This is the city: Los Angeles, California. I work here. I'm an ex-mayor. Los Angeles is a magnet for people from all over the world. Some of them run for public office. Inevitably some of them stray from the golden rule and rule for those that have the gold. That's when I go to work. My name is Yorty. I'm a dead pol.
"Oh Mario y Maribel": The Charges after the Breakup
City of San Fernando City Councilwoman Maribel "Sancha" De La Torre.
The City of San Fernando Political Novella "Mario y Maribel" featuring former City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez and City Councilwoman Maribel "Sancha" De La Torre has garnered "further bookings".
But today's bookings by the San Fernando Police Department involving "Sancha" may spell the end of the sibling of former Assemblywoman and San Fernando politico Cindy Montanez's political reign.
From the LA Times ........
San Fernando Councilwoman Maribel de la Torre was charged Friday with vandalism and battery of her former lover and council colleague Mario Hernandez during an acrimonious breakup last month.The Los Angeles County district attorney's office filed the two misdemeanor charges against the 41-year-old councilwoman in the June 28 incident, which Hernandez reported to San Fernando police.
Now Sancha is going to have a rap sheet.
"Sancha's" episode of rage.....
Hernandez told police that De La Torre arrived at his residence June 28 shortly before 6 p.m. to retrieve an iPad she had given him for his birthday and pushed past him into the home, according to a police report. When he told her he did not have the iPad there, she punched him in the left cheek and slapped him in the face before “ransacking his bedroom,” smashing the glass of a picture frame and breaking his laptop by slamming it on the floor, according to his version of events in the police report.He told police she then grabbed him by the neck with both hands and began to squeeze his throat while yelling that she was going to kill him. A police officer reported finding the bedroom ransacked and saw swelling on Hernandez’s face, marks on his arms and scratches and redness around his throat.
Lucky for Tonto that Sancha was not Loreena
Lastly, some contrite words from Sancha.
In an email to The Times on July 6, De la Torre said: "Words cannot begin to express how saddened I am over the events of the past several days."She added, "It would be inappropriate to discuss this matter until any potential legal issues are resolved."
...... until the next episode of "Oh Mario y Maribel".
"Oh Mario y Maribel": A San Fernando Novella Breakup in need of Restraint
San Fernando City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez y San Fernando City "Sancha" Councilwoman Maribel De La Torre.
The City of San Fernando City Council in Happier Times.
What were the odds that the "personal relationship" between City of San Fernando City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez and City "Sancha" Councilwoman Maribel De La Torre would survive the political turmoil within its Bell size enclave in the San Fernando Valley? Slim? Little? Who cares?
The once hot, steamy political duo apparently under stress via a Recall attempt by San Fernando constituents, sought and were granted restraining orders from each other after a confrontation at the home of "Tonto". While they agree that a confrontation took place, the details ..... well.
From "Tonto" via the Daily News.
Hernandez wrote that he met De La Torre at his front door and she pushed him back inside, then slapped and punched him. She then went into his bedroom, threw his clothes on the floor and smashed a glass frame and a laptop computer on the floor, Hernandez wrote.He said De La Torre told him, "If I could kill you right now, I would. I f----- hate you," then choked him.
From "Sancha" via Daily News:
De La Torre said the two argued about the iPad, then she went into his room to look for it. Hernandez said in his own report that he reminded her the iPad was a birthday present.De La Torre said Hernandez then came in, slammed the door on her shoulder and pushed her down onto the bed. After she got up, Hernandez slammed her into the hardwood floor and she blacked out, she wrote.
The damage to flesh and property.
In the police report, a copy of which Hernandez attached to his filing, Officer Jorge Bayardo wrote that Hernandez had injuries including redness and swelling on his cheek, scratches and redness on his throat and a swollen, bruised thumb. He declined to go to the hospital.Police said there were broken glass, a broken wood frame and a damaged laptop computer in Hernandez's bedroom.Hernandez asked in his filing for reimbursement of $400 for the damaged laptop, a request that was denied by the court. The court also denied his request to order her to attend a 52-week batterer intervention program. The court did grant his request to keep her away from his 11-year-old son.
"Sancha" uses the abusive man card on "Tonto".
In her statement, De La Torre said this wasn't the first time things turned violent. She wrote that Hernandez choked her and slammed her against a wall in December. De La Torre did not call police then or June 28.
What will transpire in the next installment of "Oh Mario y Maribel" via Mayor Brenda "The Other Woman" Esqueda?
Mayor Brenda Esqueda, who will preside over Tuesday's meeting, said she was unaware of the restraining order until a reporter called her Friday.After talking to the city attorney and acting police chief, she said she believed both Hernandez and De La Torre could attend the meeting without violating the court orders. But she did not know whether either will show up.
"Oh Mario y Maribel of San Fernando", A Political Novella continues in 2012
City of San Fernando Mayor Mario "Tonto" Hernandez and City Councilwoman Maribel "Sancha" De La Torre.
Blogger's Notes:Welcome lovers of "political chisme" to another season of "Oh Mario y Maribel of San Fernando", the "Political Novella" featuring City of San Fernando Mayor Mario "Tonto" Hernandez and City Councilwoman Maribel "Sancha" De La Torre with support from Councilwoman Brenda "The Other Woman" Esqueda, that is bound to garner additional attention in 2012. Through the excellent reporting of the San Fernando Sun's Diane Martinez and supporting stories from the likes of the Daily News (** alleged ticket fixing by current acting police chief), this season's virtual reality of politics in San Fernando, has already feature getaway cars, censure motions, recall petitions and allegations of ticket fixing. Join us after the jump for more from the 2012 Season Opener of "Oh Mario y Maribel of San Fernando"---Scott Johnson.** Video of the ticketing questioned in Daily News just posted (10:20 P.M.) after the jump.
The latest episode of "Oh Mario y Maribel", a political novella as a city turns via the San Fernando Sun
Blogger notes:As much as we want to have some political comedy at the expense of the "Tonto" and "Sancha" of San Fernando City Government, Mayor Mario Hernandez and City Councilwoman Maribel De La Torre respectively, San Fernando Sun Editor Diana Martinez noted in a phone conversation her frustration that major media outlets are only now paying attention to the questionable political actions in the city. Martinez's "As The City Turns Column" has been a regular feature of the San Fernando Sun for years which has enable her to amass large amounts of documentation on the actions/antics of city government. As noted in her most recent missive the likes of Mayor Mario "Tonto" Hernandez is not too keen on answering the tough questions of Martinez. Thus, we want to commend Diana Martinez for her dogged pursuit of the truth---Scott Johnson in CD 14.
In our latest installment of "Oh Mario y Maribel", Mayor Mario "Tonto" Hernandez is last seen running away from San Fernando Sun Editor Diana Martinez as many in San Fernando are calling on for both the "Tonto" and "Council Sancha" to resign. Meanwhile Council Sancha Maribel De La Torre will not even be in country tomorrow (Monday) as she joins her sister former San Fernando Councilwoman and Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, on a good will trip to Israel (all expensives paid). Thus, "Tonto" will have to face constituents alone at tomorrows City Council
Meeting.
Nice of sister Cindy Montanez to give her sibling an escape from tomorrow's proceedings. Local observers note that Montanez has upped her community profile in recent weeks. Rumor has it that Montanez is trying to get her Council Sancha sister, Tonto and their "constituent servicing supporter" (or is it servicing SFPD Sancho) Mayor Pro-Tem Brenda Esqueda to renew the firefighting contract with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Thus, hopefully Montanez can use the contract retention to garner UFLAC support for her run to replace Councilman Tony Cardenas in LA City Hall.
"Oh Mario y Maribel!", A Political Novella via the San Fernando Sun
** Afternoon Update: We found this video of the San Fernando City Council celebrating the city's 100 Birthday. Can you find the "Tonto" and his "Council Sancha"?
City of San Fernando Mayor Mario "Tonto" Hernandez and City Council "Sancha" Maribel de la Torre.
City Council Sancha Maribel de la Torre sister and former Assemblywoman/San Fernando Councilwoman Cindy Montanez.
The mayor's wife Anna, who's position in the front row cause her cheating husband to admit his current relationship with former Assemblywoman and San Fernando Councilperson Cindy Montanez sister Councilwoman Maribel de la Torre.
** Bloggin Disclaimer:The following blog post contains explicit content of power, betrayal and lust run amok in the City of San Fernando. The characters are too many for civic ethical comfort but what many are discussing are potentially "disgusting Brown Act violations" by city leaders Mayor Mario Hernandez and Councilwoman Maribel de la Torre. The San Fernando Sun Newspaper has all the lurid details on an affair that has serious ethical ramifications for the City of San Fernando. Thus, move over "Antonio y Mirthala" as we bring you excerpts from "Mario y Maribel"---Scott Johnson.
Alarcon Diverts Public $$ to Friends Via 501(c)3 ... Again
UPDATE
A couple of points of information:
1. Ms. De la Torre and Ms. Chavez have contacted Mayor Sam and stated that Ms. Chavez no longer works for Padres Contra El Cancer. Ms. De la Torre insists she no longer has any communication with the former program director. Ms. Chavez also stated that though she worked with Ms. De la Torre in the past, she has no contact or relationship with her.
2. Here are links to specific document(s) referenced and not already linked in this article...
Note that charities, especially 501(c)3s, are public entities and their tax records are public documents... a matter of public record.
http://mayorsam2.blogspot.com/2009/02/health-research-and-education.html (undated document showing at bottom of page Ms. Chavez's business affiliation and contact information as Program Director at Padres Contra El Cancer, another 501(c)3. Since we first posted this, the original page was taken down by the source so we have an HTML version on MS2. We do have a .PDF of the original on hand at Mayor Sam HQ.) ---------------------------------------------------------
Chavez is/was also the Program Director at another 501(c)3, Padres Contra El Cancer, where, coincidentally, Maribel de la Torre is or has been the Director of Development for the same organization. The address listed for Chavez in Youth Speak Collective's tax documents (again, Form 990 for 2007) is the exact same address given by Padres Contra El Cancer as their business address.
There are three or four funds associated with the closed landfill in the northeast San Fernando Valley, all of which receive incoming monies from sales of methane which is a byproduct of the decades of decomposing City garbage underground. The Lopez Canyon Landfill Community Amenities Fund is supposed to benefit the people who have been highly impacted by the landfill. This area includes the parts of Lake View Terrace and Pacoima nearest Lopez Canyon, and most of unincorporated Kagel Canyon. Kagel has borne the majority of the landfill's impacts while receiving effectively none of the millions that have passed through the funds since Ernani Bernardi introduced the original motion with the best of intentions in the early 1990s.
Sadly, the history of abuse and outright theft of Lopez Canyon community funds seems to be endemic to District Seven Council Office. Previous CD 7 representative Alex Padilla at one point transferred all of the money from the main active account into his personal discretionary account for undisclosed uses.
So at this point in time, the Community Amenities Fund has for all intents and purposes gone from a community mitigation fund to a second discretionary fund for Alarcon, leaving the people impacted most by the landfill once again without a true democratic voice in how the funds are spent. Meanwhile, Alarcon's friends profit from the community's loss.
According to Alarcon aide (and coincidentally also his cousin) John de la Rosa, the Lopez Canyon fund is supposed to be used '...for the area north San Fernando Boulevard to Foothill Boulevard; east of Paxton Street to Osborne Street.' Completely contrary to Bernardi's original motion, De La Rosa's description of the impacted area tellingly leaves Kagel Canyon, the area most impacted by the landfill, out of the picture.
It seems nefarious behavior associated with this landfill runs in the family. De La Rosa was the manager of Lopez Canyon Landfill in the 1990s until he was allegedly forced to resign after being caught more than once significantly altering employee files without authorization.
...Oh the way Glenn Miller played.... songs that made the hit parade....
