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BY BRIAN HEWS • November 8, 2020
Hews Media Group-Cerritos News has obtained documents via a public records request that show public relations firms using the names of Central Basin Director Leticia Vasquez and Martha Camacho-Rodriguez’ as an entry to submit $42,000 in consulting fees to CB GM Alex Rojas.
The submittals are highly questionable, and invoke memories of Ron and Ton Calderon and former disgraced CB GM Art Aguilar; the invoices submitted were not approved by the board nor are there any signed contracts.
In documents obtained by HMG-CN , the public relations firm of Dallas Fowler submitted a $21,000 invoice related to Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s failed bill to take over CB, AB 625.
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Email to CB GM Alex from Dallas Fowler citing Vazquez and Camacho-Rodriguez.
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Fowler wrote, “I’m Dallas Fowler, I was referred to you by Directors Vasquez-Wilson and Camacho-Rodriguez to submit my invoices for work performed.”
Fowler, who is a former Los Angeles Commissioner appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, claimed she “worked 245 hours between the months of June-July.”
Rojas asked for a contract and received an unsigned document, with Fowler telling Rojas, “it was a labor of love.”
Fowler claimed she performed public relations, “creating press releases, press kits, social media videos, and spreading that information to local and national media outlets.”
HMG-CN, who’s coverage of CB is unparalleled and who published several articles related to SB 625, was not contacted and did not receive any correspondence from Ms. Fowler.
2UrbanGirls also questioned Ms. Fowler’s sudden interest in SB 625 given that her only work on the project were a few social media posts and this mass email sent to Sen. Steve Bradford.
In addition, at least three CB officials, VP Art Chacon, and Directors Phil Hawkins and Bob Apodaca, have never heard of nor met Fowler.
Finally, Fowler’s business itself is very questionable. Her website’s first page, dallasfowler.com, has a picture of her and a “Keep in Touch” button.
Clicking on the keep in touch button goes to an error page and no other pages exist on the site.
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The error page on Fowler’s site dated Nov. 6, 2020.
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On her LinkedIn account, Fowler claims she is a principal of a company called Daltek Global with a website of daltekglobal.com.
Similar to her dallasfowler.com site, the daltekglobal.com site’s is very questionable.
Touting herself as a public relations and media professional, Daltek’s Media page has not been updated with articles since March 2012.
All links on the right side of the Media page when clicked on land on a error page.
In addition, only three other pages exist; a very plain Home page, an About Us page with two paragraphs of content, and a Contact Us page.
In another troubling sign, a check on the California Secretary of State’s website shows Daltek is suspended by California’s Franchise Tax Board and has not filed the required Statement of Information since 2017.
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Screenshot from California SOS’s website showing Fowler’s company FTB suspended.
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Reasons for suspension include failure to file proper paperwork and paying the $800 annual filing fee, to failure to pay taxes.
In an email, Fowler indicated she called HMG-CN, due to other unscrupulous characters misrepresenting phone conversations, it is HMG-CN’s policy to correspond by email only, several other emails were not answered by Fowler.
Jasmyne Cannick (3rd from left) with Fowler. Cannick is very good friends with Director Vasquez, who back in 2013 after winning a seat on Central Basin, handed out a questionable $9,000 contract to Cannick.
The second invoice was submitted by former California Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez in the same manner as Fowler.
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Bermudez’ request to be paid $21,000 related to SB 625.
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Bermudez wrote Rojas, “Attached is the invoice that I have been instructed to submit to you for my work rendered on Senate Bill 625 for the Central Basin Municpal [sic] Water District.”
Rojas countered, “We do not have authorization or a contract to pay this. I am not sure what instruction or approval you received, but if you send me the documents I will be happy to look into it. Any agenda items or agenda/board meeting dates would be helpful.”
No other emails were available.
When asked about the invoices, CB Director Camacho-Rodriguez texted, “[Director] Art [Chacon] brought Fowler and Rudy to the table for SB 625.” Several other requests were not answered.
An angry Chacon told HMG-CN, “that’s interesting, I don’t even know Ms. Fowler, never met her. I did not bring Rudy in either. We were already working with elected officials heavily involved with the bill, we did not need consultants. And I will point out that Fowler said Directors Camacho-Rodriguez and Vasquez told them to submit the invoices.”
Director Vasquez belched out her usual vitriol, despite the Fowler email evidence, “This is false Information. I regret that you choose to go through this route with me again. We were involved in very contentious litigation around your false stories. I would hate to go down that path again but I certainly will if I’m forced to. Please stop with your false stories.”
Vasquez was referring to a bogus defamation case she brought against HMG-CN in 2019, a case she lost with CB paying for HMG-CN’s lawyer’s fees.
Several follow-up emails to Vasquez went unanswered.
Rojas took the high road, “This is not about assigning blame, but we have to understand what mistakes may have been made in the past so that we avoid making them again in the future. We have a very specific role to play in the region as it relates to providing our communities with access to clean imported water and growing our recycled water services. We also know that the District can play a role in helping other water agencies, municipalities and our customers solve future water issues as part of a comprehensive and collaborative regional solution. We hope to focus on these efforts administratively and I am sure the board is committed to work collaboratively to support our efforts to be a productive regional partner as it relates to providing affordable, clean and recycled water services to the communities in our service area by working collaboratively with our cities and purveyors.”
This is not the first time handing out questionable contracts for Vasquez. Shortly after her first election in 2013, Vasquez gave out questionable contacts to her friend Jasmyne Cannick and Maurice Chenier, who was partners with her now-husband Ron Wilson.
Dirty Water: ‘Pay to Play Culture’ Trickling Out At Central Basin
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