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“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
MONEY? Downey Mayor pro tem Rick Rodriguez, Council-persons Blanca Pacheco and Alex Saab endorsed Democrat Vanessa Delgado. Rodriguez and Saab are Republicans.
HMG-CN OP/ED
Welcome to Montebello politics Downey residents, courtesy of Mayor pro tem Rick Rodriguez and Council-persons Alex Saab and Blanca Pacheco.
Rodriguez and Saab, both staunch Republicans, were found on Vanessa Delgado’s website endorsing the Montebello Mayor, a tax-and-spend Democrat running for the 32ndSenate seat.
Voters in Downey Districts one and five will be quite surprised at that endorsement, given they voted for Republicans.
Rodriguez, Saab, Pacheco’s criteria for endorsing must have included high marks for corruption, financial mismanagement, and conflicts of interest.
Delgado’s website showing the endorsements.
The three snubbed long-time Republican Rita Topalian and a much better Democratic choice, Bob Archuleta, who was an Obama appointee and former Mayor of Pico Rivera.
Joining Saab, Rodriguez, and Pacheco on the Democratic bandwagon were Montebello council-persons Jack Hadjinian and Art Barajas.
Under Delgado, Barajas, and Hadjinian’s watch, Montebello was ordered into an audit by the state of California, looking into sole source contracts, conflicts of interest and gross financial mismanagement.
The state auditors called Montebello a “high-risk” city.
And yet Saab, Rodriguez, and Pacheco endorsed Delgado.
California State Auditor Elaine Howle said, “Based on the financial records of the city of Montebello, we have serious concerns about their financial condition and their forecasting.”
Delgado is also under fire for a $50,000 city construction contract given to her brother.
And Delgado was found by HMG-CN to have worked with Arman Gabaee, the Beverly Hills developer who was recently arrested for bribing an L.A. County employee in exchange for a $45 million lease.
And yet Saab, Rodriguez, and Pacheco endorsed Delgado.
Also found on the website associating with the three was Pico Rivera councilman David Armenta.
Once again, the criteria Saab, Rodriguez, and Pacheco used for associating with Armenta must have included high marks for corruption, financial mismanagement, and conflicts of interest.
Armenta recently attempted to shake down the owners of the Pico Rivera Sports Arena and attempted to fire City Manager Rene Bobadilla when he would not follow Armenta’s scheme.
Armenta also sided with disgraced Pico Rivera Councilman Greg Salcido, who was caught on video calling everyone in the military “dumbshits.”
And yet the three joined Armenta in endorsing Delgado, slapping candidate Bob Archuleta square in the face.
Bob Archuleta
Archuleta is a veteran and both his sons are currently in the military.
Campaign records show that over $1 million has been spent on Delgado by special interest groups, a massive amount given that Delgado is in her first term.
No doubt Saab, Rodriguez, and Pacheco wanted to jump on that Charter School gravy train for future political considerations and endorsed a Democrat over a Republican while joining corrupt politicians in the process.
Welcome to Montebello, Downey.