New Santa Ana | Category Archives: 2012 Elections

Man charged with with illegally reimbursing contributors for Janet Nguyen’s 2012 campaign

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Crime, Fountain Valley, Janet Nguyen, Little Saigon, OCDA, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Vietnamese Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CM11398

Date: November 3, 2015

MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY REIMBURSING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS OVER $13,000 TO BE ARRAIGNED

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) has charged a man with illegally reimbursing contributors for Janet Nguyen’s 2012 Orange County Board of Supervisors election campaign. Son Truong Nguyen, 38, Fountain Valley, is charged with 10 misdemeanor counts of unlawful contribution. If convicted on all counts, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of one year in Orange County jail and a $10,000 fine. Charges were filed Oct. 28, 2015, and an arraignment letter was sent out yesterday for Son Nguyen to appear in court on Nov. 24, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-54, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Between Nov. 2, 2011, and Jan. 30, 2012, Son Nguyen is accused of illegally reimbursing campaign contributors for Janet Nguyen’s 2012 Orange County Board of Supervisors election on 10 different occasions. He is accused of reimbursing a total of $13,300. Continue reading→

The Democrats have only themselves to blame for their losses in Orange County

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2008 Elections, 2012 Elections, 2014 Elections, 2015 Elections, Andrew Do, Democratic Party, Janet Nguyen, Lou Correa, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Orange County’s self-appointed Latino leaders are blaming the 2011 redistricting (that added more Vietnamese voters to the First Supervisorial District while removing Latino voters) for Lou Correa’s loss to Andrew Do in the January 27 First District Special Election, according to the O.C. Register.

The truth is that the Democratic Party of Orange County’s bizarre decision to give then Supervisor Janet Nguyen a free pass in 2012 has now cost the Democrats not only the First District but also the 34th State Senate District, which Nguyen won in last year’s General Election. And the Democrats might also lose the 46th Congressional District in 2016 if Nguyen comes gunning for the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez. Continue reading→

Updated: Failed Democratic candidate stalking and trolling woman candidates on Facebook

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2010 Elections, 2012 Elections, 2014 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Democratic Party, Julio Perez, Michele Martinez, Politics, Tom Daly, Women 2 Comments

Tom Daly and Francisco Barragan

When SAUSD School Board Member Cecilia Iglesias ran for Congress back in 2010, she gathered over 10,000 signatures so that she could qualify for the ballot as an independent candidate. While she did not prevail in the election she showed us all that she was a viable candidate in Santa Ana, in a race that featured the powerhouse that is Democratic U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez and a former State Assemblyman, Van Tran, who was at the time still a dominant player in central Orange County.

Iglesias confirmed this when she ran for the SAUSD School Board in 2012, this time as Republican. While at the time I was unsure that she would do well in our city as a member of the GOP, she proved me wrong by becoming the top vote-getter in that election – she garnered more votes than two incumbents, Rob Richardson and Jose Alfredo Hernandez. That surely was a wake-up call for them as well.

Now Iglesias is challenging a Democrat, Tom Daly, who was elected to the 69th Assembly District in 2012 when three Latino Democrats split the Hispanic vote in that year’s Open Primary. Those candidates included Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez; labor organizer Julio Perez and an accountant named Francisco Barragan. While Martinez is still in power and Perez recently got appointed to a top labor post, Barragan has resorted to stalking candidates he doesn’t like, on their Facebook pages. Continue reading→

Shouldn’t RSCCD Trustee Solorio finish his first term before moving on?

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, 2014 Elections, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana 5 Comments

State Assemblymember emeritus and now Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Trustee, Jose Solorio announced his candidacy for the 34th Senate District a little over a month after being sworn in.

This means that Solorio had no intention of finishing his term, but he still ran for the position. A month into the position, and he is already planning to jump ship. Continue reading→

Did we elect Angie Amezcua or Rob Oliver to represent Ward 3?

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Politics, Robert Oliver, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Councilwoman Angelica Amezcua

I am hearing that accident Santa Ana Council Member Angelica “Angie” Amezcua is regretting running for Ward 3. She clearly was a stunt candidate who got lucky and won, despite not running a campaign.

Amezcua’s husband Rob commented here on this blog when we revealed that Amezcua had been going by her married name, Angie Oliver, before she ran for office.

It is already obvious that Rob speaks for Angie and that she should consider vacating her office and letting someone do a better job of serving the residents of Ward 3. Continue reading→

Is the Council secretly coordinating their attack on Walters?

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, Michele Martinez, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 98 Comments

Have Benavides and Sarmiento been secretly coordinating their attack on Walters?

Apparently Council Member David Benavides called the Santa Ana City Clerk, Maria Huizar, this Friday, in the morning at about 10 am, to instruct her to add an item to the agenda for the Council meeting set for this coming Tuesday, regarding the review of Santa Ana’s City Manager Paul Walters. Click here to contact Huizar if you would like to confirm this. You may also call her at 714.647.6520.

About a half hour later his colleague, according to my sources, Council Member Vince Sarmiento, made the same call, using the same language, to Huizar. Continue reading→

Santa Ana College sees improvements supported by Measure E dollars

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Development, Education, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana College Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 11, 2013
Contact: Judy Iannaccone , Director, Communications , Phone: (714) 480-7503, e-mail: iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu

Santa Ana College Sees Improvements Supported by Measure E Dollars

*Road closures, traffic detours affect vehicle circulation*

(Santa Ana)—Beginning in late December, some vehicle circulation, parking, and pedestrian pathways changes became evident on the Santa Ana College (SAC) campus. These traffic modifications are part of a three-phase construction project that will be completed by May 2013.

Included in the first phase that runs until January 28, are the following traffic flow changes on and near the SAC campus: Continue reading→

Our readers select de la Libertad as the 2012 Santa Ana Man of the Year

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Our readers have spoken and their Santa Ana Man of the Year for 2012 is Armando de la Libertad, the CEO of the Delhi Center. Congratulations to de la Libertad! Not only is he a top local non-profit leader, he is also a great dad and husband, and an avid skateboarder.

De la Libertad ran for the State Assembly in 2006, in the Democratic primary, according to one of our previous articles about him. Although he did not win, he went on to make a big impact in our community as the Senior Vice President of Community Development at Wells Fargo’s Social Responsibility Group. He left a community relations job at Wells Fargo to become the CEO of Santa Ana’s Delhi Center.

Here are the voting results: Continue reading→

Poll: Who is Santa Ana’s 2012 Woman of the Year?

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Santa Ana, Women 28 Comments

This was a news-packed year in Santa Ana – and women were a big part of many of our leading stories this year. Now its time to pick our 2012 Woman of the Year. Are you ready to vote? You may vote for up to three candidates! Please let me know if I overlooked someone who should be added to the poll. Voting will close on Jan. 8, 2013.

Our nominees include popular politicians and community and education leaders, including Angelica Amezcua, the schoolteacher who came out of nowhere to win a seat on the Santa Ana City Councilp; Claudia Alvarez, who finished her last term as Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem and promptly got elected to the RSCCD Board of Trustees; Cecilia Iglesias, the newly minted Republican who ended up being the top vote-getter for the SAUSD School Board; and Delilah Snell, the creative mastermind of the Road Less Traveled and the Patchwork Festivals.

Here is our poll – be sure to vote for up to three candidates: Continue reading→

Poll: Who is Santa Ana’s 2012 Man of the Year?

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, George Collins, Gerardo Mouet, Jeff Dickman, Jose Solorio, Julio Perez, Ken Nguyen, Lou Correa, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Rob Richardson, Robert Hammond, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Sean Mill, Thomas Gordon 17 Comments

As has been our tradition, it is time to vote for the Santa Ana Man and Woman of the Year, for 2012. And we have quite a few great choices to choose from, in our poll below. You can vote for up to three nominees. Voting will close on January 8, 2013.

This year’s mayoral race produced three of our nominees – Mayor Miguel Pulido, and candidates David Benavides and George Collins. But we also delved into our city’s non-profit sector to find stellar nominees Dwight Smith, of the OC Catholic Worker; Armando De La Libertad, the Director of the Delhi Center; Scott Overpeck, of the awesome community project Laundry Love; Scott Glaab, the head of the Santa Ana Athletic Foundation and a local high school wrestling coach; and Benjamín Vázquez, of El Centro Cultural de Mexico.

Please let us know if we missed anyone and we can add them to our poll right away. Here is the poll – note that you may vote for up to three candidates at once: Continue reading→

The Benavides Council Cabal doesn’t have a mandate to fire Paul Walters

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, Karina Onofre, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 12 Comments

What is up with the Santa Ana City Council? In their quest to fire popular and successful City Manager Paul Walters, they are talking like tough guys – as if they have some sort of mandate. But do they?

Here’s what Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero told the O.C. Register after this week’s last minute closed-door meeting to ostensibly review the performance of City Manager Paul Walters and Sonia R. Carvalho, our City Attorney (who was added to the agenda just to make this look like less of a lynching of Walters):

“I don’t think he’s angered them,” Tinajero said of Walters. “It’s the mayor’s reluctance to address the fact that there are seven council members. The mayor has to realize that you don’t get to call all the shots.” Continue reading→

Our top ten Santa Ana news stories of 2012

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Bicycles, Carlos Bustamante, Cecilia Iglesias, Churches and Religion, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, Francisco Barragan, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Nadia Lockyer, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 1 Comment

Angelica Amezcua - or Angie Oliver, courtesy of the OC Register

Angelica Amezcua, courtesy of the OC Register

The year 2012 was a great year for news in Santa Ana. I have reviewed all of our readership data and come up with our top ten stories in Santa Ana this year. Here they are:

Mayor Miguel Pulido easily reelected as Council Member David Benavides loses badly, as we predicted.
Council Member Carlos Bustamante busted for alleged sex crimes – and his twin brother Alfonso faced a civil suit too.
The unknown and unfunded Ward 3 Council candidate Angelica Amezcua soundly defeats Team Benavides ally Eric Alderete. Continue reading→

Are Benavides and his Council allies trying to fire City Manager Walters?

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 33 Comments

Chisme has it that failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate David Benavides is claiming to have the votes to fire City Manager Paul Walters, even though Walters’ contract stipulates that if that happens he gets to become the Santa Ana Police Chief once more.

In the past year Walters has recieved numerous awards including: the Orange County Bar Association’s Sammy Award; he made it onto OC Metro Magazine’s Hot 25 List; he was lauded with a cover feature in the Cal Chief’s “Behind the Badge” Magazine; he received the Media Champion Award from the Mental Health Association of Orange County; and Forbes ranked Santa Ana as the fourth safest large city in the U.S., under his watch. Continue reading→

Update: When will the Benavides Council dump Griset from the MWD Board?

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Dan Griset, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, John Palacio, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento, Water 52 Comments

Update: So now that the Benavides cartel is running the Santa Ana City Council, are they really going to be all about change? If so when are they dumping Dan Griset from the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors? Don’t hold your breath – they already cut a deal with him. Here is what we had to say on the subject back on Sep. 21, of this year:

Do you remember Dan Griset? His father Lorin was the Mayor of Santa Ana from 1969 – 1973. Dan followed suit, serving on the Santa Ana City Council from 1979-1992. He was our Mayor for a time too.

Why am I bringing him up? Well he can’t get elected to anything in Santa Ana anymore, but for many years he has been our city’s appointed representative to the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors. Griset was appointed years ago by Mayor Miguel Pulido back in February of 2005, and even though some of our current Council Members have groused about it, he has stayed put for some time. Continue reading→

New Trustees installed on the Rancho Santiago CCD Board of Trustees

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Arianna Barrios, Claudia Alvarez, Education, Jose Solorio, Larry Labrado, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Santa Ana 2 Comments

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2012

Contact: Judy Iannaccone , Director, Communications Phone: (714) 480-7503, e-mail: iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu

Four Trustees Installed on the Rancho Santiago CCD Board of Trustees, Officers Elected

(Santa Ana)— On Monday, December 10, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Board of Trustees, four newly elected trustees were sworn into office. They include Claudia C. Alvarez representing Area 5, Arianna P. Barrios representing Area 7, Jose Solorio representing Area 1, and Nelida Mendoza Yanez representing Area 3.

The installation ceremony featured a number of community leaders administering the oaths of office and serving as witnesses. Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas issued the oath of office to Alvarez. Orange Mayor Tita Smith administered the oath of office to Barrios; her father Russell Barrios served as witness. Judge Salvador Sarmiento issued the oath of office to Yanez; Senator Lou Correa served as witness. Correa administered the oath of office to Solorio. Continue reading→