Andrew Sarega
Staff Report
La Mirada Councilman Andrew Sarega has once again showed that he has no intention of completing a questionable lawsuit filed against his own hometown City newspaper, and that his only goal is to force La Mirada Lamplighter Publisher Brian Hews to spend money while needlessly clogging up the county’s crowded court system.
The latest evidence made this even more clear as Sarega did not attend a recent court date, missing a hearing and forcing a Superior Court judge and Hews’ attorney wait until the judge finally rescheduled the hearing.
In addition, Sarega filed in pro per, meaning he is acting as his own lawyer and not spending any of his own money.
The hearing was a “mandatory settlement conference” that took place at the Norwalk courthouse.
The courthouse is only 10 minutes away from Sarega’s La Mirada home.
A mandatory settlement conference is a meeting between all parties involved in a case for the purpose of exploring possibilities for settlement. The presence of various parties at the mandatory settlement conference is just that, mandatory and not discretionary.
Mr. Sarega is obviously not interested in resolving his alleged concerns of the newspaper,” said Scott Talkov, Hews’ attorney, “if he did, he would have shown up.”
In addition to missing the court date, Sarega has failed to answer discovery questions from Hews and Talkov further delaying the case and showing he has no intention of resolving his dubious claims.
Sarega filed the questionable lawsuit because of a series of hard-hitting articles that concluded with a Fair Political Practices Commission campaign finance investigation into Sarega that remains active and on-going after more than a year.
DARK MONEY DONATIONS INFLUENCING LA MIRADA CITY COUNCIL RACE
FPPC Investigation Intensifies on La Mirada City Councilman Andrew Serega and Others
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Sarega faces thousands in fines if found in violation of campaign finance laws, residents have also called for his recall from the La Mirada City Council.
“My attorney spent hours travelling and waiting for Sarega,” said Lamplighter Publisher Brian Hews. “He had no intention of showing up, he’s too busy hanging around Randy Economy, who was arrested and charged with 3 drug violations and plead guilty to methamphetamine possession. Economy was also charged with two other violations including under the influence of a controlled substance, and possessing of a device used for smoking meth. The hearing cost $1,000 and wasted the court’s precious time and taxpayer’s money. It cost Sarega nothing. Sarega is cold-blooded in this lawsuit, he has no intention other than to make me spend money and try to put a venerable community newspaper out of business, an elected official trying to silence freedom of the press its outrageous.”
This is not the first time Sarega has attempted to financially or otherwise injure Hews.
In direct collusion with Central Basin Director Leticia Vasquez, Sarega and his dad Ion “served,” (which is another word for delivered) Vasquez’ notice of lawsuit to Hews at his Cerritos offices.
In a sleazy move, Sarega and his dad came out from behind some bushes, walked up with a box of subpoenas and handed them to Hews. People who serve subpoenas are usually paid for their services.
La Mirada Councilman Andrew Sarega Colluded With Vasquez In Frivolous Defamation Lawsuit Against Hews Media Group
In Dec. 2017, Judge Rafael Ongkeko ruled in favor of HMG-CN and Publisher Brian Hews in the bogus defamation case filed by Vazquez.
The court found Hews did a thorough investigation and that Vasquez’ lawsuit was frivolous, ordering a hearing for her to pay as much as $72,000 in attorney’s fees.
The Lamplighter attempted to contact Sarega after he missed the latest court case but he did not respond to several emails.