Is CLARTSgate becoming a Fiscal Bell, err, Shell Game?
"Tricky Huizzy pondering on the consequences of his past dubious transfers of CLARTS Fund proceeds into his Council Office Account."
Parke Skelton mulling which bloggers will drink his Spin Meme on Councilman Huizar's past dubious usage of the CLARTS Fund.
"The role model for dubious usage of public funds Ratzo Rizzo. Did Councilman Huizar learn a thing or two from Rizzo on usage of public funds to pad salary accounts?
Why did Tricky Huizzy seek to hide five CLARTS Fund transfers to his Council Office Account, within respective CAO reports?Welcome to "Bad News Friday" and the spin craft involve to dilute negative political news.
For "Team Huizzy", Parke Skelton searched far and wide throughout the local political bloggersphere to find his "bloggin City Maven of choice" to drop documents pertaining to Councilman Jose Huizar past usage of CLARTS Fund proceeds. The newest bloggin observer at City Hall should regale in the fact that after years of requesting transparency on the CLARTS fund by many in CD 14, Councilman Huizar via his consultant Parke Skelton, blessed the young City Maven with her first major scoop as a City Hall blogger. Maybe that is why she took a shot at other bloggers, who's musings on Councilman Huizar's reasons for not releasing the information, were ridicule by the City Maven for alleging nefarious motive on behalf of the councilman? So forgive me for stating that the City Maven's supposed exclusive, only adds to the journalistic speculation on the true malfeasance that is CLARTSgate. More on that below.
On the subject of Team Martinez, the fact that they were able to smoke out the still ambiguous facts on Councilman Huizar's CLARTSgate Controversy, still does not make up for the fact that the majority of those who witness last night's Hermon's Candidate Forum, came away disappointed in Rudy Martinez's performance. Chalk it up to first time nerves? (very likely), Martinez missed a opportunity to take Huizar to task for his questionable usage of the CLARTS Fund as a "salary slush fund". For Martinez, he needs to focus on fronting a vision for CD 14 instead of musing on his past friendship with Councilman Huizar. Martinez should be lauded for taking ownership of his past, but his future will be positive if he forges and thinks ahead.
Analysis aside, the stark truth here is that CLARTSgate has moved into the potentially criminal malfeasance area. Despite the best efforts to spin the documentation released by the City Controller, on the behalf of Team Huizzy. The bottom photo of the seven 2008-2009 transfers from CLARTS to Councilman Huizar's "Council Office Account", shows a departure from the use of the transparent "Motion" procedure (in the first two transfers), to the ambiguous protocol of using the CAO reports to note CLARTS transfer to Huizzy's salary account.
Big question here is why Councilman Huizar would not follow the Motion process in noting CLARTS Fund transfers to his salary fund? In addtion, why did he not itemize the costs for the 10 community events that The City Maven cited in her posting? How come Councilman Huizar did not take the time to line-item the salary costs for "Rebuilding Broadway" staff? What are the reasons that operation costs are not noted in any of the five transfers above? And where is the budgeted cost for the added Case Managers? Questions that only serve to bring more attention to CLARTSgate.
In closing, the Drudge Report had a link two days ago to a story regarding Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas who hired with public funds, a $95,000 a year driver and a $57,000 a year house maid. Is it fair to ask Councilman Huizar for a line-item accounting on who was paid from the $1.04 Million transferred from the CLARTS fund? What benefits did CD 14 constituents derided from their work? And lastly, why did Councilman Huizar attempt to conceal this from CD 14 voters?
Your thoughts..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14
Labels: "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR", CLARTS Fund, CLARTSgate, Outtakes from CD 14, Parke Skelton, Rudy Martinez, The City Maven
Posted by Red Spot in CD 14 @ 1/14/2011 12:07:00 PM
18 Comments:
Reed Sput: Here's to "progress".
Good to see you've moved past the "Rudy Rich will save us from 4 more years of Huizar" to the "now we'll have to get Huizar convicted (of something), to get rid of him"... phase.
Next in line, is, I think, "denial" that he's won re-election, (I forget the other phases, but I'm pretty sure you've worn out "anger" and "pleading").
Good luck with the "he's a crook" angle, especially with something as complex as CLARKS bars. There's about as much chance of that working as there is of you graduating magnum comed laundry from Princeton yourself.
(Sorry about your hard-on for the "Maven". Did you really think they were going to send you the CLARKS material first, rather than to a real journalist?)
Buy yourself some self-awareness, dude. Politicians don't avoid you because you ask the "tough" questions... they avoid you because you've already decided what you're going to write regardless of how they answer (so why bother?).
I can understand why they wouldn't want to work with you to get the facts straight... I wouldn't spend a lot of time trying to teach a quadraplegic how to row a boat, either. It just frustrates the hell out of everyone involved when the "faculties" aren't up to the task.
"Huizar's going to jail," says Mayor Sam's (2011)
"Hahn's going to jail," says Mayor Sam's (2005)
(Got to love the oldies but goodies! Wrong, always - was there any question? But "goodies" nonetheless.)
It must be a huge relief to not have to actually think through things ratioanally, when you can just say "I hate them - so they must be crooks!"
There's good reason Parque makes a hell of a lot more doing what he does than Trujillo's paltry $7,500.
Both "whores" you understand, but you can't just pick Skelton up on any street corner, for a $50 (I'm told...) "quickie".
There's also an equally good reason Red Spot works here - for FREE! (Some things just aren't worth paying for).
Mr. CLARKs is probably rolling over in his grave from the kerfuffle this has imbued.
"In your next life, leave it in your will to the Salvation Army, Mr. CLARKs"
I just realized, Red Spot is posting my seering snideness at his mishaps because he thinks it's coming from Huizar's people (and they might trip up and show their hand, as a result).
Not only do I not know their "hand" - I've never even shook it.
Hoooo, ha!
Okay, keep this under you hat, Rad Sput, but I just intercepted an internal memo that shows that you've WON.
Huizar's going to wait until after the next election (because he doesn't want to stick us with Martinez), and then resign right after the swearing in -- in shame over the use of amenities funds to staff amenities projects. (What WAS he thinking - I mean it's not like every other project in municipal government uses project funds to pay for staff time... OH WAIT, yes they do!) Anyway...
Then, as he did once before (when the district got Lisa Sar-NO! for many months), Mayor Tony will appoint an interim replacement - just until a special election can be held - but that will make the "interim" CM the shoe-in to win the seat.
And, here the BEST news, you know who he's going to appoint, it's . . .
MIKE GATTO!
PUNKED YOU!
Hooo, haa! Be careful what you wish for.
A million dollar to pay off old staffers to shut up until March
8th.
Good gig if you can get it.
Got to give it to Huizar, he is creative with his use of public funds.
No one ever said the WHOLE million went for staffers, or even if it was a large portion. But anyone who's ever run a "business" (go ask . . . well, Rudy RICH), will confirm that people costs are usually the biggest part of the budget.
You'll just making up stuff to suit your partisan needs now?
Hell, why limit yourself to $1 million (just tell everyone it was 100 million).
Truth's not something we care much about here at "Mayor Scott's CLARTS City" blog.
The ultra-conservative Red Spot is a firm disciple of the ultra-liberal feel-ology of "the end justifies the means" -- when it suits the purpose.
City Maven's report said:
The documents provided by the councilman’s office show $1.01 million went to his operating budget, which pays for 1) operating costs 2) case manager and staff salaries 3) Bringing Back Broadway Initiative 4) equipment and expenses and 5) event costs.
(Then there's a list of about 10 annual events all over the district).
If you can get that one million went to pay off old staffers, you're as guilty of creative accounting and the other side has been accused of.
The Prinston Graduate, Jose Huizar, currently on his way out of CD 14 and Politics., This is really sad that a young man could believe he could get away with these. And there is so much more inproper dealings, but the worst is that there is so many hard working people in CD14, Boyle Heights that has many people dedicated to improve the quality of life in Boyle Heights without asking for money or recognition. Jose Huizar,should know how hard we work, but in reality every improvement to the quality of life in Boyle Heights has been the group of people that want a better life in our community. Boyle Heights has an army working for the community, Huizar just had to reach out and touch us. There has been much disapointment with Huizar and Antonio, they are both from the community, and understand the struggles of hard working families. and to take from a poor community is an outrage. This is just very sad for Boyle Heights, although, we knew what he was doing, but no one would listen, not Laura Chick, or Wendy Gruel until now. The City of LA needs a check and balance reform to keep politician off the cookie Jar. Boyle Heights is a great community, is a small town in the city of Los Angeles. I am deeply sadden that a Princeton Graduate can disrespect his community and think he would get away with it, because the Mayor would take care of it. Huizar stop sending inspectors to the people that are not supporting you, there is a tracking mechnism that we can also use. By the way, when did you, Huizar, become a Citizen of the USA?
But the real issue here isn't the transfer of the money, but why was it kept a secret for so long.
And don't say the CAO reports were voted on by the City Council and therefore the public knew the money was being transferred because the City of Bell budgets were passed by their Council and nobody realized the money stealing going on there.
It is the secrecy that hurts Jose Huizar not that he decided to beef up his salary account.
The CLARTS money is the council members discretionary money and if he wants to beef up his staff he can, but why be sneaky??
This is like the NO BID contract for $150,000.00 of CRA money he is sending to CASA 0101
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-1821_rpt_cra_11-18-10.pdf
Why NO BID, NO RFP (request for proposals)??
And don't be naive to think that the CRA commissioners on their own decided to give this group $150,000 on its own when Jose Huizar already gave them $50,000 in CLARTS funds.
Why be sneaky about this? Why not let all the groups in CD14 compete for this $150,000 to do outreach??
As CLARTS unravels it will be the biggest scandal in many years. This issue is what will unravel Huizar's political career.
If Huizar want to come clean how come he does not release the internal city documents showing where and to whom the million dollars in city salaries went to?
Tell us who made how much and for what reason? if he has nothing to hide why is stonewalling and hiding this information?
I am just an observer from another part of CD14. I do not even really know what the purpose of the CLARTS fund is supposed to be. Where are the funds from CLARTS supposed to be spent? Why does a Council office have control of such a fund and not the entire Council? What are the similarities and differences between say, CLARTS and the Lopez Canyon fund that it seems Councilmember Alarcon has some control over and the Hollywood Traffic Mitigation fund that Eric Garcetti may have some control over?
I am wondering if diversion of CLARTS money into a Councilmember's salary account is permissible as a "purpose" of such a special fund.
If not, why did it happen? Is there some kind of failure of the City Council to provide proper oversight of the use of these funds?
What is the difference between a CLARTS-type fund and the officeholder account of a Council office? I know political contributors are allowed to put money in that account and the councilmember may spend that money for limited purposes.
Mayor Sam would perform a public service if it or a guest writer were permitted to lay out the basics and explain why moving CLARTS money in such large quantities into the Council office salary account is unusual or even a violation of limitations on such a fund.
This is so boring. Please find another topic. This one's run its course three times already. Yawn.
I agree with the poster what a shame the Latino politicians have been to their own communities. When you see of their neighborhoods they are worse off then when they took office. Councilman Alarcon will be indicted on 8 felony counts of voter fraud. Councilman Tony CArdenas has baggage should be looked into giving money to gangsters who have been arrested. Giving his sister city contracts. Councilman Reyes giving girlfriends CRA funds to build businesses, helping illegals in his district with taxpayer dollars not approved, Huizar's CLARTS FUND issue is all over the national internet I hear there's another story about to break. Congresswoman Roybal Allard is never in the community except for "feel good" events. She could careless and gives earmarked $$$ to corrupt non profits. Cedillo still trying to make a name for himself wiith illegals. The biggest Failure all over the nation is Mayor. What a clown and joke he has become. Even reporters make fun of him. Tijuana Gloria Romero has more complaints from her constituents because she like the Mexican Mafia council members cares more about illegals then Mexican Americans legally born in LA and have American pride. The Mexican Americans in this city have been screwed by their own people.
The City Maven posted a full copy of the CLARTS fund ordinance, that explains everything asked and rumored about and daily misinterpreted here.
Everything Huizar did was perfectly acceptable under that ordinance, and in keeping with established City practices.
And,, sorry haters, that's exactly what the controller will report, and the city attorney will pronouce kosher.
There's no conspiracy, it's just how things work.
Fume, spin, agitate. Rinse, repeat.
Rudy M., the "Barney Fife" of CD14 politics just shot off the only bullet in his gun, and it was a BLANK.
From here nn out if he wants to draw attention to his campaign, he'll have to resort to more seering confessions of "youthful" transgressions (when he was 35-40 years old), and how much he "learned" from them.
WHERE IS ALL THIS TALK ABOUT CLART'S GOING IS ANYONE UNDER INVESTIGATION IS THE MEDIA OR PRESS AWARE. SOMETHING MUST BE IN PLACE OR YOUR STORY WILL GO NOWHERE. IF THE PLAN IS TO DISCREDIT HUIZAR I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH. LIKE I SAID ON OTHER POSTS UNTIL YOU JACK UP THE PEOPLE RUNNING AGAINST THESE PEOPLE YOU WILL NEVER WIN ANYTHING.
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