Fuentes working for the Nguyen campaign?
An anonymous blogger posted a comment on OC Blog today insinuating that Tan Nguyen, the former Democrat who is running in the GOP primary against Santa Ana School Board Member Rosie Avila, for the 47th Congressional District, paid Tom Fuentes to work on his campaign. I took the time to look up Nguyen’s campaign filings, and sure enough he paid Fuentes a total of $10,000. However, the report is murky as to what Fuentes did to earn the money.
It turns out that Fuentes, the former Chair of the Republican Party of Orange County, is indeed acting as a senior adviser to Nguyen, according to Nguyen’s latest mailer. You might recall that Nguyen has dedicated about $250,000 of his own money to his campaign. His latest filing indicates that he is now $57,000 in the hole. That’s not good.
I already commented on Nguyen’s first political mailer, and this week I received the follow-up, which announces Fuentes’ connection to the Nguyen campaign. The funny thing is that the picture on the back of the slick, cardstock piece depicts Fuentes in all his glory – and the back of Nguyen’s head. It is a photo taken at an appearance made by Congressman Tom Reynolds, who is displayed in profile. But poor Nguyen – all you see is one ear and his back. Well done Tom – at least you got yourself a little publicity, and $10,000 to boot.
What really galls me about all this is that Nguyen’s Republican adversary, Avila, has been a lifelong good Republican soldier. Fuentes knows that but he is backing Nguyen because the latter has money, or rather he had money. Not so anymore, apparently.
What in the world has gotten into the Orange County GOP machine? Party leader Dick Ackerman is backing RINO Lynn Daucher against conservative Van Tran, in the heated race for the 34th State Senate District; Fuentes is backing a recently converted Democrat against the experienced conservative Avila, for the 47th Congressional District; and the entire GOP machine is backing the bumbling atrocity that is O.C. Sheriff Mike Carona. Not to mention the many Republicans who are favoring union sell-out Jim Silva over in the 67th Assembly District, over solid conservative Mike McGill, the Cypress Council Member. What gives? There must be something in our water…
Nguyen has shown me, by virtue of his atrocious campaign mailers, that he is not ready for prime time. Even if he wins the primary, which is a stretch, he will be eaten alive by the incumbent, the inexecrable Loretta Sanchez. Shame on Fuentes for not being loyal to Avila, who has been such a solid Republican leader in the otherwise blue central county area. Her overwhelming success on the Santa Ana School Board makes her a much better candidate than Nguyen, who is just the latest of so many Republican “businessmen” to waste his money in a political campaign he cannot possibly win.
You can look up Nguyen’s filings online at http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00399113. His website is available at www.tanforcongress.com
Art:
Well said, I concur.
Semper Fi,
Tim Whitacre
This is the most insightful post on the T. Nguyen campaign to date. He has asked me to help him last summer and I spent an hour at his down town Garden Grove HQ. I was not motivated. I can also attest that T. Fuentes told me that he would back T. Nguyen.
Dudes,
Only in Reepland can loyalty
trump a better candidate.
Voters need to know that Avila’s life-long, good Republican soldier
status has done nada for SAUSD.
She’s been successful in pandering to her voter base by “scaring” them
into believing comprehensive sex
ed will be the ruination of the Hispanic family.
Could be Tom Fuentes believes Nguyen is the better candidate because Avila’s one-note platform is more of a shrill.
Anonymous:
You must be from OC Blog where the habit of not signing your name is encouraged.
First, the content of your posting is incorrect and second, you are not man enough to back up your words with your name at the end.
Just to name a few of Rosie’s accomplishments:
1. She fought and won to end failed bi-lingual education in SAUSD. Now our children’s test scores are going up due to increased English comprehension.
2. She got rid of the “fuzzy math” books that fellow board member, Audrey Nogi, with (at the time) the help of Nativo Lopez and his allies, fought hard to get. The books were the laughing stock of the state and cost SAUSD tens of thousands of dollars. 2+2= 5, that’s close enough, here’s your gold star…
3. After years and years of being out voted by Lopez, Palacio, Nogi, and Tijanero, Rosie got the board to adopt an ethics policy that prevents them by being influenced by outside vendors.
4. Rosie stood strong with me in our yearlong fight to recall Nativo Lopez, from SAUSD. No other elected official in the entire City had the courage to come out into the streets with us to fight this man and his well-organized army.
That’s enough for you, Anonymous. The list goes on. If you really were ignorant of the facts, you’re not now.
Rosie
I’m a lifelong Repbulican and a voter in the 47th CD.
Your litany of facts are riddled with inaccuries.
1.)there are bi-lingual programs
that are doing well in SAUSD. Ask Sal Tinajero about the very successful and much touted bilingual program at Jefferson. The number of waivers may have gone done, but bilingual programs still exist in SAUSD.
2.)I suggest you personally do the research on the test scores. Check
out the dataquest site. 31 of SAUSD’s 52 schools [not including alternative schools] have been identified as Program Improvement schools – they have failed to meet the academic standards of AYP and API for 2 to 7 consecutive years.
3.) 1/3 of this year’s graduating class has not passed the California High School Exit Exam [CASHEE]. When you’re on the dataquest site, check out the dismal CASHEE passing for the Class of 2007.
4.) Don’t even bring up the ethics
issue. The principal at Valley HS continues to have his two brothers
working, as certificated employees,
at that site. That’s a violation
of the board’s policy regarding nepotism. Nepositm falls within the category of ethics.
5.) Check out the math test scores.
Students are promoted from year to year without the basic skills necessary for high school algebra.
The high school math books used by this district are pathetic. Have you taken the time to review the books or tutor a high school student? I have. That’s why I know.
6.) SAUSD is the laughing stock of the state, but not because of their
math textbooks. SAUSD is the laughing stock becasue we’ve tolerated an inept superintendent
for 10 years too long! Only the board can hire and fire a superintendent and Rosie seems
content to keep the current one.
7.)Lots of people were bamboolzed
by the recall. Attend a Bond Oversight Committee meeting and learn first-hand how the accounting of our Measure C tax dollars is a shell game. Isn’t that
the crux of the district’s former
financil officer’s lawsuit against the district?
8.)Nothing has really changed since
the recall of Nativo Lopez. It appears they’ve only gotten better at shifting money around.
9.) The pupils of SAUSD are held captive by an inept school board,
superintendent and district administrators.
9.) I didn’t realize Rosie’s academic standards were more important than the
needs of 56,000 SAUSD pupils.
If pupils are failing it’s the board of education and district administrators duty to remedy. Clinging to their perception of standards is shortsighted, foolish and holding the pupil captive. Just ask Mr. Murphy about the horrors of high school algebra.
FOCUS .. it’s about academic achievement and the student. It’s about graduating students. And the district is failing on both counts.
9.) Rosie has never been able to muster up a board majority for any of her projects.
10.)You’re right about city and district officials not having the courage to go to the people with the recall. The superintendent relied on Rosie and his hand-selected parents to do his work.
That’s why she was rewarded with the board presidency after the recall election was successful.
11.) Rosie has sold out to parents on many levels.
12.) Get ready for the next school bond. The district machinery is gearing up to place it on the Nov. ballot. They’ve run out of money and still have many projects to complete. Will Rosie lead the public dialogue on this matter or will she be too busy campaigning for the 47th CD seat?
Your attempt to silence an opposing voice – anonymous or not -is counter to the principles of what a Republican should stand for.
You do understand the blog concept, don’t you?
The Reep count in the 47th CD includes me,but that doesn’t mean I vote the party line. It’s the arrogance of Reeps like you that’s detrimental to the GOP.
Stick with your efforts at discrediting Skippy. That’s a worthwhile cause.
Anonymous:
I’m glad to see you concur regarding the need for Mike “Skippy” Carona to go, he is arguably the most ethically challenged elected official in the history of O.C. Sadly, there is an “R” after his name. Lt. Bill Hunt is the man who should be our next Sheriff.
1. Prior to the recall of Nativo Lopez, SAUSD had more waivers signed by unsuspecting parents putting their children into Bi-lingual programs, then all of the school districts combined from L.A. County to San Diego. By state law, it has to be offered, and only a fraction of the number of parents, still opts for bi-lingual.
2. I have no problems with your test score data. However, you don’t provide a side-by-side comparison of pre-Lopez to post-Lopez. Test scores have a long, long way to go, but they are improving.
3. Again, no argument there. Standards must be held high and students pushed to achieve those standards.
4. Again, you and I see eye to eye. You have to remember one thing. Rosie is ONE person on a five-member board. Two of them are ultra hard-left (Nogi and Palacio); one of them has a hard time thinking for himself and generally can be relied upon to go with Nogi and Palacio (Tijanero); the other member is a good man and a moderate Republican with common sense (Richardson); then there is Rosie, a conservative, who until Richardson got on the board four years ago, was constantly out voted 4-1 on most everything she tried to pass.
It takes three votes to change policy and procedure. Instead of picking on someone who agrees with you and has tried to correct that problem, you should lobby the other four real hard.
Unfortunately, no matter how good one person might be, it takes a majority in elected bodies to move an item. You know that.
5. Right on again. Remember, it takes a majority. Both Palacio and Nogi are up for reelection in November. Maybe you should seriously consider running for one of those seats. I would support you.
6. Even if it is true that Rosie seems content on keeping Mijares as superintendent, she is only one vote. Obviously, at least a majority of the board thinks the same way. Also, think about this: The majority is going to hire the next sup. Do you want Palacio, Nogi and Tijanero picking that person?!
7. NO ONE WAS BAMBOOZLED BY THE RECALL. I took off a year of my life to get rid of that anti-American, race-bating, corrupt politician. The Hispanic mothers came to me and asked me to stand up and lead them. They were tired of the heavy-handed tactics of Lopez, Palacio and Nogi. They knew the key to success was English comprehension.
You want to talk about Measure C?
I don’t know how long you’ve lived in Santa Ana, but prior to the Lopez Recall. I STOOD ALONE against passing Measure C. I warned all of the residents of the farce this bond was and the loopholes in it. What convinced a lot of folks besides it being “for the children…” was the oversight committee. It too was a smoke screen, with Lopez and his allies being the ones who appointed “impartial citizens” to the board. After the recall, some good folks actually got on the oversight committee and got under the hood of Measure C, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Unfortunately, only a few concerned residents such as you pay attention to fiscal matters.
We NEVER should have passed Measure C. By the way, it only passed by less than a 300-vote margin. Why? Because nobody else had the guts to take on the corrupt machine. If I had two other people making phone calls or walking door to door, we could have spared ourselves of this self-imposed tax.
8. Lot’s has changed for the better! If you don’t have a board majority, it’s hard to fix everything overnight! I still have SAUSD people, who when they meet me, thank me for leading the recall.
9a. I wholeheartedly agree. Let’s fix it!
9b. The “needs” what “needs”? A school district’s job is to educate students and prepare them for higher educational opportunities that will allow them to succeed and prosper in life. It is not there to replace the family and the role of the family in their children
Mr, Whitacre,
Would you consider it ethical for a school board member and a Superintendent to host church gatherings during business hours of a public institution and encourage its employees to attend?
Furthermore, although it has not yet been proven allow for a vertical move in management to only those that attend?
Somehow, your statements of ethics falls on both sides of the fence.
Rosie, like the other members of the school board should be ousted right away along with their superintendent.
Since the recall of Mr. Lopez, have you really seen an improvement? Test Scores have not gone up, what has gone up are the standards which have increased the student levels. State and Federal requlations should,if anyone, take the credit for that. Lets not put credit on people who really have not done anything.
Reading the exchanges I can only wonder what Rosie and Tan would bring to the U.S. Congress. It’s a long road from a dysfunctional school board or a stock brokerage house to the House Armed Services or other committees on the hill. How about a debate? I’d moderate it or provide some questions.
1) What would you propose to our civilian and military leaders do to honorably extract our country from Iraq and Afghanistan?
2) What is your view about the treatment of our veterans upon discharge from the battlefield?
3) What can you bring to the small businesses of the 47th CD? How would you raise investment from private and public sectors?
4) How would you bridge the perceived gap between “Little Saigon” and the other areas?
5) Should the U.S. review all immigration policies including refugee influx, H-1B visas, political asylums and illegal immigrants?
6) What are your thoughts on the national debt, Social Security and Medicare?
7) Why should I vote for you (Hispanics for Rosie and Vietnamese for Tan) just because we’re the “same” people?
You’re absolutely correct, your rambling response is too long and
a cool Cosmopolitan and good looking man are waiting for me.
Your comment about the superintedent buttressing the recall efforts only confirms
his involvement in the recall election. The awakening of his “suddden moral conscience” – just 2 days before the election – was based on your assurances that the recall election would be successful. That alone tells me that if the recall election was doomed for failure the superintedent would not have stepped up and warned the good voters about the cancerous cells.
In fact, he would have remained publicly dumb on the matter.
That’s integrity.
The distrcit’s website claims 61,693 students currently enrolled and dataquest has several years of test score data online – you do the homework.
This arena offers anonmity and my post indicates that. On the other hand, how do I know you are who you say you are?
Ciao.
Thanks to all of you for your responses. Although I support Rosie, I do agree that Al Mijares is a joke. He should be fired immediately.
Mr. Pham
The only debate that there should be is…
Who is Tan Nguyen?
Is Tan Nguyen a Republican in Loretta drag?
Is Tan Nguyen married or related to Janet Nguyen? J/K
What has transformed Tan to becoming a registered Republican? Is it the enlarging Vietnamese voting base in this district?
Did the $10,000 expense given to fomer Party chairman a payoff for his support?
Why would Tan think that Republicans should vote for him when there is a proven conservative on the ballot?
(Look at the last time we voted for a squishy Republican who went on to be governor)
While I think that most people who have examined central OC elections know that the Vietnamese vote unlike the Hispanic vote cuts across party lines at a greater percentage than Hispanics, I believe that a Rosie loss in the General election is better than a Squishy Rebublican win.
I’m voting for a proven conservative leader. I’m voting for Rosie.
Joe Brown
Luis:
You asked,
“Would you consider it ethical for a school board member and a Superintendent to host church gatherings during business hours of a public institution and encourage its employees to attend?”
Absolutely! It wasn’t mandatory, no one was coericed into attending, they were having a Bible study at lunch in a public venue. So what.
Your false allegation of promotions based on attending a Bible study is laughable and baseless.
You are entitled to your opinion in the rest of your posting.
quang x. pham:
I think a series of debates would be quite beneficial to the voters.
However, I don’t favor allowing candidates to know the questions in advance. I don’t want to hear their spin team responses. I want to see them think on their feet, watch them squirm, and answer every fair question presented.
You have my contact info. Please call me and we can arrange something soon. I think you would be a great moderator.
Semper Fi,
Tim Whitacre
yo tiMmY
what’s up with u? not all r inviTed 2 join sup’S prayer group. waKe up elePhant boy. grieVances against Bible groupie principal at JackSon gRow. duDe,she preechs 2 staff aNd teechers ChrisTians doomed 2 hell. man, what’s with thAt?
proMotions r based on loYalty 2 biBle cluB. d.moLina y anToniO esPinozA r 2 exaMples.
.
uR souRceS r mesSssed up.
anonymous 5:14PM:
I answered your posting point by point, even statements 9a, 9b and 9c :-).
My comments about the Superintendent confirm nothing more than what I said. He was not involved in the recall.
I agree with the rest of your posting. Had the recall been destined to fail, I seriously doubt Mr. Mijares would have written any letter.
Everyone:
That being said, in all fairness to the man, his job security hangs in the balance of a board majority vote. It’s easy for us to criticize others in his capacity and say we would stand up and do such and such. But, unless we’re going through the same crucible, it’s difficult to prove what our actions would be.
Yes, I too was hoping for a major house cleaning of all of those SAUSD employees that subordinated Nativo Lopez’ corruption and racial divisiveness. I was very disappointed that Mr. Mijares didn’t do more, quickly.
BUT, look at what we, the residents, did in the next election – we allowed Palacio to get reelected and we put Nogi back on the board!!! HOW STUPID IS THAT?!
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR ONE MOMENT…
Palacio is just as bad as Lopez; he just doesn’t have the testicular fortitude that Lopez does. Nogi went along with everything Lopez wanted and was even out front pushing for failed bi-lingual programs etc.
Nobody here, including me, has the right to criticize Mr. Mijares, when we, the voters, wouldn’t even give him a new board majority with which he could take appropriate action knowing he would be supported by the board. WE forced him to take baby steps. WE ignored the school board elections. WE allowed the wolves to stay in the henhouse.
Until we remove Palacio, Nogi and Tijanero from the board, the inaction of the Superintendent is a SYMPTOM rather than THE CAUSE of the problem. Think about it…
Making him the scapegoat is easy. In fact, Palacio and Nogi would especially love
to see that happen so they can have an easy path to reelection, this coming November.
Firing Mijares IS NOT the solution. The solution IS FIRING Palacio and Nogi in November and making sure we elect ethical men and/or women in their place.
May God give us the courage and determination to do the right thing this time.
Semper Fi,
Tim Whitacre
Timbo
If you actually attended the board meetings, you would know that Noji(if you are going to criticize her spell her name right) and Richardson are the powers on that board. And you should know Noji is board president because of Richardson and your pet Latina Rosie Avila. Thats right, they voted to put her in that position.
Of course since you are never at the meetings you would not know that would you. Instead you create your own pathetic version of the truth. Come to the meetings, witness what takes place and see for yourself. Palacio is nothing on the board, Noji and Richardson control the board with the guidance of Mijares. Shows how much you know. Of course you only come around when its time to create a rucaus. Its all you are good at.
I don’t have “a pet Latina”, there IS an American woman on the board, whom I have the greatest respect for. Maybe that’s whom you were referring to through your jaundiced eyes?
I am active enough in the community to know what goes on all over the city, without going to every meeting there is. From your comments, you obviously couldn’t understand that.
The truth is if Rob Richardson weren
Timbo’s math is fuzzzy. One board member is not a board majority.
Noji is in complete control of the board and Eddie Haskell follows her lead. He’s tuned out. If you’d
attend or watch the meetings you’d see the personal dynamics b/w board members and Mijares and staff.
Timbo’s the hubris one, ain’t he?
1.)Eddie Haskell is selective with the phone calls he accepts and returns.
2.)I like your retort “I don’t have a Latina pet.” .. “there IS an American woman on the board.” Hmm .. two women on the board. Which woman is the American and which 1 r you slammin’?
Timbo took a swipe at Noji. Ain’t he the clever one.
Did ‘ya notice Timbo’s description of the gals behind the recall? He calls them “Hispanic mothers.”
You are a hypocrit!
Dude, you use the Hispanic label when it fits your agenda. Aren’t the Hispanic mammas U.S. citizens?
Or is it customary 4 u to talk down to Mexicans?
Are you the Irishman/Hungarian or Rasta behind the recall? Whazzzzzzzzz up?
3.)Timbo is backpeddling on an earlier statement …” Finally, at the end [recall election] when others and I assured him [Mijares] of resounding victory, he helped buttress that within his article [2/2/03] in the OC Register.”
It’s easy to step up when ya know
you’re back’s covered. In my day the words “coward,” & “yellow-belly chicken” were reserved for people like that. I guess today’s catch phrase is “girly-man.”
Yeah, many whispered ’bout Mijares’s involvement in the recall election and you have put that question to rest. He was.
Yo dude, voters elected Palacio fair and square. The other candidates sucked. Ur slate was lame.
If you’re so damn good why don’t you run and take Noji out?
Man, do we have to sign off as Americans on this comment page?
Spurgeon St. Sage
Green Party of OC