New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Democratic Party

Irvine police officer Shane Barrows running for Santa Ana’s Ward 3

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, African Americans, Carlos Bustamante, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Democratic Party, Eric Alderete, irvine, Politics, Santa Ana, Shane Ramon Barrows 13 Comments

Are you ready for yet another candidate for Santa Ana’s Ward 3? Park Santiago resident Shane Ramon Barrows has pulled papers for the City Council, but he says he won’t be accepting political contributions. I never do either when I run for office, so I can appreciate that.

Barrows is joining an already crowded race that features Orange County middle manager Charles Hart, who lost badly in his run for Mayor two years ago; former Council Member Brett Franklin; and Planning Commissioner Eric Alderete, who has to be considered the early favorite as the only Latino in the race. Most folks believe that the Ward 3 incumbent, Carlos Bustamante, will not stand for reelection, as he is facing serious felony charges of sex crimes and public theft. Continue reading→

Bustamante was the one who advised Onofre to switch to the GOP

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Elections, Karina Onofre, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Women 21 Comments

Brainwashed by Carlos Bustamante?

When we revealed in an earlier post that Santa Ana City Council candidate Karina Onofre had switched parties and become a registered Republican, some folks in town started pointing fingers. Liberal OC editor Dan Chmielewski, for example, wrote a post wondering “What led Onofre down this path? Could it be a lunch with Santa Ana Council member Sal Tinajero several weeks ago?”

Well, Onofre did meet with Tinajero and he gave her very good advice. He cautioned that she should run for the SAUSD School Board instead. Let’s face it, Onofre is very young and she has no record of working in the community. The voters don’t know her. But they do know SAUSD Trustee Roman Reyna and Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, the Ward 5 City Council candidates Onofre is hoping to beat. Continue reading→

Floral Park neighbors battle over RSCCD’s Area 5

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Dave Chapel, Democratic Party, Education, Ken Nguyen, Mark McLoughlin, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Pictured: Rob Richardson, Mark McLoughlin, Carlos Bustamante and David Benavides

Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustees Mark McLoughlin and Dave Chapel both live in Santa Ana’s upscale Floral Park neighborhood and now, thanks to redistricting, they have to run against each other, in November, for the new Area 5. One of them will lose and face the end of his political career.

Chapel complained about the redistricting in an email that the OC Weekly got a hold of. But he could not stop progress. The neat thing about the redistricting is that the Rancho elections are now area-specific. Continue reading→

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer seeks divorce from troubled wife Nadia

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Democratic Party, Drugs, Nadia Lockyer, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer filed for divorce Friday, months after his wife’s affair with a methamphetamine addict and her own substance abuse problems became public, according to the Sacramento Bee.

At 5:10 p.m. Friday, after the divorce papers were filed, Nadia Lockyer was involved in a car accident near the couple’s home. Hayward Police Sgt. Eric Krimm said she was the sole occupant of the car when it knocked down a light pole before hitting a tree, according to the L.A. Times. Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council establishes a term limits committee

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Karina Onofre, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting, which was held at the SAPD’s Community Room, was, as predicted, a real zoo. Media vans and news crews were everywhere and residents and out of town bloggers packed the proceedings.

As we stated in an earlier post, Council Member Carlos Bustamante, who is facing serious felony sex crime and public theft charges, was not likely to show up, and he didn’t. This is his second unexcused absence. After sixty days of not showing up to work, at City Hall, the City Council can dump him and appoint someone to fill out his term. Continue reading→

Solorio to run for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s B.O.E.

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Education, Elections, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Assemblyman Jose Solorio chose not to run against Supervisor Janet Nguyen in November, but he announced this afternoon, via email, that he is running for Area One of the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education.

Solorio’s wife is a public school teacher, I believe at Santa Ana’s Valley High School. This would seem to be a good fit for him but it is a part-time job. He has not yet announced what his other employment plans will be.

One hangup for Solorio is that he voted in the past year to de-fund the County of Orange to the tune of about fifty million per year. He was promised by Assembly Speaker John Perez that the State Legislature would find a way to return that money to the County of Orange. That never happened and the County ended up in a lawsuit with the State of California. If the State prevails the money will have to come out of the County’s education budget. Continue reading→

Council candidate Onofre now embracing her Republican identity

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Elections, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Women 12 Comments

Carlos Bustamante is the last Republican left on the Santa Ana City Council. And his political career appears to be done, as he is facing numerous felony charges of sex crimes and public theft. The dwindling Republicans in Santa Ana may however have a new champion – Karina Onofre, the young candidate who is running for the Ward currently represented by Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.

That Onofre is a Republican may have escaped the attention of Dan Chmielewski, the editor of the Liberal OC, who introduced Onofre to his readers in a post a few months ago that described her as “a 29-year-old moderate who is liberal on some issues, Libertarian on others and fiscally conservative.” Continue reading→

Martinez pushes the Santa Ana City Council to review term limits on Monday

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Ream, Democratic Party, Eric Alderete, Karina Onofre, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Play time is over – the Santa Ana City Council appears to be rebelling against Mayor Pulido

“The Santa Ana City Council is scheduled July 16 to consider a ballot measure that for the first time could place a term limit on longtime Mayor Miguel Pulido and change term limits for other council members,” according to the Voice of OC.

Council Member Michele Martinez placed an 85 A item on the agenda that reads as follows, “DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL BALLOT MEASURE REGARDING MAYORAL AND COUNCIL TERM LIMITS.”

Both Martinez and her colleague, Council Member David Benavides, ripped Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez this week, on Facebook, when Alvarez’ ally, Santa Ana Parks and Rec Commissioner Max Madrid, filed a lawsuit to compel the Santa Ana City Clerk to issue nomination papers to Alvarez. She is seeking to run again in November, for reelection, although she appears to be termed out. Continue reading→

Bustamante allegedly plans to attend closed Council sessions only

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 14 Comments

Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, who was arrested earlier this month on a plethora of felony sex crime and public theft charges, is out on bail now and according to a city hall insider he is allegedly planning on attending closed sessions of the Santa Ana City Council, but he won’t be attending public sessions.

My source reports that Bustamante wants to keep getting his Council stipend, his car allowance, and his health benefits, but he does not want to face the music by putting himself in the public square. Continue reading→

Shouldn’t Daly be investigated for alleged Bustamante-like behavior?

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Crime, Democratic Party, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly, Women Leave a comment

Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante’s arrest is a tragic situation that should have been resolved many years earlier.

I am deeply disappointed by our County government’s inability to quickly identify and take swift action against all those who didn’t do their job – upholding a workplace that is free from sexual harassment, abuse of authority and abuse of women.

It is a tragedy that many in our County government choose not to listen or turned a blind eye, possibly thinking an investigation would be too embarrassing, too financially costly or as seemingly apparent, a way to protect one of their own, regardless of the potential for serious criminal charges. Continue reading→

U.S. Rep. Sanchez and Judge Aguirre to speak at Santa Ana Library on 7/14

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Editor Posted in Democratic Party, Education, Entertainment, Lawyers, Literacy, Literature, Loretta Sanchez, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

SANTA ANA TEENSPACE TO HOST CONGRESSWOMAN LORETTA SANCHEZ AND SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE FREDERICK P. AGUIRRE

SANTA ANA, CA (July 10, 2012) – On Saturday, July 14, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. the Santa Ana Public Library will host Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Judge Frederick P. Aguirre during its weekly Teen Civics program. The program will consist of both the Congresswoman and Judge speaking to our public on the topic of ‘Making a Difference: Law, Politics, and Civil Engagement.’ The program will commence promptly at 3pm with Judge Aguirre speaking to the public and hosting a short question and answer session. Judge Aguirre has served as Superior Court Judge for the County of Orange since 2002. Following Judge Aguirre’s talk, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez will speak to the youth and the public about being proactive in your community. She will speak from 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Sanchez has been a Congresswoman for California’s 47th Congressional District since 1997. After the presentations both speakers are invited to sit in for TeenSpace’s weekly Teen Civics program where the participants will discuss issues related to the 1st Amendment and the Bill of Rights. Continue reading→

Was Madrid’s Alvarez lawsuit timed to stop Roman Reyna?

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Karina Onofre, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 9 Comments

My old friend Max Madrid, a longtime member of the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Commission and an employee of State Senator Lou Correa, has filed a lawsuit against the Santa Ana City Clerk, to compel her to issue City Council nomination papers to Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.

Madrid could have filed this lawsuit anytime, but he did it this week. The nomination period for City Council elections begins July 16, and continues for 30 days, according to the O.C. Register. To me it sure looks like this lawsuit was timed to put Santa Ana Unified School District Trustee Roman Reyna on the spot. Continue reading→

Ward 3 Council candidate Alderete releases his campaign issues

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Democratic Party, Eric Alderete, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Ward 3 candidate Eric Alderete has posted an article on his campaign Facebook page outlining the issues he is running on. Alderete is the only announced candidate for Ward 3 on the Santa Ana City Council. The incumbent, Council Member Carlos Bustamante, was arrested on Monday and charged with numerous felony sex crimes and public theft.

Here is Alderete’s article:

The Issues I’m Building My Campaign Around

by Eric M. Alderete Continue reading→

Planning Commissioner Alderete to run for Bustamante’s City Council seat

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Eric Alderete, Jose Solorio, Lou Correa, Michele Martinez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Sean Mill, Vince Sarmiento 20 Comments

Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Eric Alderete has announced that he will campaign for Ward 3 on the Santa Ana City Council, which is currently held by Council Member Carlos Bustamante, who was arrested last week on a plethora of sex crime and public theft charges. Ward 3 opens up in November, although Bustamante could still run for reelection.

Alderete has already racked up a number of powerful endorsements including those of: Continue reading→

Bustamante almost ended up on the state civil rights commission…

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Twin devils of deception

Everyone in Santa Ana is talking about the arrest of Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, on multiple felony counts of various sex crimes, but most folks have forgotten that former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once appointed Bustamante to the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission, back in January of 2008.

When I found out about the appointment I could not believe it. Even then we knew Bustamante had some issues with women, but when I first wrote about the appointment, over at my old Orange Juice blog, I tackled the issue from a different standpoint – pointing out the fact that Santa Ana was a leader in home foreclosures – and Bustamante had done nothing at all about that. Continue reading→