A pajarito at Santa Ana’s City Hall told me that Councilman Carlos Bustamante took fellow Pulido puppet David Benavides with him to Washington, D.C. to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with President George W. Bush (see if you can find our boys in the picture on the left).
I wonder if Bustamante had to give Benavides some pointers on how to sound like a Republican? For example:
“We have to stay in Iraq – no matter what it costs!”
“First partial birth abortion, next the whole enchilada!”
“Jesus is mad at the Democrats!”
“I love Dick Cheney and Karl Rove!”
Seriously, this is a weird move for Benavides, who recently attended a California Democratic Party convention in San Diego. I guess he likes to travel. But, what is he thinking? Bush is very unpopular in Santa Ana (but he likes our ladies – see the picture on the right). So is Bustamante for that matter. Why would Benavides want anything to do with either of these clowns?
My guess is that Benavides (see picture on left) has no friends on the council – and both he and Bustamante will likely be one term council members. Benavides is a useful puppet for Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, but no one takes him seriously. So, road trip for the B boys – but this will likely backfire for both of them. I cannot imagine the O.C. GOP machine will be thrilled to know that Bustamante took a Democrat with him instead of a Reep.
O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen is already in hot water. The Times revealed that she messed up by soliciting “secret donations above the campaign contribution limit in an effort to quickly pay down her legal debts.” Not good! Who the heck is advising her?
Here is what Nguyen had to say about the donations, “Nguyen admitted that she sought the contributions but said she did so on the advice of her lawyers, under the belief that it was legal because politicians at the local, state and federal level are allowed to maintain legal defense funds. She said she had selected the people to whom the requests were sent based on personal contacts.”
I suppose it is an honest screw-up, but she needs to get better lawyers – or at least find someone to advise her on our local fundraising limits. Here’s the weird part, “Nguyen’s chief of staff, campaign consultant, campaign treasurer and pollster all said they had no knowledge of a legal defense fund or denied it existed.”
Time for Nguyen to call Shirley Grindle (pictured on left)! If anyone knows how to navigate the maze that is O.C.’s Tin Cup law it has to be Grindle – she wrote it.
UPDATE:
A friend called tonight with an interesting question – how did Janet’s opponent, Trung Nguyen, pay off his campaign and legal fees? Good pregunta. Apparently he has yet to explain where he found the money to pay off the expensive lawyers who helped him lose his court case…
Santa Ana’s City administrators want a raise, according to the O.C. Register. “The group of 12 senior officials
Anonymous Says:
5/06/2007 7:01 AM
Tin Cup says nothing about contribution limits for being sued as a person after the election. The law is very vague. Y don’t you guys download it off of OCBLOG there is a link there.
I am pretty much convinced now that PedRAZA is mentally challenged; Santa Ana has TWO libraries….not one!! We have been through this a million times but he still does not get it.
Cognitive dissonance?
Poster 2,
No, we have one library and one learning center, which is not a library. I had a long talk with the library director the other day and he too referred to our “one library.”
Let’s face it – we ought to have as many as 6 to 8 libraries. Denver has more than that – and even Bakersfield , with half our population, has 6 of them.
Why are you covering for Ream on this issue? What do you have against libraries – or against the children of our city? You sound like one of the “Usual Suspects.”
Poster 1,
It pays to be careful when it comes to such ordinances. Nguyen’s handlers should have done more research on this. That said, she is not the only OC politico to have problems with Tin Cup. Carona has had many such problems over the years…
Tin Cup ordinance
http://www.ocvote.com/election/disclosure/ordinance.pdf
Tin cup is not vague at all. The limit is set per election cycle PERIOD. How hard is that tu understand?
Mybe if David Benapuppet would spend more time in Santa Ana and less in Washington DC and San Diego, the rundown slum that is Ward 4 would look better and have fewer kids dying in the streets.
#2. The point is that in comparison to other cities, Santa Ana is way behind in the number of libraries.The second library you claim exists is irrelavant to Art Pedroza’s point. Again two libraries is still to low a number.That is what every objective person gets from Art’s post.The perception of your message is that you are O.K. with this low number.This then makes one believe you are somehow associated with the planned strategy to eliminate (from this city) as many tools as possible that are necessary for students to succeed.Your comtempt for this city’s majority resident makeup is clear.Readers understand this by your referrance to Art P. as pedRAZA.Your problem is with what ever negative meaning RAZA has in your agenda.You will redicule and attack anyone and anything that supports equality,inclusiveness and fairness for all residents because this approach includes Hispanics.You offer no solution .You only aggravate the problems by your negative attacks.
Yes and their are limits in Assembly and Congress. And guess what they can have people pay their attorneys directly too. How hard is that to understand.
Wow, what a post Art! Without getting into the specifics, I have to give you credit for covering the waterfront and then some. This is the kind of coverage and pot stirring that could make this blog noteworthy! I am sure you put a lot of time and effort into this one.
“What do you have against libraries”
#3 & #8
The libraries are a OK if you know how to read English.
Are you suggesting that we should have Spanish library too?
We have a population which is unable to understand simple Police instruction to go home and had to be beaten to it.
Poster 10,
Thanks for the kind words! When I do these columns I usually start out with one or two ideas and then the rest just comes together. I don’t get much intel from the right anymore, since I quit the GOP, but my sources in the blue column are very good. You have to dig up chismes where you can…
#9 – yes they can have people pay their attorneys directly HOWEVER it still counts towards limits…and must be reported by the candidate…HOW HARD IS THAT TO UNDERSTAND?
Hey Art.Here’s some intel from the Right. Timothy Whitacre is a tool of Pulido,even going so far as to call Pulido “almost a republican”
How many real Republican’s showed up to speak to the illegals gathered in downtown Santa Ana?
Art, if that were Trung Nguyen committing the same offense, you’d be all over him like white on rice. But since it’s your political honey Janet Nguyen, you just let it slide and blame her “handlers.” Interesting that you would even concede Janet has or needs handlers, but in this situation its tough to keep all your spinning straight.
Poster 15,
The difference is that Janet is someone who likes to keep things on the straight and narrow, whereas Trung is part of the Trannie machine. They are not to be trusted. Tran’s own wife got busted for faking that she was a lawyer!
Janet will get this straightened out. If she doesn’t, I will be amongst the first to call her on it.
# 11 . What on earth are you answering to.Your ignorant statements have no association with what #3 or #8 posted.You are another hater reaching for straws to ignorantly justify your hate.
Art,
Glad you’re joining the Richardson bandwagon. Welcome aboard.
Wait, there’s more. Timothy Whitacre is a giant liar who spews hatered and lies in an attempt to gain money and power.Mr.Whitacres motivations are greed and his morals leave much to be desired.Real Republicans would be wise to check every word he says as most things out of his mouth are lies.
Art anyone in the business world that has had to do businss with the City of GG knows that Janet plays hard and fast with campaign laws and solicits campaign contributions with a very heavy hand. She is very aggressive and lets businesses know they had better contribute….basically asking for quid pro quos. It was only a matter of time that one of her “supporters” leaked the info. remember she only solicited a select few of her donors…what do you wanna bet those donors have something coming before the Board soon?
Poster 19,
Timmy must be sore that his amigo Carlos Bustamante left him behind on Cinco de Mayo. You know he would have loved meeting all those lovely Latinas in D.C.!
I wanna hear about Bruce Cohens Alien Abduction.
And how exactly is Trung Nguyen responsible for Van Tran’s wife?
Oh yeah, it’s your tried and true smear tactic of guilt by association. Like you spewed on Jennifer Villasenor with that article about her brother. How are the two of you getting along?
Give it up, Art. You’re not going to lay a key stroke on Janet. You’ll pawn all the blame off on her advisors and let her off the hook. What a hypocrite.
Why the hell is Carlos Bustaillegitimatechild hanging around with Dav’id Benasadexcuseforarealtor?
Who threw Janet under the bus?
Art:
Leave your house and go around to Santa Ana’s libraries if you have any desire to get your “facts” right.
Rob Richards, the city’s library director would never have told you that there are only 2 libraries.
The city of Santa Ana has the Main library in the civic center area and the Newhope branch library on the west end of the city. Both libraries have books and materials in English and Spanish, as well as other languages. The “learning/homework center” is the former McFadden branch library near Fairview. It is not the same as the Newhope branch, and you would know that if you cared enough (as you say you do) to go look.
Most of the schools in Santa Ana also have libraries on their campuses, also with bilingual materials.
The city is doing what it can to support the libraries while it is faced with more high priority issues of public safety, street repair, and hundreds of others.
I have to wonder why you are so intent on misrepresenting this issue, and what other issues you are distorting.
Maybe you could do something positive for a change. How about the Art Pedroza book drive to support our libraries? How about lobbying the chamber for book $$$?
Great post Art. Very informative.
As for the last poster, I’m like lomelli—I don’t care if Santa Ana has 2 or 3 libraries—-they need twice that many. To dismiss the need as having to stand behind other priorities only a) ignores the wasteful spending and redevelopment giveaways the City is famous for and b) the admission that its not a high priority says it all about the city’s inconsistent commitment to an educated population.
“As for the last poster, I’m like lomelli—I don’t care if Santa Ana has 2 or 3 libraries—-they need twice that many.”
I’m in agreement with Dr. Lomelli and Bladerunner.
2 — or 1, whatever you believe — just ain’t enough.
Why hasn’t the Planning Commission changed the Development Agreement to redirect the 1% of construction cost to building more libraries instead of using this for “Arts in Public Places?” It appears that our new commissioners are just going along with the “Establishmnent”
Oh, so Lou’s leaning toward Richardson? Interesting choice. Personally, this lil’ mama’s for Obama… But I must admit that I was quite impressed by Richardson’s speech at the convention. He took on some serious issues like Iraq and immigration, and he wove together quite a captivating narrative. He’s good.
Now, I do have this concern about Richardson. I personally like his message of fiscal responsibility, but I’m just concerned about him using the “tax-and-spend” label on other Democrats. Already, my friends and colleagues at Calitics are fuming over what they see as a “Republican-lite” who attacks other Democrats a la Lieberman. If Richardson wants to win the primary, he needs to walk a VERY fine line between “no new taxes” and “Dems are tax-and-spend lefty nuts”.
But anyways, I’m glad to see that Lou might be supporting Richardson. Smart move. : )
http://blogs.ocregister.com/buzz/2007/05/la_casa_blanca.html
Art,
Looks like Total Buzz picked up your item on Bustamante and Benavides — not that they gave you credit.
Jubal,
Thanks for the heads up! I am not sure why Amy Taxin did that. Weird.
However, I am happy to see Bustamante and Benavides exposed in the Register…