More on Sarmiento

A number of posters responding to our articles about new Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento have mentioned how terrific he was when he was interviewed by the Santa Ana City Council. So I decided to see for myself, over at George Collins’ website. Oh my. He was awful. You would never know he was an attorney given his stammering. He probably umms and ahhs about a hundred times during his interview.

The questions posed by the council members are priceless. My favorite is Sal Tinajero repeatedly asking all the candidates, except inexplicably Tim Whitacre, if they would support implementing the Kyoto Accords in Santa Ana. Huh? Is he really asking if it would be a good idea to fine our city and our residents for our “excessive pollution” – even though the worst polluter in the world – China – is exempt from these accords? Yikes! I don’t think Sal thought that one through. The obvious result would be even more crippling debt for our already debt-ridden city. Talk about your unintended consequences!

Tinajero also asked each candidate how they felt about “contracting out.” Hmm…could that be a question the unions wanted posed? On the plus side, he brings up libraries and asks each candidate how they feel about reopening them.

I cannot help but point out that candidate Tim Whitacre – with his shiny pate and tight goatee – looked like one of the old Klingons from the Star Trek TV show – you know before they hulked and mutated them for the movies. The poor guy grimaced and spoke in his Eastern dialect and generally looked uncomfortable. He was especially unhappy when Michele Martinez asked him a bunch of tough questions. Good job Michele!

As for Sarmiento, he was the only candidate who ducked when asked about mayoral term limits. At this point you finally do realize he is a lawyer as he bobbed and weaved and totally avoided giving a yes or a no.

The best performance that night was turned in my Maciel Fernandez – by far. He was terrific. And that got him exactly…nothing. Oh well. He should have buddied up to Pulido more. LOL

I believe that Sarmiento will be the one Pulido will tab to replace him one day as Mayor. If I am right about that, the one who stands to lose the most is David Benavides. His ridiculous performance at the last council meeting was one for the ages – proving that he is not only a puppet. He is also incompetent.

Benavides spoke out against the Gang Prevention Commission proposed by Tinajero, Michele Martinez and Claudia Alvarez. Why? Because they proposed it of course. He rambled on and made no sense and then came the shocker of the evening, well the Sarmiento appointment was more shocking, but still no one saw this coming – Pulido himself suddenly announced he was voting for the commission. Uh oh. Benavides looked like he had swallowed a bug. He even tried to backtrack in his closing comments and say that he did in fact oppose gangs. Too late David!

Two union bosses in the audience were overheard talking about Benavides afterwards, by a friend of mine. One of them confessed that he had backed Benavides for the City Council. The other one immediately offered that he was glad he didn’t. Ouch!

In a telling moment, Pulido himself sauntered over to the union moneybags and asked them to “please help Tinajero with his campaign debt.” Must have been part of the deal! Another source told me that Sarmiento himself wrote Tinajero a big check. That would be the other shoe dropping.

And history rolls on in Santa Ana. Times reporter Jennifer Delson put it best in her article in today’s paper, “The decision to appoint Sarmiento signaled a political loss for Mayor Miguel A. Pulido’s opponents on the council.” Yes it did – and maybe it will even out somewhat if the Pulido faction comes through with its end of the bargain. Supposedly they will work with the opposition on their commission appointments.

Delson also quotes Tinajero regarding his campaign debt, “We just got on the council and we all still have campaign debt.” Umm…maybe not anymore?

I am told that this is all Tom Umberg’s fault. He sucked all the oxygen out of the room, so to speak, and the sentiment was that it would be impossible to raise enough money for Deborah Vasquez with Umberg taking all the money and attention away in his run for the 1st Supervisorial District. Makes sense I guess.

So the opposition on the Santa Ana City Council did what they could to salvage something while losing the high ground. I hope it works out. I don’t know that it will. Conceding leverage doesn’t usually lead to victory, but who knows? Santa Ana politics are unlike anything else in Orange County. God knows I’ll never run out of things to write about!