To understand why SAUSD Trustee John Palacio hates Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido so much you have to understand that Palacio is still mad that his best friend and mentor was booted off a local school board some years ago. Wait a minute – I am not referencing the recall of former SAUSD Trustee Nativo Lopez, but rather the fall from grace and eventual resignation of former Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Rodolfo “Rudy” Montejano.
Long before Lopez was causing trouble in town, Montejano was the man. An attorney, who graduated from UC Berkeley, like current Council Member Vince Sarmiento and Council candidate Eric Alderete, Montejano was quite the player back in the day – and Palacio was his number one lackey.
But Montejano, like Lopez, disgraced himself and then he left, only to reappear in far-off Indiana. But before we get to that, let’s recap his career, using media references:
- Montejano was first elected to the SAUSD Board of Education back in 1971. By 1985 Latinos could not get elected any longer to that board, according to the L.A. Times.
- By 1988, Montejano was on the Rancho Board and he was in the news again. This time he was cited by the L.A. Times as having recused himself from voting on a contract between the Rancho District and the operators of a swap meet that was at the time being held at Santa Ana College. Montejano was referenced as “an associate of Norton Western Ltd., the private corporation that formerly sponsored the swap meets.” Worth noting was the fact that a non-profit run by Montejano, the Santiago Club, was retained in the contract to “provide security, management personnel, restrooms and sanitation.”
- In 1989, the L.A. Times connected Palacio to Montejano. “John Palacio, a management consultant in Santa Ana, has been named Latino program adviser for the Pacific Symphony, orchestra officials announced this week. Palacio, formerly Latino affairs manager for Santa Ana and an executive assistant to the city manager, will serve as a part-time consultant to the organization to develop musical programs for the Latino community. The orchestra also has created a Latino advisory committee whose chairman is Rodolfo Montejano, a Santa Ana lawyer who was elected to the orchestra board of directors in January.”
- By August of 1990 the wheel were falling off of Montejano’s Cadillac, as the L.A. Times reported “The Orange County Grand Jury is reportedly investigating allegations that Santa Ana attorney and Latino rights activist Rodolfo Montejano tried to improperly pressure City Councilman Miguel A. Pulido Jr. to approve the construction of billboards proposed by one of his clients.” Aha! Palacio’s hatred for Pulido goes all the way back to this incident – which derailed Montejano’s career. Pulido stopped Montejano in his tracks!
- By October of 1990, the L.A. Times had reported more about the investigation into Montejano’s lobbying activities: “District attorney’s investigators have questioned three civic leaders about what they discussed or overheard at a private dinner hosted last year by Santa Ana lawyer Rodolfo Montejano, who is the focus of a grand jury inquiry. The gathering took place on the eve of a rock concert at Centennial Regional Park sponsored by a nonprofit organization led by Montejano and co-promoted by one of his clients.”
- Two Rancho District employees had finally had enough of Montejano, according to the L.A. Times. “Two faculty members from Rancho Santiago College demanded the resignation of college trustee Rodolfo Montejano during a meeting of trustees Tuesday. Philosophy instructor John A. Velasquez and Librarian Douglas Toohey told the board they believe that Montejano is no longer a proper role model for the college and should step down from the post he has held for 19 years.”
- A month later, Montejano cracked. He told the L.A. Times that he was “resigning from the board of an organization that he founded and plans to move to Indiana next year.” He cited health concerns and a desire to “live in a non-urban environment away from crime, drugs, traffic, overcrowding, pollution and congestion, which now dominate our city.” He also announced he was leaving his beloved Santiago Club – which fell apart after he left and no longer exists today.
- But the O.C. Grand Jury wasn’t done with Montejano. Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Donald A. Sizemore, told the L.A. Times that he and former Councilman Ron May were invited by Montejano to a dinner at a Reuben’s Restaurant to discuss whether the city Planning Commission and the council would approve construction of a series of oversize billboards being sought by a firm that the lobbyist (Montejano) represented.
- And in May of 1991, Montejano was making headlines yet again. The L.A. Times revealed that “former Deputy City Atty. Frank Rhemrev leased space in the office suite of Santa Ana attorney Rodolfo Montejano. As a result of this the city attorney’s office had to postpone a trial involving a lawsuit between the city and Councilman Richards L. Norton. And get this – Rhemrev “also handled about 30 zoning and municipal-code lawsuits pending against catering-truck owners who are represented by Montejano.”
- Later in 1991, Rancho Santiago Trustee Charles W. (Pete) Maddox accused fellow trustee Montejano of “unethical behavior in filing campaign financial statements and in his dealings with the college’s now-defunct swap meet,” according to the L.A. Times. Maddox pushed for a Code of Ethics for the Rancho Board that was approved by the Trustees.
- Montejano finished his time on the Rancho Board in September of 1991, according to the L.A. Times. Rancho Trustee Charles Maddox, a former student journalist who dogged Montejano for years, summed up the retiring Trustee’s career thusly: “In terms of the district and the community, I see Rudy’s career as a tragedy,” Maddox said. “We have this brilliant leader with all this talent who, in my opinion, put all of that talent in the wrong direction. What I’ve seen is a man who came from poverty, grew to social prominence then took advantage of those he left behind.” Maddox is especially critical of Montejano’s role in El Mercado, a privately run swap meet that operated for three years in the parking lot of the college’s Santa Ana campus. “Montejano’s involvement in the swap meet was the dirtiest political event ever to take place in Santa Ana,” Maddox charged. The swap meet, which served mostly Latino customers, was operated by the Santiago Club which contracted with Norton Western Ltd., a company owned by City Councilman Richards L. Norton. The Santiago Club, Norton Western and the college split portions of the proceeds earned from the swap meet–an arrangement which Maddox contended was a conflict of interest.
- But the hard times were not over for Montejano. In February of 1992, according to the L.A. Times, “A Superior Court jury Monday ordered retired Rancho Santiago College trustee and local lawyer Rodolfo Montejano to pay more than $1.7 million in damages to a former client who had charged him with fraud and misrepresentation.”
- And the Rancho Board was still dealing with Montejano’s alleged unethical behavior. The Board passed a ban on alcohol for Trustees who were charging dinner meetings to the District. Trustee Charles Maddox “first proposed and wrote the policy after noticing a $2,545 bill at the Antonello Ristorante in Santa Ana for four nights of board activities there in August, 1991. The bill included a $413.75 tab for alcoholic beverages,” according to the L.A. Times.
- Remember how Montejano said he was moving and retiring due to his health? That turned out to be a load of B.S. He never stopped working – he just moved to a different arena, perhaps ahead of the Grand Jury posse that was still going after him. In 2008, Montejano, who has been with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. for less than a year as director of development, was promoted Monday to the school system’s No. 2 administrative spot, according to an online source.
- Palacio of course never lost touch with Montejano. He included him on an online list of endorsers in 2010.
Palacio is now following in Montejano’s footsteps – which the aforementioned recalled SAUSD Trustee Nativo Lopez tried to do as well. Palacio is backing Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides, who is a hot mess, for the Santa Ana Mayor’s office, and Palacio is also involved in the Nelida Yanez and Mark McLoughlin campaigns for the Rancho Board and the Valerie Amezcua campaign for the SAUSD School Board.
And Palacio is still working the non-profits for his own benefit, as Montejano, his godfather, did. He called himself a “management consultant” after the City of Santa Ana fired him. Today he is involved in HEEF, the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund. You won’t find his name on their financial reports but go to their annual dinner and you will see that he is the man at HEEF. I wonder how much of the corporate loot they rake in every year ends up in his pockets?
He must be doing pretty well as he has a house here in town in the Morrison Park neighborhood, not too far from Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante’s house. And he maintains a second home in Arizona.
Most folks in town have forgotten about Montejano, but we haven’t. And you shouldn’t either. We can still stop Palacio from becoming the next Montejano – be sure to vote against every single candidate he is supporting, this November.
The mayor does not make the decisions in the new pulido independent council majority. Decisions would be made in the correct manner a consensus as they are not controlled by one individual as was the case with Pulido.
Art Lomeli how can you trust someone like David Benavides? He has long supported the PBID and Downtown Inc. over the wants of downtown business owners like you.
Mayor Pulido orchestrated the unconstitutional original set up of the PBIB. Has never supported the Downtown retail businesses while having control of the majority council…….could do what he wanted.
Pulido cannot and has never been able to vote on the PBID.
Benavides will act to bring it back, guaranteed. He must be stopped.
Hey Doc,
I have a problem with #14 on my lower left side, I need to either Crown it or yank it, then get an implant……….Just kidding.
Hey, how long before DEBORAH GAVELLO pulles her endorsement, now that word has leaked about David’s Dalliance’s.
As a Single Mother, The fan favoriote of the Liberal OC has a strange choice to make, Support the philandering challenger or look strong for women in the party.
She is of course as upward mobile as “DBEN” as he likes to be called.
Hey Doc,
Pass this one on to the boss:
http://articles.latimes.com/2001/feb/24/local/me-29612
“My students come by to visit pretty much every day,” Emily Benavides said. “I’ll get to be a part of the community now.”…..
Well as long as you actually live there, seems that the husband banging the secretary has an effect on the old community!
We contacted Matt Ebnet, he’ll be checking out DBEN as well, has a few nuggets of his own.
Don’t worry Dr. Lomeli, you are doing a GREAT JOB keeping this story on life support until it blows back in DBEN’S face.
Carpetbagger,
Just commenting on a political witch hunt. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to clarify the Pulido campaign strategy………” throw enough lies and some will stick”
Mr. Lomeli,
Your defense of Benavides is admirable but you really haven’t clarified what the “lies” are. Would you please tell the readers exactly what lies have been told about Benavides? Are you sure they are lies or are you just hoping they are?
Editor says:
September 4, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Pulido cannot and has never been able to vote on the PBID.
Benavides will act to bring it back, guaranteed. He must be stopped.
What I said is that Pulido orchestrated staff to prepare a unconstitutional plan in order to implement a program he wanted even if the property owners rejected their PBID plan.
Your comment has to do with voting after he railroaded the PBID ON THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
The majority property owners against the PBID do not appose THE PBID concept , our argument is about it’s unconstitutional implementation. We have asked the current unconstitutional PBID be eliminated and a new constitutional plan me presented to us to consider.
So we would welcome a constitutional PBID after the current unconstitutional PBID is eliminated…….. So your concern is unfounded.
Pulido has never voted on the PBID, ever. Benavides tonight voted against killing it several times.
If you still support a PBID then you are a fool. I have never in my life ever supported any bond measure, tax or other assessment.
Cleaning and maintaining the Downtown area is the job of the City and the property owners. Marketing is something that should be handled by the businesses themselves and by voluntary associations.
No business should be able to take another business’ money to spend on their own marketing. That is robbery.
Thanks Doc!
You defelected the attention away from me and Al. Keep up the good work.
I’ll buy you a drink when I get back from my actual home here in Arizona.
Hasta la victoria siempre,
Johnny Boy
Again…….Pulido orchestrated the uncontitutional implementation of the PBID. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT VOTING AFTER IT WAS SHOVED DOWN OUR THROATS.
You have a reading comprehension problem……where did I say I supported a unconstitutional PBID or any PBID. Again I said eliminate this unconstitutional PBID and present a constitutional one for consideration .
No I don’t. You plainly support consideration of a “constitutional” PBID. My point is why the hell do you need a PBID at all? kill it and be done with it.
But good luck with that. If Benavides wins in November he will have a pro PBID Council majority. You will be stuck paying for an unethical PBID for YEARS.
So to you support and consideration are the same.???????
con·sid·er·a·tion (kn-sd-rshn) KEY
NOUN:
Careful thought; deliberation: We will give your proposal consideration.
A result of considering; an opinion or a judgment: Is it your consideration that I should apply?
A factor to be considered in forming a judgment or decision: Safety is the most important consideration in choosing a car.
A treatment or account: The essay begins with a brief consideration of the history of the problem.
Thoughtful concern for others; solicitude.
High regard; esteem.
Payment given in exchange for a service rendered; recompense: agreed to do it for a small consideration.
Law Something promised, given, or done that has the effect of making an agreement a legally enforceable contract.
The reason it was there was due to a Pulido manipulating his majority council status.
Good grief – do you really need to use a dictionary to make a point? Lord knows what point you were even trying to make!
Blame Pulido if you want but the record will show he has NEVER voted for the PBID, but Benavides has, every time, and he did so again tonight.
Keep hammering home that Benavides sided with the gabachos that want to run la raza out of downtown. The people deserve to know the truth about him.
If his wife can’t trust him, how can we?
Editor wrote in another blog piece:
Finally all four voted unanimously to hold a PBID town hall meeting. PBID sitll dead due to a lack of majority vote to fund it.
Yes Pulido has never voted for the PBID due o a conflict of interest. He did orchestrate the uncontitutional implementation of the PBID .
EVEN IF HE CAN’T VOTE ON THE PBID HE ALSO DOES NOT PUBLICALLY SAY HE IS AGAINST IT BUT CAN’T VOTE AGAINST IT DUE TO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST VERY STEALTH.
The Council can always restore the PBID – and if Benavides is elected that is what will happen.
Benavides had several chances to kill the PBID tonight AND HE PASSED. Time and again he and his pal Bustamante voted to keep the PBID.
Evade this all you want Lomeli but your boy Benavides stabbed you and all the other small business owners in Downtown Santa Ana in the back tonight.
Good grief – do you really need to use a dictionary to make a point? Lord knows what point you were even trying to make!
Yes because you have trouble understanding the difference between support and concider. This is the point.
And you’re supporting a candidate, Benavides, who refuses to consider getting rid of the PBID. Lame!
Editor wrote::
“Benavides, who refuses to consider getting rid of the PBID”
The four counil members voted for a town meeting to get property owners opinion. This is consideration to eliminate the PBID.
Again you have trouble with definitions.
You support a candidate that manipulated the USA constitution in order to pass it by property owners that objected. Real lame!
No votes to fund kills the PBID.
You do realize that our readers can stch the council meeting replay and see for themselves that Benavides voted again and again not to kill the PBID? An exasperated Alvarez finally made the motion for a town hall meeting where it was clear what a weasel Benavides is.
You realize they can see at the end the four voted for a town hall meeting.
You also realize that Pulido orchestrated the unconstitutional PBID, has never PUBLICALLY said he if could vote would eliminate the unconstitutional PBID he created. Translates intonI support the PBID I created.
You post people not to vote For Benavides on this issue but your candidate,Pulido, has a worst tract record on this issue.
Joey Greko,
If you can’t prove the rumors to be facts then they are lies.