt
Politicos in Maywood,
Bell Gardens, and
Huntington Park;
Gansters in Suits

May 3, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
D.A. Indicts Mario
Beltran, Embezzling
Campaign Funds

April 22, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Carson Council Feuds
Over City Attorney.
Francisco Leal: A
political corruption hot
potato

April 7, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Graffiti Removal Contract
Awarded to Highest,
Most Expensive Bidder,
$110,000 More Than
Low Bidder

March 28, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Senator Feinstein
Questions A.G.'s
Disbanding of L.A. Public
Corruption Unit While
Mukasey Vows
Corruption Crackdown
But Defends L.A.'s Office
Dismantling of Public
Corruption Unit

March 26, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Conspiracy Exposed,
Francisco Leal No Longer
Seeks Lucrative Carson
City Attorney Contract

March 25, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
City Attorney Francisco
Leal, A Cancer of
Corruption in
Huntington Park,
Maywood, Commerce,
and Now Carson

March 21, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
U.S. Attorney Disbands
L.A. Public Corruption
Unit

March 17, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Latino Taliban Politics by
Villaraigosa & Fabian

March 3, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Mariachi Politics

February 25, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Gay Latino Politicos
Battle for Fabian Nunez's
Assembly Seat

February 14, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
Why Fabian and Antonio
Failed Hillary in California

February 13, 2008
L.A. Times
Controversial chief in
Maywood steps down

February 4, 2008
WatchOurCity.com
A Note To Fabian Nunez:
You Are The Face of
Propostion 93.

February 2, 2008
L.A. Times
Convicted cop hired as
Maywood police chief
A courageously innovative, muckraking web site that focuses like a laser on the political, financial and legal shenanigans of the local government
California First Amendment Coalition
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Editor, WatchOurCity.com, February 10, 2009
Central Basin Water District:

Part II: And you thought your
water was clean
The Tap Flows For
George Cole at Central
Basin Water District
This report is a follow up of a previous WatchOurCity.com post titled "And You Thought Your Water Was
Clean" first posted on January 4, 2007.

Curious pattern with George Cole. He resigns from the Central Basin Water District, yet still
maintains control of the millions of dollars flowing to his Oldtimers Foundation by appointing
an employee of his working at the Oldtimers Foundation to replace him on the board.
George resigns from Bell city council, yet still maintains control of the millions of dollars and
elections in city hall.

In January 2007 Olga Gonsalez, Division 4 Director at the Central Basin Water District,
resigned under pressure from George Cole, also a then-director of the District, who
threatened to go to his good friend, District Attorney Steve Cooley, and report her for not
living in the District, as required by the elected post. In order to prevent a scandalous
investigation and conviction, Olga resigns the post immediately (see board meeting
minutes 12/19/2006).

George Cole quickly puts on his thinking cap and convinces the rest of his fellow board
members in voting to replace Ms. Gonsalez with Rudy Montalvo.

The Oldtimers Foundation, is a non-profit entity run by George Cole. And Rudy Montalvo
happens to be a paid employee of the Oldtimers Foundation. Rudy has a reputation that
precedes him: He is known for threatening anyone who even thinks of challenging George
Cole's city council seat in the city of Bell.

According to meeting minutes of the Central Basin Municipal Water District board on Jan 3,
2007, George Cole makes the motion to nominate his buddy and employee Rudy Montalvo
to fill the vacancy left by Olga Gonsalez (see communications committee meeting minutes
Jan 3, 2007).

At play are hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts to the Oldtimers Foundation.

The big payola came at Montalvo’s first meeting of the Central Basin Municipal Water
District, where he voted in favor of making two payments of $122,553.63 and $121,287.59,
respectively, to the Oldtimers Foundation (see CBMWD Check # 70946). Montalvo eager
to pay back his friend and boss for the appointment, seemingly fails to mention he is a paid
employee at the Oldtimers Foundation and also fails to disclose his personal financial
interest in the Oldtimers Foundation. According to California State law all members of
public agencies must disclose their personal economic interest in entities doing business
with the Agency.

In the meantime, former Board member Olga Gonzalez then threatens to go public with
accusations about George Cole’s illegal activities which include voting to give contracts to
his organization, the Oldtimers Foundation, while he was on the board. In order to keep Ms.
Olga Gonzalez quiet, the board agreed to hire her as a consultant at the rate of $7,000 per
month (see CBMWD Checks #71078 and 70849). The "fees" paid to Olga are made to look
like she worked out of a one-room maintenance facility in the Hollydale area of South Gate,
right a couple of blocks from where Assemblyman Hector De La Torre lives.

Little did Olga Gonzalez realize, in accepting a Faustian deal, she too is implicating herself
in potential criminal activity because it is illegal for any former board member to work for the
agency in which they serves as a board member until a year after they are no longer sitting
on the board. Olga began receiving the $7,000 monthly payments less than a year from
vacating her Water Board seat.

Consequently, Central Basin Municipal Water District Board members, including George
Cole's employee Rudy Montalvo, continue to approve numerous payments totaling over
$1.3 million dollars of taxpayer money in the form of “consulting fees” to the Oldtimers
Foundation.  

George Cole forgets to tell Rudy Montalvo to excuse himself from voting because of his
conflict of interest.

In February 2008, Director’s vote to give themselves a pay raise of 3.3%,  all the while
water rates for customers continue to increase (See agenda meeting minutes 2/26/08).

According to the Board records, one peculiar warrant payment sticks out like so many other
sore thumbs. A recurring "consulting" fee totaling $11,000 per month is paid to "The
Calderon Group". This is a consultant business run by the brother of State senator Ron
Calderon, who represents Montebello, Bell, Huntington Park and Maywood.

The Calderon Group is registered with the State of California. When the editor called the
office phone number listed on the State of California's website, Mr. Calderon himself
answered. This was his cell number. No other office or fax number was listed; The Brother
Calderon refused to answer any questions, other than to confirm that the only number
listed is his cell phone.

In previous reports, WatchOurCity.com has noted how George Cole conspired with John
Noguez in Huntington Park to
rig a bid winning a $4 million dollar transportation contract.
Somehow, George Cole, while a board member of the Central Basin Water Board,
managed to get a contract worth $700,000 per year to distribute low-flush toilets. And while
a sitting board member, managed to extend the contract by one more year, year after year.
But nobody's watching. So who cares, right?

Following is a listing of payments made to the Oldtimers Foundation:
Warrant Check #                                 Amounts
*71249                                                $2, 930.00 and $32,650.00
*71470                                                $1,230.00 and $8,325.00
*72356                                                $329,946..29 and $330.00 and $7,650.00
*72436                                                $108,621 and $493.00 and $11,600,
*72495                                                $2,805.00 and $13,250.00
*72664                                                $3,775,000 and $10,825.00
*72712                                                $113,267..00 and $1,000
*72785                                                $1,000
*72850                                                $19,500 and $6,350.00
*73054                                                $10,375.00 and $1,355.00
*73240                                                $17,875.00 and $1,415.00
*73306                                                $20,900.00 and $1,255.00
*7344                                                  $2,500
*73539                                                $6,475.00 and $660.00
*73563                                                $387.59
*73804                                                $9,750.00 and $4,216.19

* This information can be verified on the Central Basin Municipal Water District Website by
clicking on to Board Meeting Agendas under the section financial reports CBMWD
Demands. These checks were approved at board meeting starting in Jan 2007 to present

_______________________________________________________________________
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Corruption
in Progress

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Corruption





WatchOurCity.com
CORRUPT
PUTOS
NO DIGGING
OF
CITY COUNCIL

WatchOurCity.com
La Santa Corruption:
The Catechism
of Corruption
Our councilman, who art
elected, Corrupt be thy
name;

thy Contributions come;
thy will be done on city
Council as it is in Closed
Session.

Give us this Graft our daily
bread; and permit us our
trespasses
as we are vindictive to
those who trespass against
us;

Lead us so into
temptation,
and deliver us unto evil.
Amen.
City of Bell and Huntington Park:
How Elections are won
Political
Transvestites
And Democratic Cross-Dressers
The Comings and Goings of George Cole and John Noguez

For the first time in decades, Huntington Park has cancelled elections. The March
2009 elections are called off. One incumbent,
Elba Guerrero, runs unopposed and
the other,
Elba Romo, a Stanford grad and the smartest, honorable of them all, is
fed up with the outright
corruption of the John Noguez-Rosario Marin city council.
Elba Romo decided not to seek re-election. Romo is out of her league anyway, what
with fellow council members without even a high school diploma, or basic English
skills.

For the first time in a decade, Bell is holding elections with
George Cole calling the
shots. City of Bell's City Manager Rizzo makes over $450,000 per year. City of Bell is
a "Charter" City, which means it is not accountable to the county, and it's none of
your business, either.

In contrast to Rizzo, President Obama has a salary of $400,000 and runs a country
of 300,000,000 souls.  Rizzo makes $450,000 and runs a city of about 40,000
residents. I don't know. You do the math.

Huntington Park councilman
John Noguez  frequented a Santeria shop on Florence
Avenue during the March 2007 Elections, when Mario Beltran was his campaign
manager. Evidently, witchcraft worked:
he was re-elected.

John Noguez, or whatever his real name is, is in a hurry to craft a new city ethics
code, like a pig wiping his pinky clean while mired in the muck of corruption.

The Democratic Club in Southeast L.A. cities is run by George Cole and a friend of
Mario Beltran. They play games of interviewing candidates and then pretend the
endorsing actually means something. George Cole attends the interviews. So don't
bother.

Reports are coming in about a Bell city employee posing as police officer carrying a
badge and gun who is collecting absentee ballots on city time. Elections here are
won by absentee ballots. Intimidation works. George Cole and city Manager Rizzo
seem to authorize official harassment of Bell businesses and residents who
support  Cole's political opponents.

Allegedly, a candidate for Bell City council had his next door neighbor visited by Bell
code enforcement officials. The neighbor's violation? Putting up a "Vote for........"
yard sign not to Cole's liking. Oh, and they also took issue with a wall the neighbor
was repairing which did not require a city permit. Building code enforcement officers
are really an effective intimidating force. That neighbor wants no trouble.

A council candidate opposing George Cole's slate was dismissed from his job on
December 29, a few days after filing with the city clerk his intent to run for Bell city
council. His employer wants no trouble, either.

Obama is closing Gitmo and giving us a stimulus package. What is Rizzo and
George Cole giving us? You do the math.
George
Cole,
Former Bell
councilman
Posted Jan. 4, 2007
Municipal Water
Districts -
Corruption Watch
Central Basin Water
District - Part I
And You Thought
Your Water Was
Clean
George Cole and
corruption in the Central
Basin Municipal Water
District: Dirty tricks,
lucrative $700,000
contract to George Cole's
Oldtimers Foundation
and other conflicts of
interest.
George Cole wants you to
shut your tap but keep his
flowing at the Water Board
My City
is more
Corrupt
than your City

WatchOurCity.com
My Mayor
is
more corrupt
than
your Mayo
r

WatchOurCity.com
I Voted
and All I got
was
2 Tacos
& a drink

WatchOurCity.com
Democracy?
Priceless.

My Vote?
2 tacos
WatchOurCity.com
John Noguez,
Huntington
Park's  
Councilman
John Noguez:
Out of the Armoire
Councilman John "Juan"
Noguez states that he
wants to encourage gay
youth
out of the closet.
John was still in the closet
when he
ran for office.