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BY BRIAN HEWS
Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos Community News has learned that California’s Fair Political Practices Commission has initiated an investigation into the Committee for Transforming El Rancho Schools, the committee set up to support Measure ER, the $200 million bond for the El Rancho Unified School District.
It is yet another instance of questionable financial transactions involving the ERUSD, its board members, and Jaime Ortiz, owner of HPLE, who recently resigned under a dark cloud as the program manager for Measure ER.
The complaint was filed on Feb 19 of this year by ERUSD Board member Carolyn Castillo, long a critic of Ortiz and his questionable relationships with Board President Lara, VP Gabriel Orosco, and now Board member Leanne Ibarra.
Lara and Ibarra were served recall papers this week.
In her complaint, Castillo listed 15 names who were paid over $21,000, names she said could not be traced.
All the listed names were classified under Campaign Consultants, “CNS” on the California 460 form campaign statements for the committee.
This was the same committee that received a total of $13,000 from three companies who were eventually awarded large, and allegedly no-bid, construction contracts from Ortiz after the bond was passed; BPI Inspection, CF Environmental, and Dougherty and Dougherty Architects.
Ortiz and HPLE donated $11,000 to the committee.
The FPPC investigation letter was addressed to Castillo and mailed March 5, 2019.
Galena West, Chief of the FPPC Enforcement Division wrote “This letter is to notify you that the Enforcement Division of the Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate the allegation(s), under the jurisdiction of the Commission. You will next receive notification from us upon final disposition of the case.”
A copy of the letter was sent to Joseph Guardarrama of the Kaufman Legal Group, Kaufman was the treasurer of the committee.
This is yet another instance in a clear pattern of malfeasance uncovered by HMG-LCCN.
The first article uncovered the pay to play scheme by Lara, Oraosco, Ibarra and Ortiz:
The second article revealed the sham non-profit that Ortiz set up for the ERUSD:
The third article caught ERUSD Superintendent Karling Aguilera-Fort and Lara in a cover-up:
All this eventually led to Jaime Ortiz and HPLE resigning as program manager for the bond, and residents serving recall papers to Lara and Ibarra.
Jaime Ortiz and HPLE Resigns From El Rancho Unified Bond Program Management Contract
RECALL: ERUSD President Jose Lara and Board Member Leanne Ibarra Subjects of Recall Effort
It’s about time that fake, talk-alot Lara is getting what he deserves. He has a very bad reputation at LAUSD that’s why they fired him from there. Now he is at Dale Middle School in Anaheim corrupting those young minds. He is an embarrassment to the teaching profession. And the incompetent woman Leanne, she needs to walk away because she is embarrassing to watch. Better yet, hand-cuff the two of them, wait it’s three, let’s not forget no-good bully Orosco. Lock them up and throw the key away. Put them in the same cell so they can turn on each other. Orosco, don’t claim Pico Rivera. We are embarrassed of you and we don’t claim you. Go away!!!!