Voter fraud out of West Covina
I'm working on this story for tomorrow:
The former campaign manager for West Covina Councilman Roger Hernandez was convicted last week of voter fraud.
Paz Oliverez pleaded no contest to one count of voter registration fraud. She received 24 months of probation, $100 resistituition, and 200 hours of community service.
According to deputy District Attorney Gary Nielsen, Oliverez said that she changed her voter registration from her Los Angeles home to West Covina because she intended to move into the home of her employer, Hernandez. But, Oliverez never moved.
The issue originally came to light last year during the election. West Covina Councilman Mike Touhey said that he submitted a complaint to the District Attorney's office after he picked up on a couple of comments that Oliverez made about her residence.
She will still be able to vote during this election.
Here is the story that ran last year, written by Frank Girardot in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on Nov. 4:
WEST COVINA - Paz Oliverez resigned as Roger Hernandez's campaign manager Saturday, saying she made a mistake registering to vote at the city councilman's home for Tuesday's election.
In a resignation letter dated Saturday, Oliverez blamed West Covina Mayor Mike Touhey and Hernandez's election opponent City Councilman Steve Herfert for "going to great lengths to attack, defame and discredit Hernandez.
"They could not attack Councilman Hernandez on his voting record, which is solid and always on the side of the residents," Oliverez wrote. "In an effort to repair whatever damage I may have caused to the reputations of Councilman Hernandez, his running mate Fred Sykes, and their numerous supporters, I hereby tender my resignation."
Touhey on Saturday questioned Oliverez's qualifications as a campaign consultant and said he felt bad for Hernandez.
"She charged $6,000 to Hernandez's campaign, claiming to be a political expert." Touhey said. "If she's not, maybe she owes council member Hernandez a refund."
On Friday, Touhey accused Oliverez of voter fraud for registering to vote out of Hernandez's West Covina home while living in Los Angeles.
Oliverez acknowledged Friday changing her voter registration to West Covina from her actual home address in Hollywood.
She called Touhey's accusation "just one more dirty trick" to try to damage Hernandez's reputation before Tuesday's election.
Registering at a location other than one's place of residence is illegal under federal election laws, said Marcia Ventura, a spokeswoman for the registrar's office.
Oliverez, who is listed on Hernandez's campaign disclosure forms as a consultant, gave police her Leland Avenue address in Los Angeles when officers responded Oct. 26 to a neighbor's call of possible domestic violence at the councilman's Kauai Street condominium.
Hernandez was hostile and threatening to officers responding to the nonemergency call, police said.
One officer reached for his Taser when the councilman attempted to close a garage door on the officer, according to the police report.
Hernandez and Oliverez have denied any argument occurred in the residence. They have filed complaints with West Covina police, claiming the officers' actions were politically motivated and driven by Touhey.
West Covina police forwarded their complaints to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for independent investigation.
Touhey said he requested the voter registration status after reading in Oliverez's formal complaint to police that she was "home alone" at Hernandez's condominium before officers arrived to investigate last week's complaint.
"She told police she did not live there," Touhey said Saturday. "I still don't understand how that had anything to do with me."
As usual the West Covina Mafia is hard at work with the head mafioso Mike Touhey putting out his hits. You would think that all the crap that Herfert and Touhey pull those two would be in jail bt now.
WC Resident your girl, Paz Oliverez, Roger Hernandez's campaign manager pleaded guilty and its Touhey's fault. I guess he's at fault for OJ Simpson, the Iraq War, the Meltdown on Wall Street and the Bail Out of Wall Street! You defended the guy who's living in a garage. He built a bedroom and bathroom in his garage, which is against the law, but its Touhey's fault. Now Roger's Campaign Manager violated Federal and State Law, but it's Touhey's fault again. Messman you have some serious mental issues. Maybe if you pull you head out of Roger you might be able to see clearer.
A techincal adjustment, a plea of no contest or nolo contendere, while it has the immediate effect of a guilt plea it is not a plea of guilty per se. To be accurate, as all newspaper reporters strive to be, would be that she pleaded no contest and not "guilty".
To the person who CANNOT come up with an original moniker(west covina watcher#2) let alone an original idea, the fcts are that you cannot breath because you have your head so far up Touheys ### that you cannot think, write or talk intelligently. Perhaps someone needs to go back to school.
WC Resident aka Messman veteran hater by the way facts not fcts, you must be one grade behind me. Your other posting should be more not mor. Do you still need to learn how to fill out a voter reg. form? Maybe Paz Oliverez can help you once she's off probation.
Roger Hernandez was going to rent her a room!?
This is conspiracy! Roger Hernandez and her conspired to commit the crime of voter fraud. She admitted it. Now its time to arrest Hernandez.
Knowing that he was going to rent her a room, he should have told her to wait until she moved in - to do it the LEGAL way. Instead he was so afraid of not being re-elected that he conspired with her to commit fraud.
Also, she INTENDED to rent a room from him? why? He and his campaign manager were up to something. CONSPIRACY to commit fraud.
I have already submitted a complaint to the DA. SOMEONE needs to follow up with another one.
My wife and I have been following the goings on in West Covina for some time now. The trail that Hernandez and his group have left of cookie crumbs is pretty obvious. He only gets slapped on the hand for now but it will catch up to him some day soon.
And unfortunately Mr. Touhey keeps getting in their way and taking the blame. I don't know Mr. Touhey personally but kind of feel bad for the guy. Hernandez blames him for everything Hernandez does wrong. I guess he needs someone to point the finger at and Touhey seems to make a good fall guy.
And the comments about Mr. Touhey setting Hernandez up is unbelievable. How could Mr. Touhey register someone to vote??
But in the end you know the truth will come out and Hernandez' lies will catch up to him.
Hernandez contiues to remain out of control and disrespectful to people at Council meetings. At the last meeting he did nothing but point the finger at other people for his political problems.
When will Hernandez step up and take responsibility for his actions?
Someone should investigate his ties to Kindee Durkee and Associates.
Where does this guy work? Is he employed? Rumor has it that he and Felipe Agredano are attempting to start a political consulting business with ties to fat cat Los Angeles politicians that are under investigation by the FBI.