Santa Ana's Grand Choo Choo Conspiracy: The Carlos Bustamante Connection

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Posted by Gustavo Arellano in Notes from the Banana Republic

January 10, 2008 7:14 AM

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Final post in our Carlos Bustamante conflict-of-influenza series--for now...

All this week we've focused on Carlos Bustamante, the SanTana councilmember who gladly takes money from people seeking something from the city, then votes favorably for his donors. Some readers have wondered about my focus, claiming he hasn't technically broken any conflict-of-interest laws, and that donations are part of the politics game. As I told OC Blog's skeptical Jubal, I think Bustamante is in blatant violation of SanTana's municipal code barring votes on projects when a donor "has made campaign contributions totaling two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or more to the councilmember or to any (emphasis mine) campaign committee controlled by the councilmember in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date of the decision"--but I'm not the state attorney general, or SanTana city attorney Joseph Fletcher. I report, others decide or deride.

The one thing I hope to do with this series is disturb people enough to scrutinize the hell out of Bustamante, especially in light of the Renaissance Specific Plan that seeks to redevelop SanTana and that probably will come to a council vote in the coming months. I've earlier talked about the gerrymandering carried out to aid councilman Vince Sarmiento and Mayor Miguel "What should be his nickname?" Pulido; now, let me share what I call SanTana's Grand Choo Choo Conspiracy.

The OC Weekly is on the top floor of a five-story building whose principal tenant is the Santa Ana Business Bank. One of its directors? Bustamante. On the board of directors also sits George Pla, who heads the Cordoba Corporation. People associated with Cordoba donated $4,500 to Bustamante's failed supervisorial campaign last year, but their biggest impact on SanTana was consulting with the Orange County Transportation Transportation Authority on the failed Centerline light rail project. That long-scrapped plan called for most of its route to serve SanTana--and the Renaissance Plan calls for the city to implement a light rail on some of the original Centerline route within the RSP boundaries, namely from the Santa Ana Depot through Civic Center Drive to Flower Street to Santa Ana Boulevard.

See where I'm going here? Cordoba would love to work on a light-rail project in SanTana--indeed, they sent a rep to the SanTana City Council's September transportation committee, where he suggested "removing the Maglev from the Concepts of the Go Local Program and advertise it as a future intermodal connection (vision) of the Go Local Program." The Go Local program, is the OCTA's way of giving participating cities money to figure out how to connect to Metrolink. In other words, you have Cordoba reps advising SanTana to build a light rail.

Who would gain immensely from a contract? George Pla. Who would gain much as a result? Santa Ana Business Bank. And who's on bank's board of directors? Bustamante. Bustamante could abstain from a vote if SanTana decides to work with Cordoba, and he'd still win like gangbusters.

One of cinedom's best performances remains Edward G. Robinson's turn in the film noir classic Double Indemnity. In it, his character ends up cracking a case because of his gut feeling--his "little man," as Robinson called it, the sensation people sometimes get when they know something is awry and are usually proved right. That's what I'm feeling with the RSP, people. Beware of Bustamante. Beware of the coming proposals for the Renaissance Plan. Beware of any rhetoric involving "revitalizing" SanTana. Beware of the Illuminati. BEWARE!!! People are going to get very rich off the Renaissance Plan if it happens--watch closely.

To be continued as idiocies arise...

Comments (11)

Jubal says:
January 10, 2008 09:16

Gustavo,

In your first post, you said Carlos was clearly violating the city conflict-of-interest ordinance, which you maintained was very clear.

In a comment in your second post, you said that ordinance "is too damn ambiguous."

Now you've decided Carlos is in "blatant" violation, and then go on to say you're just reporting and not deciding.

I haven't looked closely at the RSP, but my gut feeling is to agree with you that it is a bad idea given the track record of these sorts of plans, and Santa Ana city government's track record in particular.

On the other hand, you're stretching logic to the breaking point on this Cordoba thing. How does the bank's bottom line benefit if a director, in his or her own separate business, lands a contract?

I have an equity stake in Red County. I'm also an independent consultant, separate from Red County. The other Red County equity owners derive zero financial benefit when I sign up a consulting client.

In other words, George Pla getting a new consulting client doesn't benefit Carlos Bustamante simply because they are on the same bank board of directors.

Gustavo Arellano says:
January 10, 2008 12:22

Jubal: Like I said before (even in this post!), the records clearly indicate Bustamante voted on issues relevant to his donors within 12 months of the donation. If you read SanTana's municipal charter code literally, then he's in violation. But that's what happened with Claudia Alvarez, and SanTana's city attorney said it was alright. Again: I report, but I'm not the law.

With the Cordoba connection, I am playing conspiracy nut--I admit it, unless you're part of the Illuminati. But the web is there. And I'd argue there is a difference between your financial situation and the SanTana Business Bank. Let's say Cordoba gets a contract for a SanTana light rail system. Pla could conceivably invest any money earned from that into the Business Bank, benefiting the bank and Bustamante. The bank, in turn, could finance the light rail's construction. Again: just a theory of mine, but one that's not that crazy to dismiss.

Anonymous says:
January 10, 2008 12:50

Gustavo:

You are on to something. George Pla has a series of failures in his past and he's influencing the policy makers in Santa Ana (read: Bustamante, Pulido and others) to build a light rail we don't need. The light rail line will never be built, but Pla will make out handsomely studying the issue. And, all he has to do is contribute to whom the Mayor tells him (Carlos being the latest example).

Talk to others in Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. George Pla and Cordova are infamous.

Art Pedroza says:
January 10, 2008 13:54

I agree Gustavo. It is no coincidence that the Santa Ana Business Bank opened for businesses just as the Renaissance Plan was ramping up. I have a feeling most of their Board will end up in jail.

Schwarzeneggar Centrist Republican says:
January 10, 2008 14:24

Jubal
This time you cant take my comment off this site because its not yours. First, you need to go back to Servite and have Mom and Dad ask the OSMs for a refund for your education. I get to say that because I am a proud Servite Grad. Second, every morning you need to remember to put on your NeoKluKluxKlan hat and gown on when you walk out the door.

With respect to Pla, you are what we call a mentioso. Here's how it works: In any public sector situation, where there is a financial institution involved (lets just say its the Santa Ana Business Bank) that acts as a repository for funds for the public agency, that bank utilizes those funds in its business endeavors. So lets assume that the City of Santa Ana is awarded a rail study project by OCTA (and lets assume that the Mayor of Santa Ana sits on the OCTA Board of Directors), and lets assume that the Santa Ana Business Bank is minority owned, and that the bank has asked OCTA, under the programmatic endeavors of working with with minority businesses, to open accounts with it and place OCTA deposits in those accounts.

Lets see who wins: The contractor (Cordoba) and its owner (Pla), the Bank and its owners (Pla/Bustamante twins/Metzeler/Amezcua etal) because of the OCTA relationship and the flow of dollars thru the bank, and those that receive campaign contributions. I know that you will make the same argument you previously made with Mr. Arellano-that these are separate business entities-but the bottom line is that the linkages exist in very real terms. From one who has worked in the banking-transportation-public sector areas and who knows PLA from his days at TELACU in East LA, this is standard behavior. This is not the first time Pla/Cordoba has had questions raised or been investigated over its internal relationships (just look at LA City/LA County court records).

The difference between your consulting business and your investors in your blog and this situation is that your business relationships are not in the public and not subject to public scrutiny. These are all public relationships. As such, they are all under the purview of public scrutiny.

Dont be mad-When I went to Servite, we were taught to think for ourselves and to have a sense of personal ethics. You obviously didnt attend those classes if they were provided during your time at 1952 La Palma.

JabalPig at the Public Trough: keep defending those that have a similiar ethical sense-Doolittle, Pombo, Nehring, Gary Miller, Carona, Fleischman-just a wonderful group of principaled ethical Republicans-and it doesnt include you-despite your relationship with Tad Brown

A proud Schwarzenegger Republican working with other moderate Republicans to return the party to sanity

PS-dont forget to leave your house wearing your NeoKLAN outfit-you dont want to be arrested for public nudity

Sean H. Mill says:
January 10, 2008 16:09

Gustavo,

Excellent work this week exposing Bustamante. I am glad to see that the Weekly and the MSM have joined those of us in the blogosphere that have been writing about the ethical shortcomings of Bustamante and company for sometime.

It has been a tough week for Carlito with all the attention he has been getting. I followed up my earlier post about his support for a $1.5 million gentrification plan with one that highlights your articles about his shady ethics.

That can be seen at:

http://www.theliberaloc.com/2008/01/10/ethically-challenged-republican-to-step-aside-shouldnt-bustamante/#comment-13281

Keep up the good work and thanks for all that you do.

Gustavo Arellano says:
January 10, 2008 16:26

Sean: Thanks for the kind words and for your own previous posts on Carlos. Do you mind linking here to your posts about the flatscreens Bustamante approved? I want to do an update on this and give you credit.

Bob Squalonero says:
January 10, 2008 17:30

Gustavo,

This reminds me of the plot line from the movie comedy "Blazing Saddles", where the corrupt, California Attorney General, Hedey (excuse me, that's Hedley!) Lamar tried to use corrupt means, to get the railroad line to go thru the town of Rock Ridge.

The only problem is, that what's funny in movies, ain't so funny in real life. ;-)

Cesar Madrid says:
January 10, 2008 20:59

Señores,

Obviously only reporters with real huevos may apply at the Weekly! Please keep up your excellent coverage and reporting.

It's a sad, sad day when a bunch of greedy, selfish, self-serving S.O.B.'s can hide behind smokescreens and dubious city ordinances to promulgate their unscrupulous agenda. Unbelieveable how they pretend to be God and decide who gets inside their own pearly gates (a.k.a. Rennaisance Plan). But, then again, the 'renaissance' term says it all since it references a purely European cultural revival. I say screw the Renacimiento and start the ReConquista by bringing these caudillos down to their knees. Pulido, Bustamante, and the rest of their ilk should look back at history and realize that gentrification doesn't last forever; therefore their immense desire for any sort of legacy will be limited. Please don't let this story get buried because we stand to lose way too much to a bunch of traidores.

Dick Cabeza says:
January 11, 2008 15:47

Cesar - "Reconquista" ? - Do you mean when the USA retakes Mexico City and turns that cesspool corrupt government and "country" into the 51st state?

Lisann Martinez says:
January 14, 2008 14:42

Someone told me once, that it seemed like the Movie China Town with Jack Nicholson. All this Corporate Fraud, and investments, violating security and exchange laws, investing our monies with Honda Dealerships, and conspiracies. If the people are complaining, that they smell a rat. That the City of Santa Ana is not so hunky dory. The U.S. Attorney General should start sniffing around City Hall, to see what they uncover.

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