Outtakes from CD 14: Councilman Huizar's Latest Staffer Deletion via his Website

Another staffer has left the field office.

We take you to the the "contact us" section of CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar's website. Direct your attention to the staff directory for the Boyle Heights Field Office. Who is missing from this list?

Jesse Leon, Boyle Heights Area Director (Jesse.Leon@lacity.org)

Jennifer Martinez, Field Deputy & Event Coordinator(Jennifer.Martinez@lacity.org)

David Miranda, Field Deputy(David.Miranda80@lacity.org)

Rocio Hernandez, Case Manager(Rocio.Hernandez@lacity.org)

If you said Celina Mancia, then you get the current e-mail blast from Huizar detailing his latest doings.

But for Celina Mancia, and the growing society of ex. staffers of Jose Huizar, maybe its time to start booking some large venue like the Staples Center, Nokia Theater, 740 Club or Steven's Steakhouse, for a Christmas get together/reunion.

To most "in the know" within the "political cut and paste barrio" that is CD 14. The departure of Mancia comes as no surprise. After being subjected to the alleged verbal assault by Huizar at the National Night Out event at the new Hollenbeck Police Station, Mancia was rarely seen again in her capacity within the Boyle Heights Field Office. Plus, speculation is that she is comtemplating some sort of legal action against Huizar.

Further, the speculation surrounding her relationship with former Huizar's Deputy Chief of Staff Henry Casas, who vacated his position with Huizar some seven months after be charged with domestic violence, may have been the spark that set off the alleged verbal assualt by Huizar.

Casas, we have learned, has been hire by Soledad Enrichment Action (SEA), where he joins another Huizar ex. staffer Armando Gonzalez. Here is hoping that Casas and Mancia find peace away from their former duties in the "staffer grinder" that is CD 14 under Huizar. ** Celina Mancia is now working for Central City East in Downtown LA.

OTHER CD 14 RELATED NEWS:

** Former SEIU Local 660 President and former boyfriend of disgrace SEIU 721 head Arnelle Grajeda, Alejandro Stephens, pleaded guilty to to two counts of mail fraud and one count of filing a false tax return for his role in the Voter Improvement Program scheme of the late County Labor Federation leader Miguel Contreras. Of interest to CD 14 is the role of Councilman Huizar in this scheme. While clear by the FBI of any wrong doings in his role as consultant for the V.I.P. non-profit, the Los Angeles Garment and Citizen Newspaper has not receive any comments from Councilman Huizar's office regarding this story.

ARE FEDS STILL ON HUIZAR?: The U.S. Attorney might have dropped an investigation into 14th District City Councilmember Jose Huizar, but reliable sources say that agents of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are asking some questions of their own. The U.S. Attorney recently cleared Huizar after considering the propriety of payments he received from a labor-backed outfit for consulting services during his tenure on the Los Angeles Unified School District board. The IRS now appears to be backtracking Huizar’s spending habits, which could be an investigative method to check his claims on deductions or to determine whether he properly reported all of his income. Spend more than you could possibly afford on whatever income you claim and it’s liable to become a red flag for the feds. Huizar’s office had not returned calls seeking comment as of presstime…

Still waiting for some statement from Rick Coca.

** Jenny Krusoe, a founding member of the Southwest Museum's exclusive "Southwest Society" and the founder of CD 14 latest "connected non-profit" Legacy LA, has left the organization. Also absent from the from the Legacy LA website is "advisor on redevelopment", CRA official Dalita Sotelo and former Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council President David Galaviz.

Krusoe, for all of her abrasive traits, leaves Legacy LA in the hands of Executive Director, Maria Lou Calanche, who is an well-known political operative and former three-time candidate for public office. Krusoe's former antagonists at the Hazard Park Advisory Board have also met with termination as PAB members, after Los Angeles Recreation and Parks send letters to members who three year terms had expire. But according to sources, Rec and Parks may be acting selectivly in enforcing this policy. For example, Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council member Lupe Guillen, has served on the Lincoln Park PAB for seven years and then there is this from the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, from one of the candidates for the vacant "Recreation, Culture and the Arts position.

MARTHA BENEDICT (Montecito Heights stakeholder) STATEMENT: I’m committed to enhancing Arroyo culture as the main ingredient of our community identity and the flavor of future development. Our dramatic geography has attracted artists and intellectuals for over a century and so it continues, as I’ve learned from knowing my neighbors. I’ve served on the Debs Park Advisory Board for over five years and was recently elected chair. I’m on the board of the Montecito Heights Improvement Association and the Mount Washington Preschools. I support restoring the Arroyo Seco River as an unpaved water course, reopening the Southwest Museum as a museum and preserving historic neighborhood character.

It seems that politics is at play again at Hazard Park and we can link to the "past investigation" of Hazard Park PAB members on instructions from Legacy LA's Jenny Krusoe and CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar.

** Councilman Huizar recently gave this comment regarding the 710 Tunnel to The Eagle Rock Association (TERA) "State of the Town" meeting, as noted by Tom Topping in the Boulevard Sentinal.

Just Say No? 710-Gap!
The Councilman had something to say regarding the 710 freeway gap through his district's communities of El Sereno, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Mt. Washington or Eagle Rock. He said, "I will not allow in the areas of my direct jurisdiction, any above ground or tunnel to come through Northeast Los Angeles to fill that gap. It just- does not- make- sense." To which he received a rousing applause. The residents of eastern El Sereno aka. "Option 3 Neighborhood", may find his comment of some interest.

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