Santa Ana Ward 3 candidate Eric Alderete is hosting another fundraiser – but this time it is going to be held in Los Angeles, not in Santa Ana, at the offices of mega-corporate law firm DLA Piper.

Here are the event details, courtesy of Facebook:

Please join Team Alderete at the next fundraiser in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 15th. We’ll be joined by attorneys from large law firms, small law firms, non-profits and in-house counsel who practice in the Valley, the Eastside, Westside, Mid-Wilshire, downntown and Orange County. I hope to see you from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the offices of DLA Piper located at 550 South Hope Street, Suite 2300, Los Angeles, California 90071.

Alderete is himself a successful lawyer for a national bank so it should not come as a surprise that he is getting support from other corporate lawyers.

Let’s be honest – Alderete’s competitors aren’t going to be able to contend with him when it comes to raising money – but candidates haven’t always been able to spend themselves to the top in Santa Ana.

People vote for candidates for many reasons.  Alderete appears to be in the catbird seat if in fact he ends up being the only Latino running for Ward 3, but he does have to beat the rest of the Ward 3 candidates, including a popular former Councilman, Brett Franklin; a GOP insider in Charles Hart; a police officer and neighborhood leader in Shane Ramon Barrows; and a whack-job who actually has gotten himself elected once before – Steve Rocco.

Will some Santa Ana voters be turned off by a liberal candidate who raises campaign money in Los Angeles and who, despite his blue collar upbringing is now a member of the 1%?  I guess we’ll find out in November.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • which national bank? Tell us more.

    Yes it is a turn off.
    is it a kinder gentler bank?
    Is it a subsidiary of the central banks that control the Federal Reserve? Or more like a localized community bank?
    We want to know.
    Does he care about arts and culture for communities or just for bank lobbies and corporate towers.
    What type of commerce does his bank do loans and debts for?

    • I believe he works for US Bank. He got Benavides a job there too. I believe they both work on the home loan side of things but that may hold true for Benavides only.

  • Corporate Law Firm "D.L.A.Piper"
    I suppose he believes "Corporations are People"??
    hmmm. Be careful creative community!
    something is not people focused here.???

  • D.L.A. Piper = Global business attorneys
    Neo-Liberal Globalisistas. Profits before people.
    Well there goes our local foods movement.
    I'd rather vote for the cop.

  • Art,

    You forgot to mention that Eric's longtime friend LA Councilman Jose Huizar will be at this event helping Eric raise funds for the campaign.

    Before moving to Santa Ana Eric was quite active in LA political circles and made many friends. Clearly those friends still think quite highly of Eric and want to see him be successful in this race. Their loyalty to Eric should be commended.

    As far as Eric being part of the 1% that is pretty funny. In house corporate lawyers don't make that kind of money. Upper middle class for sure, but he is no 1 percenter.

    • Thanks Sean! I didn't see that Huizar info on the Facebook event page.

      While Eric may not be part of the national 1%, I expect that he is certainly part of Santa Ana's 1%. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but he has picked up support from members of the local Occupy movement, which is somewhat ironic.

  • No Occupiers have officially endorsed him. a few have cozied up to him because he is not corrupt Republican Bustamante type. But we all know Liberal "Progressives" can be corrupt Bustamante types also.

  • A typical lawyer, Alderete is lying to the public when he claims to have raised $22k. One only has to look at his disclosure to see he loaned his own campaign $20k. The other paltry $2k are from a few individuals. What a JOKE!!!

    Alderete is nothing but a seat shopper and has decided to try a shot in Santa Ana after failing elsewhere. Hopefully, enough voters realize he's not in this for the city - it's all about himself. His fundraiser in L.A. further proves that. We need to tell this lawyer to pack it up and go try to buy a seat somewhere else.

    We can't afford anymore lawyers in this city, Democrat OR Republican, they're all bad for the voters.

    • No More Lawyers,

      I can assure you that when all is said and done Eric will have raised more than "paltry $2k are from a few individuals". Devil's Advocate is correct when he asserts that Eric is showing confidence in his campaign by loaning it $20,000. That sends a message to prospective donors that he believes in himself and his campaign.

      How do you arrive at the conclusion that, "Alderete is nothing but a seat shopper and has decided to try a shot in Santa Ana after failing elsewhere"???

      Eric has never run for office elsewhere despite being asked by very powerful players. While in LA former Mayor Richard Riordan and others had wanted him to run for LAUSD School Board and the Los Angeles City Council. He did not feel the time was right so he chose not to.

      When he originally began working in Orange County he commuted daily from Los Angeles. He figured the best thing for himself and his family was to move to Orange County. He could have chosen to live anywhere but he chose Santa Ana because of the culture here, the wonderful people and the great neighborhoods and homes such as the one he lives in now. Politics was the last thing he had on his mind when he moved to Santa Ana.

      Your disdain for lawyers is puzzling. I guess you'd prefer some uneducated, unqualified government employee like the current incumbent, right? How's that working out for ya?

      Not only does Eric have a law degree from Boalt Hall, he has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That is quite an impressive educational resume.

      What we can't afford is another do nothing "yes" man that is more interested in serving himself and his friends while chasing girls and acting as a predator at his day job. Give me a lawyer over that anyday.

  • Hey No More Lawyers, why is it a joke that he loaned his campaign 20k? I think that shows he has confidence that he will raise the necessary funds to repay his campaign. It also shows that he is taking a risk and investing in his own campaign.

    I'm not sure what your issue is with lawyers. Whatever it is, I'm sure you can't paint them all with a wide brush...well, you might be able to, but a reasonble person wouldn't. I would prefer to have representatives with advanced degrees representing me. I'm not sure why you wouldn't. Care to share?

  • I agree with Sean. Some of the greatest politicians in U.S. history are lawyers. Some of the best sports agents are lawyers. Most parents want their kids to be lawyers. Western State is a good law firm. I'm glad we have lawyers on the city council and think we are lucky that some are willing to live in Santa Ana when most lawyers have other options.

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