Local pols and their "real" jobs
A friend just pointed out this Los Angeles Times story to me that ran on Friday. The piece looks at the side jobs of legislators, including some local ones like Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park and Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina. It's defintely worth a full read, but here's a little bit of the text...
By Patrick McGreevy
November 28, 2008
Reporting from Sacramento -- Assemblyman Mike Eng, one of more than two dozen California lawmakers who hold outside jobs, was a steady vote for the Los Angeles Unified School District's interests this year at the same time his law firm was working for the district under a $550,000 contract.
A Democrat from Monterey Park who sits on the Assembly Education Committee, Eng voted multiple times for legislation sponsored by the district that allows it to obtain $267 million in extra state money.
His five-man law firm, meanwhile, collected $321,000 as part of its three-year deal from L.A. Unified, sometimes in payments made just weeks after Eng's vote. The payments were reported in district records as compensation for help in getting visas and processing paperwork for foreign teachers.
********
Assemblyman Edward Hernandez (D-West Covina). He and his wife are optometrists with private practices; his is in La Puente, hers in Duarte. Hernandez is also past president of the California Optometric Assn., which lobbied this year for legislation that significantly expanded the procedures optometrists can perform. Hernandez voted for the bill (SB 1406) in June as a member of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and in August on the Assembly floor. Ophthalmologists, who are medical doctors able to perform more extensive treatment, including surgery, opposed it.
I found this to be very interesting because these are issues that come up in the newsroom and among our readers all the time.
Hernandez Record:
Employees at the Rowland Unified School District left after Hernandez was elected to the School Board because during his Senior year in High School he was expelled for slapping his girlfriend in the face. He was actually sent from Nogales to Rowland because of this action.
When elected to the Board, he threatened the former Superintendent at Rowland Unified School District
When elected to The West Covina City Council he refused to resign from the Roland Board. It took Senator Gloria Romero’s state legislative action to get him to understand you can’t hold two offices at the same time.
As a Councilmember he voted to give Mr. Alhassen 3.5 million taxpayer dollars. Within six months he was investigated by the DA for purchasing an SUV from Mr. Alhassen for almost nothing. He claimed he was a good businessman. Within a few months he traded in the car at a value greater than what he purchased it. Subsequently he has been seen at the Alhassen dealership weekly and is always asking for City legal fees regarding the Alhassen lawsuit, now worth over 7 million dollars to the City. Hernandez wants his buddy Alhassen to get a special deal.
With regards to the DA investigation, he accused Councilmember Touhey of turning him into the DA. It was later revealed that the person who turned him in was actually a person who loaned him money for his campaign and Hernandez refuse to pay him.
For the first time in the history of West Covina. A Councilman – Mr. Hernandez tuitition was paid for by the City of West Covina residents. How did this $10,000+ expense benefit the residents?
In 2006, Mr. Hernandez was investigated for Hostile work issues related to West Covina City employees. In the report by private investigator Ed McErlain, he found that Mr. Hernandez was guilty of inappropriate conduct by a preponderance of evidence. Nine City employees came forward to state incidences where Mr. Hernandez intimidated them. The City Council censored Mr. Herandez for his actions.
In 2007 police were called to Mr. Hernandez house after screams from a woman. He resisted arrest and was uncooperative with police. The police questioned a woman at the house and she stated they were arguing. Subsequently Mr. Hernandez blamed Councilmember Touhey for calling the police. This was later proven untrue by a Sheriff Department investigation. Then after his election was in doubt, he charge the West Covina Police Department with falsifying the report. He later, after the election, admitted he was made up the charges.
In October of 2008 Mr. Hernandez Campaign Manager plead guilty of election fraud. She registered at Hernandez house in West Covina when she lived in LA. Hernandez is also under investigation
Two West Covina employees have filed claims against the City of West Covina for Mr. Hernandez actions. These lawsuits could cost the City more than 6 million dollars. The City Council must now defend Mr. Hernandez or settle with the employees.
Geez....give it a break, you have made it clear you don't like Mayor Hernandez - over and over and over!
oops wrong Hernandez. The Assemblyman is the GOOD one. The WC Councilman is the BAD one.
Sorry guys!
No. No. No. We can NEVER give it a break. We will not be satisfied until the whole world is made to hate Hernandez with the same blinding contempt we hold him. We must make everyone hate him, all his forebears and all his progeny.
And once that's done all the City's problems will go away.
THE END.
Exactly!
Roger Hernandez is a very shady character. Seedy connections, violent past, and can not be trusted.
Yes, in my opinion I believe he is guilty of all manner of wrongdoing which I cannot prove and which is only hearsay but if I believe that's enough for me.
I believe he hates children, puppies, God, and little old ladies.
I believe he may be the antichrist and that at night he steals the souls of the pure and innocent.
I believe he might have ties to Al Qaeda and that he may be implicated in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
I cannot prove any of this but I believe it in my heart and that is all that matters.
I am morally superior to Hernandez and to all who support him, which makes me right 100% of the time.
Yes, in fact in 2007 police were called to Mr. Hernandez house after screams from a woman. He resisted arrest and was uncooperative with police. The police questioned a woman at the house and she stated they were arguing. Subsequently Mr. Hernandez blamed Councilmember Touhey for calling the police. This was later proven untrue by a Sheriff Department investigation. Then after his election was in doubt, he charge the West Covina Police Department with falsifying the report. He later, after the election, admitted he was made up the charges.
Yes, and strangely even though he has done all the wrongdoing you claim, he has not been charged or convicted of anything.
But that's okay. As long as you believe he did it MUST be true. Anyone who disagrees with you must be part of the conpsiracy to cover-up all things you believe in.
You are "so brave" for speaking out like this in this anonymous forum.
Yes, In October of 2008 Mr. Hernandez Campaign Manager plead guilty of election fraud. She registered at Hernandez house in West Covina when she lived in LA. Hernandez is also under investigation
Two West Covina employees have filed claims against the City of West Covina for Mr. Hernandez actions. These lawsuits could cost the City more than 6 million dollars. The City Council must now defend Mr. Hernandez or settle with the employees.
Yes, cause everyone knows that if a person files a lawsuit it MUST be true. In fact I think there's a statistic (which I made up in my head) that says that 98% of lawsuits filed are true.
Also, I someone is convicted of something it means that everyone they ever met or shook hands with is guilty of the same thing. It's the cootie theory of culpability.
I agree with you. As a Councilmember he voted to give Mr. Alhassen 3.5 million taxpayer dollars. Within six months he was investigated by the DA for purchasing an SUV from Mr. Alhassen for almost nothing. He claimed he was a good businessman. Within a few months he traded in the car at a value greater than what he purchased it. Subsequently he has been seen at the Alhassen dealership weekly and is always asking for City legal fees regarding the Alhassen lawsuit, now worth over 7 million dollars to the City. Hernandez wants his buddy Alhassen to get a special deal.
The defecit???.....Hernandez's fault.
The start of WWII.....yup...Hernandez again.
The meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.....Hernandez again.
OK People, Focus.
The article is trying hard to instigate some kind of wrong doing among politicians so please focus on what the article is trying to convey. I believe that the issue at hand is not about a Hernandez as much as it is about a racial issue. Oops, I used the racial card. Maybe they should have also added a couple of others to make it even such as a black and a white politician. They are a handful of corrupt ones I am sure we can single out! Or is it that politicians, corruption, shady character, evil doers, the devil, capitalism, and the American way are synonymous.
How many articles are there on a daily basis from various publishers that hit on this idea that anyone that runs for public office eventually gets enticed by the all mighty dollar. Does it happen? Oh yes and we hear about it because its so much fun to show the world that we Americans are not to be trusted, that we are the devil and that maybe, the Islamic movements has it right!
Ok, this is a bit too much but the just is that I don’t know Mr. Eng but I do Know Mr. Ed Hernandez and although I am a register Republican I have and will vote for him every time he runs. Is he perfect? No, and neither am I. But I do know his heart is in the right place and for a small period of time maybe there is a politician who does understand the meaning of public service. A position that is thankless but gratifying when you do work for the people who do not appreciate you as much as they should.
I question the media always and I am sure there are people that work within the confines of this industry that have a hard time sleeping when they reflect on what they write for what ever given reason. No, it is not doom and gloom: no, not all politician are corrupted and have hidden agendas; no, our economy is strong and will recover and not all athletes are idiots, if you’ve been following the news lately….
Anyone can point out stupid stuff that tints one’s character and slip away in the darkness leaving people to ponder. How wrong is that? Why is it that it is so easy to point out problems but so hard to come up with solutions?
If we feel so strong about how bad our political figures are, why don’t we come-up with an idea and a process that these evil doers don’t get away and actually become accountable to the people they serve? Let say some kind of law that reflects the acts of a politician while in service. If he/she is voted out of office because of corruption, lack of trust, wrong doing as often charged by an opponent who is trying hard to attain that same position that a hearing is held with potential severe penalties for their on the job conduct. Think about it, I may not have used the proper verbiage or suggestion but follow the train of thought…. Case in point, the Presidential Race…. Hilary trashes and Bashes Obama and there is clip after clip of this same garbage to gain a political position and now that the dust settles, Hilary and Obama are teaming-up to create a safer world…. I just don’t get it… what about everything that was said between the parties that were quoted better then the bible ... How screwed up things are going to be if one or the other wins… Now we have both trying to run this country. What is wrong with our system that we take in stride while some of us can’t even get the name right on who this article is about? Ok, got on another of my favorite tangents, I apologize.
All this to say that Assemblyman Ed Hernandez (Not Mayor Roger Hernandez) is a good man and more energy should be placed and the good things he does as with Hilda Solis and other not perfect public figures do.
This too should be taken in stride
People that run for office often do so because they are motivated by something.... that something could be their professions. Is that so bad? If there was a law that prevented journalists from writing innuendo leading stories, wouldn't that affect your career and motivate you to go up to Sacramento and fight that. I bet it would.
Employees at the Rowland Unified School District left after Hernandez was elected to the School Board because during his Senior year in High School he was expelled for slapping his girlfriend in the face. He was actually sent from Nogales to Rowland because of this action.
When elected to the Board, he threatened the former Superintendent at Rowland Unified School District
When elected to The West Covina City Council he refused to resign from the Roland Board. It took Senator Gloria Romero’s state legislative action to get him to understand you can’t hold two offices at the same time.
Hey WC resident: Wrong Hernandez.
It sure must take a lot of hate to keep posting your same junk over and over.
When elected to The West Covina City Council he refused to resign from the Roland Board. It took Senator Gloria Romero’s state legislative action to get him to understand you can’t hold two offices at the same time.
STOP TALKING ABOUT ROGER HERNANDEZ!!! YOU GOT THE WRONG PERSON!!! THIS IS ED HERNANDEZ THE ASSEMBLYMAN!!! HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POLICE REPORTS, THE WRONGFUL DOING IN WC...
THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE!!! I HATE IT WHEN GOOD POLITICANS ARE SLANDERED BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME NAME...
ED Hernandez = GOOD GUY
Roger Hernandez = BAD GUY
Get it people???
I agree with Covinaguy. Hernandez is no good. First he was a bad WC councilman and now he's in the assembly. When did that happen?
How can he hold both offices???
BP Guy said:
ED Hernandez = GOOD GUY
Roger Hernandez = BAD GUY
Get it people???
Conflict of interest happens everywhere. There are many cities where the elected officials spouses and/or relatives serve as city commissioners for the same city. Elected officials also take endorsements (money) from the fire department and police department and then they are the ones that decide on their raises. wouldn't that be a conflict of interest?
Hernandez Record:
Employees at the Rowland Unified School District left after Hernandez was elected to the School Board because during his Senior year in High School he was expelled for slapping his girlfriend in the face. He was actually sent from Nogales to Rowland because of this action.
When elected to the Board, he threatened the former Superintendent at Rowland Unified School District
When elected to The West Covina City Council he refused to resign from the Roland Board. It took Senator Gloria Romero’s state legislative action to get him to understand you can’t hold two offices at the same time.
As a Councilmember he voted to give Mr. Alhassen 3.5 million taxpayer dollars. Within six months he was investigated by the DA for purchasing an SUV from Mr. Alhassen for almost nothing. He claimed he was a good businessman. Within a few months he traded in the car at a value greater than what he purchased it. Subsequently he has been seen at the Alhassen dealership weekly and is always asking for City legal fees regarding the Alhassen lawsuit, now worth over 7 million dollars to the City. Hernandez wants his buddy Alhassen to get a special deal.
With regards to the DA investigation, he accused Councilmember Touhey of turning him into the DA. It was later revealed that the person who turned him in was actually a person who loaned him money for his campaign and Hernandez refuse to pay him.
For the first time in the history of West Covina. A Councilman – Mr. Hernandez tuitition was paid for by the City of West Covina residents. How did this $10,000+ expense benefit the residents?
In 2006, Mr. Hernandez was investigated for Hostile work issues related to West Covina City employees. In the report by private investigator Ed McErlain, he found that Mr. Hernandez was guilty of inappropriate conduct by a preponderance of evidence. Nine City employees came forward to state incidences where Mr. Hernandez intimidated them. The City Council censored Mr. Herandez for his actions.
In 2007 police were called to Mr. Hernandez house after screams from a woman. He resisted arrest and was uncooperative with police. The police questioned a woman at the house and she stated they were arguing. Subsequently Mr. Hernandez blamed Councilmember Touhey for calling the police. This was later proven untrue by a Sheriff Department investigation. Then after his election was in doubt, he charge the West Covina Police Department with falsifying the report. He later, after the election, admitted he was made up the charges.
In October of 2008 Mr. Hernandez Campaign Manager plead guilty of election fraud. She registered at Hernandez house in West Covina when she lived in LA. Hernandez is also under investigation
Two West Covina employees have filed claims against the City of West Covina for Mr. Hernandez actions. These lawsuits could cost the City more than 6 million dollars. The City Council must now defend Mr. Hernandez or settle with the employees.