Central Basin Water District Director Leticia Vasquez failed to report two fundraisers on her campaign documents.
HMG-CN Staff Report
Hews Media Group-Community News has learned that embattled Central Basin Division Four Director Leticia Vasquez has been fined by the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for improper campaign reporting practices related to fundraisers she failed to report in 2012.
The first fundraiser, organized by Pacifica Services’ CEO Ernie Camacho and his brother Andy Camacho, was at the El Paseo restaurant in Los Angeles.
The event raised over $15,000 with Camacho and a subsidiary company of Pacifica, MLJ Properties, giving Vasquez $5,000.
Vasquez failed to report the lucrative fundraiser on her 460-campaign disclosure documents, a FPPC violation.
The other fundraiser was held at the La Huasteca restaurant in Lynwood on Dec. 6, 2012. Vasquez’ point person, who was responsible for paying the food bill, failed to show up at the event.
A flustered Vasquez pleaded with former Pico Rivera Mayor Ron Beilke, who was at the event to help a friend, to pay for the food, which Beilke did, in cash.
Former Pico Rivera Mayor Ron Beilke’s receipt from the La Huasteca restaurant. Beilke was at the event helping a friend, he was not invited.
Vasquez once again failed to report the fundraiser on her 460-campaign disclosure documents, another FPPC violation.
In February of 2013 Beilke filed a complaint with the L.A. District Attorney and the FPPC outlining the fundraisers that Vasquez failed to report, including all supporting documents.
The DA apparently contacted Vasquez, told her of the complaint, and allowed her to amend the 460’s.
Vasquez complied but once again lied and listed former Central Basin attorney Arnold Glassman as the person who paid for the La Huasteca fundraiser.
Glassman was informed what Vasquez had filed and vehemently denied ever paying for the fundraiser.
But the FPPC, in their stipulation against Vasquez, somehow came to the conclusion that Vasquez “did not attempt to conceal the fundraisers.”
“This is ridiculous,” commented one long-time observer of Vasquez. “First she fails to report the fundraisers, lie number one. And isn’t “fails to report” the same as concealing? Then a complaint is filed with the DA and the FPPC and she is allowed to amend? What’s up with that FPPC? Then she amends the campaign documents, basically admitting guilt. Then she lies once again on the amended campaign documents? And the FPPC says there is no attempt to conceal? Vasquez must have connections in the DA’s office and the FPPC.”
Further clouding the stipulation, Vasquez has a documented history of suspicious campaign financing.
In February 2013, HMG-CN exclusively reported that Vasquez’ campaign was finance by convicted felon Ricardo “Ric” Mayer and felon who plead down to a misdemeanor Angel Gonzales.
Mayer served prison time for his felony conviction for lying about his place of residency while running for city council in South Gate.
Vasquez declared paying political campaign manager Angel Gonzalez $4,000 before the actual June 5, 2012 election and owing him another $18,399.
Tom and Ron Calderon gave Vasquez $2,250.
In January 2015, Jay Wierenga, Communications Director for the FPPC, told HMG-CN of another investigation saying, “we have an active investigation underway regarding Leticia Vasquez (and we are) looking into potential violations of the Political Reform Act regarding conflict of interest and campaign disclosure.”
HMG-CN obtained a letter from the FPPC asking Vasquez for documents related to her illegal Central Basin Board vote to approve waiving the attorney-client privilege in the Qui Tam “Whistleblower” lawsuit against Central Basin.
Vasquez has repeatedly denied she is a “party plaintiff” to the whistleblower lawsuit, but court documents and two attorneys contacted by HMG-CN have confirmed that she is a party plaintiff.
The investigators requested the “Agenda Packet, Agenda and Minutes for the October 9, 2014 meeting concerning the Qui Tam case, BC518653.”
They also requested “the date of the board vote to waive attorney-client privilege regarding the Qui Tam case.”
In addition, CB sources told HMG-CN that the FPPC was looking into whether Vasquez actually lived in her district when she ran for the seat in 2012.
After an over two year investigation, the FPPC fined Vasquez $222. Vasquez is running for re-election in Nov. 2016.
Why doesn’t this piece of garbage just go away. Our judicial system and political regulatory agencies look like fools not running this woman out of office. What ever happened to the State Audit that was suppose to close that sewer down once and for all? I look forward to reading THAT story! Hopefully by that time you’ll track down a new picture to run as well. I heard there’s some horrid he/she bondage porn floating around out there someplace….the kind of story Hustler used to run in the old days! Her true calling I’d say?
When oh when are we to be rid of graft and corruption in the Central Basin Division 4? What does it take to indict and try these corrupt cretins?