Santa Ana Political Chismes: Did Nguyen prod Bustamante to attack Alvarez?

When Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante ran for reelection, in 2008, he was fully supported by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.  In fact he even sat next to her during the campaign debates – and she would help him with what to say as he was usually over his head.

Why then did Bustamante turn on Alvarez this week – and try to use the Code of Ethics to remove her from the position of Mayor Pro Tem, and from the OC Water Board?

An insider I know, who is about a third-tier member of the Usual Suspects, confided to me yesterday that the reason that Bustamante turned on Alvarez is simple – Supervisor Janet Nguyen put him up to it.  My source  reported that Nguyen wanted to see Alvarez crushed in order to prevent Alvarez from running for Nguyen’s First Supervisorial seat.

What was in it for Bustamante?  Plenty.  In fact thousands of dollars were at stake.  Bustamante was one of the County of Orange managers busted by an internal audit that showed he received vast raises that were unwarranted.

Bustamante was the OC Public Works administrative director when he was promoted to executive manager to also oversee OC Facilities. OC Public Works Director Jess Carbajal told auditors in December that Bustamante could not do the entire job because of potential conflicts with his City Council position. Santa Ana pays for half of the Civic Center maintenance costs; the county the other half. Carbajal said the assignment was temporary; the CEO said it was permanent. Bustamante was the Republican establishment’s preferred candidate for an open seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2007. He finished fourth in the contest. The county paid him $156,178 last year. (O.C. Register)

The Supervisors are considering revoking the raises, in the wake of a blistering report by a subcommittee headed up by Supervisors Shawn Nelson and Pat Bates:

Among the managers who could have their raises and promotions revoked are:  Susan Schroeder, chief of staff for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; Assistant CEORob Richardson, who saw his pay increase 33.13 percent in just six months after he was promoted from assistant to the CEO in January 2006; and Santa Ana City CouncilmanCarlos Bustamante, who was promoted to executive manager for OC Public Works last February. (O.C. Register).

Will Nguyen act to save Bustamante’s illegal raises?  If she does we will know that she cut a deal with Bustamante – go after Alvarez and you will get paid.  That looks like a raw deal now, as the Santa Ana City Council ignored the motion Bustamante and his ally, Councilman David Benavides, produced.  It should also be noted that Benavides once asked Nguyen for a job in her County office.

Bustamante and Nguyen also worked together last year to try to elect Republican former Assemblyman Van Tran to Congress, but incumbent Loretta Sanchez trashed him on Election Day.

The O.C. Supervisors and the O.C. Grand Jury need to look into these charges.  They should look at Nguyen’s and Bustamante’s County computers and see if they exchanged emails about this affair.  I cannot imagine that such quid pro quo behavior would be legal.

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

  • Now we're getting somewhere.

    We KNOW the Trannies over at the LOC don't care one iota about Jews, Latins or anyone that doesn't make them look popular or pay them.

    Boy, this put's a new meaning on "Channeling The Right Wing Noise Machine".

    Whose side are these guys on??

  • My sources are telling me that there is an issue of supervisor's recent pregnancy and DNA test.

    Use your imagination you will probably not go wrong.

  • CARLOS BUSTAMANTE total votes 26,258
    elected in 2008 to 1st of 3 possible terms (Measure D 2/2008),
    voter signatures needed to recall 3818

    CLAUDIA ALVAREZ total votes 40,261 (the highest vote winner of the 7)
    elected in 2008, to 1st of 3 possible terms (Measure D 2/2008),
    voter signatures needed to recall 2343

    Admin, would it not be in the best interest of Bustamante and the 1st district supervisor Nguyen, to take out the Alvarez now that she is in the weakest position of her political career?

    It would probably cost less than 15,000 which is cheap even by Santa Ana election standards. And with the loss of so much campaign funds to that crooked treasurer, there may not be much financial help available to battle a recall of just one person.

    Just think, you could reregister as a Republican, take this torch and spearhead a recall, and then you could be bank rolled as the republican candidate fro the 69th assembly district. Think of the life you can have making that quarter of a million cash flow in pay and perks along with a budget of another quarter million to employ your family and friends to high paying government staff jobs.

    • There won't be a recall. If one is started the PBID will be toast. The powers that be won't let that happen.

      I won't be returning to the GOP. They are a hate group.

  • Alvarez future in politic and DA/ Judge position is anti-semantically ceilinged.

    Look what happened to Mel Gibson for much lesser remark while drunk.

    This always happens when you do not know when to quit. Her third term was totally stupid. I never understood that.

    I have feeling that same will happen to Walters and Pulido soon.

    Man has to know his limitations and must quit. Look all these Mideastern dictators.

  • Fiala, even dumb ass me knows when to quit better than you do! You are obviously drunk and can no longer even speak Checko-slovak-Santanista. You beter get a jew lawyer because you have done some serious damage to your self tonight buddy!

  • Correction.

    To recall any council member or mayor would take 10 percent of the total voters of the city. About 10,800.

    I thought that to recall a council member you only needed 15 percent of the voters in each ward. But because each member is voted in a city wide election and not ward specific, in take 10 percent of all registered voters.

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