I simply cannot believe the attacks that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and his allies are flinging at Santa Ana School Board Member Sal Tinajero – via their hired mudslinger, Californians United. This same organization is also backing Otto Bade’s ridiculous write-in campaign against Lynn Daucher. This is quite a mess – but it bears further scrutiny.
The principal at Californians United is apparently Santa Ana lobbyist Bruce Young. He has enjoyed the support of Claudia Alvarez, of the Santa Ana City Council. And his organization ripped Tom Umberg, to help Lou Correa prevail against him in the June primary. Now he appears to be working to take out Alvarez’ candidate for Ward 6 on the Santa Ana City Council – Tinajero. And he is still helping Correa.
As has been related by my fellow bloggers, searching the Californians United finance reports tells the whole story. Contributors to the vile “Californians United” include:
- Southern California Edison
- Desilva Gates Construction
- Cargo Pac – representing the California Trucking Association
- Mclarand, Vasquez, Emsiek & Partners, Inc.
- Blue Cross of California (!) Time to switch your insurance company!
- California Latino Leadership Fund – Nice way to show Latino leadership – by trashing Tinajero
- Madison Materials
- Ware Disposal Company
- Los Angeles Casino Pac – Gambling interests – say it ain’t so!
- AT&T California Employee Pac – Time to switch phone companies!
- Safeway Inc. – Time to switch grocery stores!
With regard to Tinajero, to be clear I am supporting his GOP opponent, George Collins, for Ward 6, however, the attacks on Tinajero are so gross that I simply cannot ignore them. I urge OC and Santa Ana Democrats to rise to his defense – he is your endorsed candidate for Ward 6 – how can so many of you allow him to be attacked without saying anything?
The mailers I have received this week blame Tinajero for the Santa Ana Unified School District’s “failure.” Who are they kidding? I also got a mailer this week from Dr. Audrey Noji – an SAUSD board member who has been a trustee for over 15 years – why is Pulido supporting her but bashing Tinajero? If anything, she is even guiltier – she has been on the board forever. Tinajero can at least say that test scores have been on the rise since he was elected.
One mailer even compares Tinajero to recalled SAUSD trustee Nativo Lopez. It says they are “birds of a feather.” That sounds like a racist attack to me! Lopez ran the board back then – and Tinajero did what he felt he had to in order to get along. Besides, Lopez has been off the board now for some time. Where is the massive improvement we were promised? The board in general has not delivered – and Noji has been the board president for the last two years!
We all should be upset at the B.S. being flung by “Californians United.” Don’t let them get away with what amounts to political assassination.
I saw a PBS special on KOCE Tuesday night called “Voces”.
It was all about the Nativo Lopez recall.
Sal Tinajero was an active participant in the recall, working side by side with reconquista race activist Nativo Lopez.
One video clip showed Sal recording a phone bank calling message supporting Nativo.
Sal didn’t just stand on the sidelines or only do “what he felt he had to do”. He was deeply involved with Nativo Lopez and his schemes.
Thanks to these mailers, the public is getting the facts: Sal was one of Nativo’s cronies, putting politics before the needs of the children, supporting bad school policies and race based activism, and he continues to be a failure as a leader on the SAUSD school board.
He should not be supported for any higher office.
I watched the Nativo Lopez Recall Documentary last night and was shocked to see Sal Tinajero make pre-recorded phone messages in Hermandad Mexicana Nacional for Nativo Lopez! I did not know he was so deep into Nativo Lopez! They seemed like brothers in the documentary. Did anyone else see it?
Seeing politics over children huh?
Well let me ask you this question…since the recall of the “bad Nativo Lopez” what improvements have been made to school district? Is the district better now than it was then?
I guess you really dont know what you are talking about do you?
SAUSD has been in a worst situation than it has ever been without Nativo to be blamed. It appears you too are playing the politics game to blame someone in order for them not to get elected.
Luis is absolutely right!
Sal Tinajero and the rest of his buddies on the school board have not done anything to promote radical improvement in the district.
That’s all the more reason not to support him for council.
If Sal and hsi buddies ruined the district as you state, who would you consider his buddies? Rob and Audrey who are currently supporting Jennifer Villasenor and the Mayor? Rosie Avila, who I believe we can all agree has no buddies? That leaves John, who is the lone vote on most issues, even voting against Sal on occasion. Explain to me then who his buddies are and why Sal is the only one to blame.
While you are at it, I am guessing then, when something fails, you vote against the establishment, does that then mean, you are going to vote against all the mayor’s candidates and the incumbent in SAUSD?
Let me know so I can place a lawn sign at your home from all those candidates.
I barely caught the last ten or fifteen minutes of that PBS special last night. It was no secret that Tinajero buddied up to Lopez. As I stated before in an earlier post, tinajero talked out of the both sides of his mouth in order to get elected in the first place. Tinajero phone banking for Lopez in his recall was the “tat”. The TV show demonstrated last night why I oppose Tinajero. He didn’t/doesn’t have the fortitude to take a stand and stick with it as him buckling under pressure not to support the school at the old Farmer’s site. To me the proposed school was a clear cut issue that he should have supported to the bitter end. Battles like the one for that school are what defines a political career. Tinajero chose to wither in the spotlight like a frightened opportunist that he is. Sadly, there isn’t any bright side to this ward election.
Isn’t politics grand in SA?!
Where is the massive improvement we were promised with the recall? The problems in SAUSD are far more Pulido’s, Noji’s and Rob Richardon’s fault than Sal’s.
They hold more power. Why aren’t they held accountable? I think because Pulido uses alot of financial support from questionable sources to send out attacking mailing pieces.
Following the recall we were promised more transparency by Rob Richardson. In the following years millions of dollars were illegally transferred by Supt. Mijares and the SAUSD board majority. Luckily several people blew the whistle and alerted the county and state regarding this illegal behavior that happened under Noji’s leadership. Then a state agency came in to the school district to overhaul financial misdeeds under the threat of a state takeover. Also, the teacher union helped by taking a 4% pay cut to help with the crisis.
Still folowing that crisis since Nativo, so many schools are NOT improving and top admin. at SAUSD is incompetant. The board is still doing nothing to overhaul incompetance in SAUSD admin.
Further since Nativo’s recall, parents have been disenfranchised. Nothing is better.
I too watched the video last night. I don’t think anything is better with SAUSD. I believe Nativo was corrupt in how he funded his campaign. However, you look around and all local officials have curious fund raising aliances. Why did the OC Register only dedicate a long term investigative reporter to reveal Nativo’s questionable past. Why don’t they devote staff to take a good look at other local elected officials?
The bottom line is anything betterl? NO! There is still cronyism and back door deals that have no integrity and make life worse for children in Santa Ana.
We need to root out ALL strange financial aliances and keep calling for clean government.
We also need to look at the lack of policy decisions on behalf of children in Santa Ana.
I only wish the video had documented more about Mayor Pulido. Someone needs to have the couage and tenacity to expose Pulido and hold him accountable. He and our city manager play the most key roles in keeping cronyism alive! We deserve better.
CQT96,
This actually is not a new phenomenon. Our Mayor was buddy buddy with Nativo during his run for city council. Ted Moreno was good friends with Nativo. Claudia Alvarez was good friends with Nativo. At some point all politicians went through Nativo to stardom, and now the same excuses are being used because the trend continues.
Luis my friend,
I never had an issue w/Tinajero buddying up to Nativo. Problem was at he same time he was riding the fence and buddying up to R. Avila.
As stated in my last post, what is most disturbing is his lack of fortitude on an issue, in this case the School Site issue and his weak backbone in letting down the community by caving in to pressure and no longer supporting the school after the recall.
I’m afraid he’ll do the same thing if elected to the Council. Perhaps he will be blinded by the Pulido money/influence and jump on his bandwagon. With an opportunist like Tinajero you can never tell which way he might turn.
If you can recall, once Pulido was elected to Council he turned his back on the hardworking community that helped him get elected, instead became part of the problem he once fought, thereby making enemies w/Nativo. Nowadays, Pulido IS the problem.
CQT96,
I concede to your points. You make very logical sense, and it is very difficult to disagree with you. However, I only ask you what I have asked you before. If not Sal, then who? George Collins is not a legitimate candidate, as you and I both know he can not defeat the mayors candidate without any money. Jennifer is the very same reason we are discussing this. So what do we do now? Write in? I dont think so.
To #7
I too watched the PBS “Voces” documentary but my recollection is very different than yours. I do not recall seeing Sal Tinajero phone banking from Hermandad — thank goodness for TIVO. I’ll rewatch the program and either confirm or rebuke your alleged accusations.