HMG-LCCN EXCLUSIVE: Assembly Speaker Rendon Rented Busses to Bring Hawaiian Gardens Residents to His Delegate Elections

Sunday Feb. 3, 2019

BY BRIAN HEWS

Once again questionable tactics surround state Assembly delegate elections, this time involving Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and his delegate election process at a union hall in Lakewood.

The revelation follows an exclusive report by HMG-LCCN concerning Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s bullying and intimidation at her 58th district delegate elections.

Two weeks ago, HMG-LCCN received correspondence from Hawaiian Gardens activist Joe “Joy” Cabrera-Zermeno alleging large luxury buses picked up Hawaiian Gardens residents and took them to Rendon’s  68th Assembly delegate election headquarters in Lakewood.

Zermeno received pictures from Southgate activist Christina Montalvo with the busses in front of the UAW Union.

The Rendon-rented busses in front of UAW.

It was alleged by Zermeno that Assembly Speaker Rendon had rented the busses to “stuff the ballot boxes” so Rendon’s his hand-picked delegates would be elected.

Among those delegates up for election was Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Myra Myravilla.

At the time, Zermeno offered no proof of his allegations.

HMG-LCCN obtained the Montalvo pictures saw that they were owned by RS Bus Lines, and emailed the owner asking if Rendon rented the busses.

After three emails, the owner acknowledged that Rendon’s campaign committee had rented the busses.

Email from RS Bus Lines confirming Rendon paid for the busses. Click on image to view larger document.

While not illegal, one former assembly person said it was “extremely questionable” that the Speaker of the Assembly would rent busses to bring residents to ensure his delegates were elected.

“The story is why Rendon did that, is he worried about the Democratic Party endorsement? Remember he did not allow a vote on single-payer health and the Assembly is swinging more progressive.”

Mayor Myravilla won as a delegate, garnering the most votes at 336.

Included among the men who won was Bell Gardens Councilman Ali Saleh, Lynwood Mayor Jose Solache, and Ricardo Lara.

The questionable tactics were apparently noted by fellow politician Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens).

This week, HMG-LCCN exclusively reported that Garcia  and her supporters were “way out of hand, disrespectful and rude, and yelling” at State Sen. Bob Archuleta’s (D-Norwalk) candidates and supporters at the delegate election voting facility in Commerce, even refusing them entrance into the parking lot.

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s Delegate Elections Tainted by Bullying, Intimidation and Cheating

“They were yelling ‘Cristina Garcia, Cristina Garcia’ inside the voting area and harassing Archuleta supporters while they were voting,” said one person who did not want to be identified for fear of retribution, “extremely rude and intimidating.”

Two people said they were asked who they were voting for as they entered the parking lot, if they said Archuleta, they were told to park down the street.

In addition, Garcia was accused of cheating at the election. Candidates were told they would not see the ballot, yet one Archuleta candidate sent a picture of a close copy of the ballot that Garcia’s people were handing out prior to the election.

The ballot handed out by the Garcia camp at the delegate election.

But what should catch the attention of the Assembly Rules committee was Garcia’s own alleged actions.

Several sources told HMG-LCCN said that Garcia texted Archuleta’s candidates, including Bell Gardens Mayor pro tem Lisseth Flores, berating them for running on Archuleta’s slate.

Apparently, Garcia’s bullying and intimidation worked, with the source stating that after the texts, “Flores disappeared, she did not attend any candidate meetings after the call.”

Despite the Garcia camp’s bullying tactics,  Sen. Archuleta’s candidates took four spots.

Included was the coveted Executive Board seat, also known as the “E-Board,” which went to Archuleta candidate Artesia Councilman Ali Taj.

Taj garnered 277 votes, the most among all delegate candidates.