Why Won't Loretta Sanchez Return a Blogger's Phone Call?

By Gustavo Arellano Wed., Jun. 3 2009 at 3:37 PM

Categories: Politics

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It's fascinating to see the double standard that Orange County politicians employ with bloggers in these days of a flat media landscape. While blogs such as Red County and The Liberal OC are virtual megaphones for, respectively, conservative and liberal operatives and politicians (some even contribute articles), independent-minded blogs frequently find themselves in the same corner as the Weekly: when they ask for a quote or interview, ignorance. Dana and Don Papi Pulido: return our calls one day, will ya?

That's what's happening right now with Adriana Maestas, proprietor of Latino Politics Blog. The Orange County resident has a fascinating post up in which she claims to know a source who says Congresswoman Loretta "I Support the DREAM Act but Won't Co-Sponsor It" Sanchez was involved in an adulterous romantic relationship that could've been a conflict-of-interest. A lot of qualifiers, to be sure, but Maestas does make an interesting case.

But the relevant point for the purposes of this post is Maestas' efforts to elicite a quote from Sanchez on the matter:

In fairness to Congresswoman Sanchez, I have given her office an opportunity to comment on these allegations. She has a history of dodging questions, as evidenced by the time TMZ approached her asking about donations from Hugh Hefner. Additionally, her office did not release a statement about the Caroline Valdez embezzlement case. As in other instances, her office has not returned the calls of bloggers and the requests of a reporter with a news bureau in Dallas regarding this matter. Noted British historian, C. Northcote Parkinson once said, "Delay is the deadliest form of denial." I believe that may be playing out in this case.

In this day when State Assemblymember Chuck DeVore will respond to a question via Twitter within the day, why doesn't Loretta at least deny the salacious story? And it's not like Maestas is a Republican monkeywrench: she's the type of good liberal who thinks Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is a moderate. Stay tuned!

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d'Anconia: You're posting on old Loretta news�you should've done it in the latest post!
"Get it through your thick heads, once a mexi gets elected, they only care about la plata not la raza." Lol, that was classic. Hat tip to you sir. On another subject...Gustavo...I will also bet you a lunch that Loretta loses to Tran. But since we'll never meet it'll have to be delivery. Papa John's or Pizza Hut?
Why doesn't she answer the blogger? Easy, she hates chicanos anytime but election time. Then its all abrazos y sonrisas! Get it through your thick heads, once a mexi gets elected, they only care about la plata not la raza.
Google: HR1966. There may be more to this story.
dupiojohn~what's hot have to do with corruption and illegal behavior? Geez get up from a prone position so some of the blood will rush to your brain! Congress members "are there for what they are there" to serve us. Use your upper head instead of your lower one for once!
Efren is right SHE'S HOT. But truth be told I live(d) a few doors down from her for nearly ten years. I spoke to her twice, By chance on a United (First Class) flight, where she hustled me for a donation. Secondly, when we bumped into each other, along with her sister at a DEAD show. My kids who were subjected to the ASSHOLE anti-abortion protesters outside her "house" were never given the courtesy of a response either guys. Fuck em, Congress members are there for what they are there for, and it's not you and me. But, She's still HOT!
The party will be in mid-July. We'll let you know. You better show up. It would be even more fun if Loretta could make it.
Matt -- (with a hat tip to Junior) He (Ackerman) was a member of The State Senate and shouldn't stonewall a simple question about where he stood on an important matter of public policy. It shouldn't make a difference whether or not I am a blogger. And junior, the NY Times public editor has long stated that conservative letters to the editor stand a far greater chance at being published than ones from liberal readers. CNN runs Lou Dobbs and used to carry Glenn Beck; hardly bastions of liberal media bias.
Dan C, Just for fun: Gustavo, given the absence of coverage in this country to those with a center-right point of view (millions of registered Repubs at last count), Fox News provides a slice of "balance" to The Force. Don't count on the New York Times or CNN to ever provide a reference to Republicans that doesn't include a sneer.
Dan: She's a member of Congress and shouldn't stonewall a simple question about where she stands on an important matter of public policy. It shouldn't make a difference whether or not I am a blogger.
I think Loretta Sanchez is hot!!!
Adriana should consider the Congresswoman's staff to understand why Caroline Hogan would have no comment. She is smart to keep quiet as there are many similar secrets affecting key staff that could be exposed. Remember the blog about Sanchez and unwelcomed flirting? Her staff has been following her cue this past year! However, I suspect if Ms Sanchez were asked upfront, she would own up to it. She has never been one to shy away from her "girls just want to have fun" side.
Frank: You're on! I'm no fan of Loretta by any stretch of the imagination, but Tran is a horrible candidate whose only accomplishment seems to be that he's Vietnamese and he hates illegals. Although I know you'll be leaving comments for the coming year, let's check in November! David: What party?
Sorjuana, I can't believe they have the audacity to retaliate against Adriana like that. If true, that's just sick. So much for their commitment to free speech and the marketplace of ideas. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where Sanchez treats her with respect, answers her questions simply and honestly, and then moves on, with no one harmed and integrity preserved. But...she is obviously hiding and terrified of the truth. She knows she can't deny the affair or invoke the law in legitimate self-defense, so she lashes out against the messenger. It is breath-taking. We deserve better.
Gustavo: I'll bet you lunch at the restaurant of the winners choice that Tran beats Loretta...the reason being is that she's wearing out her welcome, the Vietnamese community will be out in full blazes (his issues not withstanding)-and I am beginning to think that it's not going to be a good year for Democrats in general (and mind you, I knew that the Republicans were in deep doo doo the last 2 elections)... The thing to watch is if you are getting the BEST candidates nationally on the Republican side-from what I am reading the Republicans are recruiting well...example-McDonnell in VA, Kasich in OH, Christie in NJ...
Gustavo, given the absence of coverage in this county to those with a center-left point of view (half-million registered Dems at last count), The LiberalOC provides a slice of "balance" to the Force. Don't count on the Register to ever provide a reference to Democrats that doesn't include a sneer.
Gustavo, do you think Loretta will come to our next party?
Another question to ask is: Why was Adriana Maestas fired from her political blogging job at SiTV? Could Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez have strongarmed the network and had her fired? SiTV is not hard core news, but their friendships with NCLR and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Latino "leaders" begs the question.
Well, I do't call Loretta all that often. And Art, go to www.quantcast.com, type in orangejuiceblog.com and note that your blog gets well under 1,000 readers a month where we're getting several thousand. And we're not libeling anyone in our posts. Wish I could say the same for you.
Dan, Maybe Loretta is ignoring you because just a few people read your blog?
Dan I am sure SLATE, the Washington Post, NYTimes, CNN (Anderson Cooper), CBS, NBC and ABC and every radio station has a blog and fervently believe they are journalists. Throughout every tv and radio broadcast we are encouraged, cajoled, begged to go to their blog sites. Traditional news outlets had to abandon the notion that the only real source of news was in print. Even political parties acknowledge the invaluable and necessary place for bloggers in news delivery. Glad you aren't working for the politicians I am supporting....no wonder they cannot win. But that isn't the real fact I seek to point out to you. The point is : Who cares if Einwhecter and Sanchez roll in the sheets or whether he divorces his wife and 8 children? Those are moral issues I leave to Einwhecter and Sanchez's discernment. It matters, if it is true, that he is paid handsomely by special interests groups to lobby the very committees Congresswoman Sanchez sits on. And equally important at the same time these allegations surface CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) reports that she is being investigated by our US House of Representatives Ethic Committee for other possible violations. In both instances when I called twice the response was silence followed with a voice mailbox of the Communications Director. Not a return called but whenever I call our Senators I get a response. Neither one asks if I am a blogger or newspaper contributor--they only want to know if I vote!
Then you know what, Dan? She's wrong for not returning your calls. And to say bloggers are "biased content providers" is an admission that the Liberal OC can't be trusted to do anything more than be blue hacks, one I don't necessarily agree with. Obviously, Matt and you have your own agendas, but I credit Red County and Liberal OC for breaking stories, even if I think they usually come with a specific agenda. Digging is digging is digging�isn't the only group of people who dismiss blogging nowadays are tired old media columnists like James Rainey? Frank: Doubt it. Tran is a million times worse than Loretta.
Adriana made a very thorough and thoughtful report. Loretta won�t return the call because the facts about her affair with Einwechter are common knowledge. She can�t and won�t deny it, because she knows that it is the lying and denials that sink the politician in such cases. There are simply too many people with personal knowledge of the situation. You can be sure that if it were untrue, she would be glad to deny it. She certainly won�t call just to admit it. The blog raises important questinos that deserve some kind of comment other than "no comment."
Prediction...she loses to Van Tran....
The question doesn't deserve a response; if its an adulterous affair, ask the other party. Matt -- Ackerman's office never returned my calls. Janet Nguyen's office won't either. Only Mimi Walters office returned a call, but it wasn't her. It was a flack. Bloggers aren't journalists; we're biased content providers. Sanchez dosn't return my calls either. Get over it.
We have our differences Gustavo, but here I second your motion. I called Loretta office several times earlier this year simply to find out if she supported or opposed reviving the Fairness Doctrine. Amazingly, her press secretary was never there when I called, and never returned my calls. I chalked it up the fact I'm a partisan who'd like to see her defeated, but obviously I'm not the only one on the do-not-return-their-calls list.
It�s rather obvious that Loretta Sanchez deems herself aristocracy, and feels she doesn�t have to comply with any rules or regulatory law. She has spent nearly a decade accomplishing very little, but socking to the taxpayer with all her expenses. See Loretta�s reimbursement file in www.opensecrets.org No one in Congress embraces the whole celebrity telemundo telenovela mentality than Loretta. So it�s always a complete surprise that people in the 47th Congressional district reelect her time and time again. This sure says something about the voters in that district.
Exactly!
My thought is that Loretta Sanchez and her staff including Communications Director Caroline Hogan (or whatever her press person's official title is) think that it is beneath them to speak to bloggers. Rep. Sanchez and/or Hogan could even clear this issue up with a response on the blog. If, in fact, the allegations are false, then it wouldn't take much to say so. It would give her an opportunity to clear the air and move on with her legislative agenda.
Sonia Sotomayor IS a moderate, Stavo.