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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: Carlos Bustamante

Supervisor Moorlach addresses Bustamante arrest in email update

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, John Moorlach, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Subject: MOORLACH UPDATE — Carlos Bustamante — July 3, 2012
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 21:45:01 +0000
From: Moorlach, John

To refresh your memory, you may want to reread MOORLACH UPDATE — Closed Sessions — March 14, 2012, which I am providing below. The reason I refer to this UPDATE is that I was unable to comment publicly on this issue until a thorough investigation had been concluded. The District Attorney, Tony Rackauckas, and his staff completed their investigation and arrested Santa Ana Councilman and former Orange County employee Carlos Bustamante yesterday evening. Continue reading→

Remarks by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas regarding Bustamante charges

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Courts, Crime, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Remarks by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas
Charges Against Carlos Bustamante

July 3, 2012

When a person is elected to public office, or accepts a taxpayer-funded high-ranking executive position, that person owes a duty of trust to the public to protect the powers of that position.

One holds such a position not as an owner, but as a steward for a limited time. Holding such a position is a privilege bestowed by the public, and we must do all we can to safeguard the public’s trust. Continue reading→

Councilman Bustamante charged with sexual assaults and theft of public funds

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Orange County District Attorney
Press Release, For Immediate Release:  July 3, 2012
Contacts: Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

SANTA ANA CITY COUNCILMAN AND FORMER HIGH-RANKING EXECUTIVE FOR COUNTY OF ORANGE CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND THEFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

SANTA ANA – A Santa Ana City Councilman who was a former high-ranking executive for the County of Orange until recent allegations related to this case surfaced has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting seven subordinates and committing grand theft of public funds. Continue reading→

Exclusive: Emails from one of Bustamante’s alleged lovers

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 42 Comments

 

Editor’s Note: Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante has been arrested on multiple felony charges.  We are taking this opportunity to bring back a post featuring exclusive emails from one of his alleged lovers.

Carlos Bustamante, an executive manager with the county’s Public Works department and a Santa Ana city councilman, has been placed on paid administrative leave from his county job, the county’s Human Resources director confirmed Thursday.  The leave was imposed after the county received an anonymous letter last month detailing allegations of a sexual nature against Bustamante, an executive manager overseeing Public Works’ Facilities and Fleet Services divisions, according to the O.C. Register.

I have known about this since May 19, 2009, when I first started to receive emails from an anonymous lady who claimed that she was having an affair with Bustamante.  In her emails, which continued through March of this year, she outlined everything that had gone on between her and Bustamante. Continue reading→

Alvarez gets the last laugh as Bustamante gets arrested

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Crime, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 15 Comments

Alvarez couldn’t help but smile at tonight’s City Council meeting…

Remember when Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante went after his colleague, Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, after she compared landlord and developer Irv Chases’s business practices to Adolf Hitler’s ethnic cleansing?  Well, last week the Orange County Grand Jury found that Alvarez was right about Chase and his friends at Downtown, Inc. – in a report that slammed the Santa Ana PBID tax.  And Bustamante?  Well he is now rotting in jail after being arrested today on multiple felony and misdemeanor counts.

When Bustamante raises bail he will have quite a few decisions to make – like hiring a lawyer, but eventually he will also have to write his formal letter of resignation.  His time on the Santa Ana City Council is done.

I expect that one of our City Commissioners will be named to replace him – perhaps one of the many Planning Commissioners who live in Ward 3.  Bustamante’s seat will be available this November in the General Election and his replacement will have a leg up on the rest of the competition. Continue reading→

Councilman Carlos Bustamante arrested on multiple felony counts

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Republican Party, Santa Ana 10 Comments

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2012
Case # 12CF1964
Contacts: Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas

WHAT: Will hold a press conference to discuss the criminal charges against Santa Ana City Councilman and former administration manager for Orange County Public Works Carlos Bustamante. Continue reading→

Fundraising event for 69th A.D. candidate Martinez set for this Wed. night

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Entertainment, Michele Martinez, Politics Leave a comment

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez, the leading Hispanic candidate for the 69th Assembly District, is hosting a huge fundraiser this Wednesday night, at Original Mike’s.  Here are the details:

Host Committee Members:
Assemblymember Jose Solorio, Mayor Miguel Pulido, Councilmember David Benavides, Councilmember Carlos Bustamante, SA Police Management Association, Santa Ana Police Officers Association, OC COPS, Women In Leadership and Community Leaders – Robert Escalante, Edgar Vasquez, Jose Mesa, Jesus Rodriguez, Hector Pineda, and Humberto Murillo Continue reading→

Carlos Bustamante’s former boss at the County of Orange placed on leave

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The placing of OC Public Works Director Jess Carbajal on administrative leave last week is just one of several personnel moves being made as county officials scramble to gain control over a department rocked by revelations that sexual harassment allegations against former executive Carlos Bustamante were not properly handled, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC also reported that Ignacio Ochoa, who now heads the department’s engineering division, will take over as interim head of the OC Public Works Agency. Continue reading→

Hart announces he’ll run against Bustamante, as O.C.D.A. considers charges

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Charles Hart, Republican Party, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Remember Charles Hart (pictured above, on the left)?  He ran for Mayor of Santa Ana in 2010, and lost, badly, when his Usual Suspect allies turned on him at the last minute.  They ended up voting for Al Amezcua, who got his tail kicked, despite spending a small fortune, by longtime Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.

Hart has posted an article ripping the Santa Ana City Council, over on the new OC Political blog, because they voted to develop a Climate Action Plan to help improve the environment.

Hart also let slip, at the end of his article, that he is a candidate for the Santa Ana City Council.  Hart lives in Santa Ana’s Ward 3, which is currently represented by Council Member Carlos Bustamante, who used to work for the County of Orange, until allegations of sexual harassment compelled him to resign.  The Voice of OC reported today that Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is now reviewing the matter.  Bustamante is clearly toast. Continue reading→

Bustamante sex scandal could cost O.C. CEO Tom Mauk his job

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 8 Comments

“The Orange County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday in an emergency closed session to discuss whether they should refer allegations of sexual misconduct against Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante to District Attorney Tony Rackauckas for a criminal investigation,” according to the Voice of OC.

My sources report that Orange County CEO Tom Mauk may be hung out to dry as a result of this scandal.  A report by Peter Hughes, director of internal audit, made its way to the supervisors, according to the Voice of OC – and his allegations were stunning. Continue reading→

Councilman Sarmiento to host a fundraiser for Martinez on 2/23, at his home

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Carlos Bustamante, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Entertainment, Jose Solorio, Latino Leaders, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 10 Comments

Get ready for Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez‘ biggest fundraiser yet, on Thursday, February 23, 2012, from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.  Martinez is the leading Democratic candidate for the 69th Assembly District.  She now has the support of Santa Ana’s leading elected officials, including Host Committee Members Assemblymember Jose Solorio, Mayor Miguel Pulido, Councilmember Vincent Sarmiento, Councilmember David Benavides, Councilmember Carlos Bustamante, and Councilmember Sal Tinajero.

The event will be at the Historic Borchard House, which is the home of Council Member Sarmiento and his wife Eva, at 1617 E. 4th Street, in Santa Ana.  There will be Hors d’oeuvres and Refreshments served. Continue reading→

A Year in Review – a look back at Santa Ana in 2011

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Ream, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 4 Comments

Our posts about Santa Ana’s Cafe Lu and Councilman Bustamante topped the charts in 2011

What a year it has been here in Santa Ana – and on this blog, the New Santa Ana.  Since January 1, 2011, we have had 226,798 Visits and 407,051 Pageviews.  Wow!  That’s not bad for a blog that was started not too long ago, in September of 2009.

Now let’s take a look at our top stories this year:

Continue reading→

Carlos Bustamante named as one of the top 100 worst bosses in America

Posted on by Posted in Business, Carlos Bustamante, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

eBossWatch just published the 2011 America’s Worst Bosses list, and Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, who quit a high-paying job as a middle manager at the County of Orange this year after being accused of sexual harassment, was named as one of the 100 worst bosses in America. To date, the 2011 America’s Worst Bosses have cost their employers over $145 million in monetary damages and lawsuit settlement payments.

19 California managers were named among the nation’s worst bosses: Continue reading→

Richardson loses his 33 percent pay hike, despite Nguyen’s support

Posted on by Posted in Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Shawn Nelson 1 Comment

My favorite O.C. Supervisor, Shawn Nelson, took action at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, making a motion that a series of raises – which were doled out to just about every top executive in the CEO’s office – be rescinded, according to the Voice of OC.  The action means a demotion and rescinding of a 33 percent pay hike for Assistant CEO Rob Richardson.

Richardson is also a Trustee on the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education.  He is up for reelection next year.  He will have a heck of a time explaining to the voters in Santa Ana why he deserved a 33 percent pay hike in the first place.  He is also thought to be the one who brought disgraced Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante to the County of Orange.  Bustamante resigned a few months ago when he was charged with sexual harassment.  Bustamante was also in line to lose raises but he lost his job instead, after resigning. Continue reading→

UPDATE: Santa Ana Code of Ethics meeting tonight at 6 pm

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 30 Comments

Unethical behavior is abundant in Santa Ana politics…

The Santa Ana City Council is holding a meeting on Dec. 6, at 5:30 pm, to review the “Code of Ethics,” which voters passed when they voted for Measure D, which extended Council term limits.  The Council appointed a committee of three Council Members, including Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, Vince Sarmiento and Sal Tinajero, to conduct this review.

Alvarez has since backed out – in the wake of the Code being used by Council Members David Benavides and Carlos Bustamante to try to punish her after she made a bad Hitler analogy in referring to controversial Downtown Santa Ana landlord Irv Chase.

None of the other Council Members, including Benavides and Bustamante, want anything to do with the Review Committee.  I can’t blame them.  The Code of Ethics was designed to muzzle bloggers who were put on City Commissions.  Ironically it is now being used by the Usual Suspects to attack Santa Ana’s Council Member.  And that obsessed Long Beach blogger has written not one but two posts about the Santa Ana Code of Ethics Review Committee.  Good grief! Continue reading→