Post by Bill on Apr 3, 2007 9:28:49 GMT -8
I'm not even sure what to say about this story...
www.sgvtribune.com/search/ci_5545046
Mayor, ex-commissioner clash
By Bethania Palma and Frank C. Girardot, Staff Writers
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
AZUSA - Mayor Joe Rocha has filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County District Attorney alleging a former city planning commissioner used threats to try to force him out of office.
David Demerjian, head of the DA's Public Integrity Division, said his office began reviewing the complaint March 19.
Rocha, who was sworn in as Azusa mayor that same day, has accused former planning commissioner Mark Ades of threatening to make public an allegation of sexual misconduct unless Rocha abandoned his aspirations to become mayor, authorities said.
Rocha said he went to the district attorney after Ades distributed a letter to the City Council and city manager that accused Rocha of making unwanted sexual advances toward Ades both at his home and at city events.
"The accusations are not true," Rocha said. He described the allegations of sexual misconduct as "false and hurtful to my family, friends and supporters."
Arturo Santana Jr., Rocha's attorney, declined Wednesday to provide a copy of the complaint.
Ades released the letter, which also announced his resignation from the Planning Commission, a day after the city's March 6 elections. In the letter, Ades cites Rocha's election as mayor as the reason he resigned.
In a written statement, Ades denied the letter was an attempt to "force the new mayor to take any action."
"I stated the reason [for my resignation] because I felt the council members who placed me on the commission had a right to know why I was stepping down," Ades said.
Brenda McGann, who heads a West Los Angeles public relations firm, spoke for Ades on Wednesday. She said Ades denies the public airing of the allegations are part of a larger attempt to extort Rocha.
"He has had no contact [with Rocha] for months. It's preposterous," she said.
Ades claimed in the March 7 letter that Rocha aggressively initiated a "disturbing sexual encounter" during an unannounced visit to Ades' home on North San Gabriel Avenue. The incident occurred in "early 2005," according to McGann.
McGann declined to elaborate on the nature of the alleged contact.
Rocha's supporters expressed outrage at the allegation.
Jorge Rosales, a member of the city's Architectural Barriers Commission, said he considered Rocha to be a man of integrity.
"He's a family man," Rosales said. "If there's anyone I would trust my life with, it would be Mr. Rocha. He would never hurt anybody."
Burke Hamilton, principal at Santa Fe School in Baldwin Park, said he has known Rocha for 38 years.
"He has done nothing but build people up. He's the kindest person I've ever known," said Hamilton.
Although Ades claims the incident at his home occurred in 2005, he didn't approach city officials until approximately Nov. 26, 2006, McGann said. That approach occurred during the open filing period for candidates seeking to run for mayor.
"There was a history of advances before and after," McGann said. "It was unwanted attention."
McGann said the 46-year-old Ades has never run for office and supported Rocha until 2006, when Rocha chose to run for mayor.
Ades supported Rocha's opponent, former Mayor Diane Chagnon, in the 2007 mayoral campaign. Ades also ran Chagnon's successful campaign for mayor in 2005; Rocha did not run for mayor that year.
Before Ades was appointed a member of the city's planning commission in late 2005, he served on hate crimes and cultural heritage boards for the city.
A self-employed office organizer, Ades describes himself on his MySpace.com Web site as "Friendly, Easy-Going, Happy, Responsible, Stable yet slightly off-kilter ... and a little bit crazy."
Hamilton, a former Azusa planning commissioner who resigned in January because he was elected to a school board, said Ades approached him in the summer of last year and asked him to use his influence to try to convince Rocha not to run for mayor, "because that would tear the city apart," he said.
Yolanda Pena, who helped run a chili cook-off for a Democratic club she and Ades were members of, said Ades was "really upset" upon learning from her that Rocha planned to run.
She said he asked her why Rocha was running.
" was very offended," she said.
Ades' initial allegation was forwarded to the city attorney, according to Fran Delach, Azusa's city manager. That was done "to see if there was an issue there," Delach said.
City employees and officials are required by law to undergo various types of training including sexual harassment seminars, Delach said. A series of those seminars were recently completed by city officials, Delach said. In any event, the city attorney's review of the case found no reason to pursue the matter as it apparently didn't occur on city property.
Ades' March 7 letter claims Ades was notified that as an appointed commissioner — and not a city employee — there is no protection within the law from "sexual harassment" and unwanted advances.
Azusa City Attorney Sonia Carvalho acknowledged Ades brought his accusations to her attention in late November. She said because none of the alleged incidents took place on city property, it was determined this was a private matter between Ades and Rocha.
"We've done what we're required to do in accordance with the city's sexual harassment policy," she said.
McGann said Ades filed no police report in the incident. Azusa police Chief Bob Garcia said his department has never received a complaint from Ades about allegations against Rocha.
bethania.palma@sgvn.com
frank.girardot@sgvn.com
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2393
www.sgvtribune.com/search/ci_5545046
Mayor, ex-commissioner clash
By Bethania Palma and Frank C. Girardot, Staff Writers
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
AZUSA - Mayor Joe Rocha has filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County District Attorney alleging a former city planning commissioner used threats to try to force him out of office.
David Demerjian, head of the DA's Public Integrity Division, said his office began reviewing the complaint March 19.
Rocha, who was sworn in as Azusa mayor that same day, has accused former planning commissioner Mark Ades of threatening to make public an allegation of sexual misconduct unless Rocha abandoned his aspirations to become mayor, authorities said.
Rocha said he went to the district attorney after Ades distributed a letter to the City Council and city manager that accused Rocha of making unwanted sexual advances toward Ades both at his home and at city events.
"The accusations are not true," Rocha said. He described the allegations of sexual misconduct as "false and hurtful to my family, friends and supporters."
Arturo Santana Jr., Rocha's attorney, declined Wednesday to provide a copy of the complaint.
Ades released the letter, which also announced his resignation from the Planning Commission, a day after the city's March 6 elections. In the letter, Ades cites Rocha's election as mayor as the reason he resigned.
In a written statement, Ades denied the letter was an attempt to "force the new mayor to take any action."
"I stated the reason [for my resignation] because I felt the council members who placed me on the commission had a right to know why I was stepping down," Ades said.
Brenda McGann, who heads a West Los Angeles public relations firm, spoke for Ades on Wednesday. She said Ades denies the public airing of the allegations are part of a larger attempt to extort Rocha.
"He has had no contact [with Rocha] for months. It's preposterous," she said.
Ades claimed in the March 7 letter that Rocha aggressively initiated a "disturbing sexual encounter" during an unannounced visit to Ades' home on North San Gabriel Avenue. The incident occurred in "early 2005," according to McGann.
McGann declined to elaborate on the nature of the alleged contact.
Rocha's supporters expressed outrage at the allegation.
Jorge Rosales, a member of the city's Architectural Barriers Commission, said he considered Rocha to be a man of integrity.
"He's a family man," Rosales said. "If there's anyone I would trust my life with, it would be Mr. Rocha. He would never hurt anybody."
Burke Hamilton, principal at Santa Fe School in Baldwin Park, said he has known Rocha for 38 years.
"He has done nothing but build people up. He's the kindest person I've ever known," said Hamilton.
Although Ades claims the incident at his home occurred in 2005, he didn't approach city officials until approximately Nov. 26, 2006, McGann said. That approach occurred during the open filing period for candidates seeking to run for mayor.
"There was a history of advances before and after," McGann said. "It was unwanted attention."
McGann said the 46-year-old Ades has never run for office and supported Rocha until 2006, when Rocha chose to run for mayor.
Ades supported Rocha's opponent, former Mayor Diane Chagnon, in the 2007 mayoral campaign. Ades also ran Chagnon's successful campaign for mayor in 2005; Rocha did not run for mayor that year.
Before Ades was appointed a member of the city's planning commission in late 2005, he served on hate crimes and cultural heritage boards for the city.
A self-employed office organizer, Ades describes himself on his MySpace.com Web site as "Friendly, Easy-Going, Happy, Responsible, Stable yet slightly off-kilter ... and a little bit crazy."
Hamilton, a former Azusa planning commissioner who resigned in January because he was elected to a school board, said Ades approached him in the summer of last year and asked him to use his influence to try to convince Rocha not to run for mayor, "because that would tear the city apart," he said.
Yolanda Pena, who helped run a chili cook-off for a Democratic club she and Ades were members of, said Ades was "really upset" upon learning from her that Rocha planned to run.
She said he asked her why Rocha was running.
" was very offended," she said.
Ades' initial allegation was forwarded to the city attorney, according to Fran Delach, Azusa's city manager. That was done "to see if there was an issue there," Delach said.
City employees and officials are required by law to undergo various types of training including sexual harassment seminars, Delach said. A series of those seminars were recently completed by city officials, Delach said. In any event, the city attorney's review of the case found no reason to pursue the matter as it apparently didn't occur on city property.
Ades' March 7 letter claims Ades was notified that as an appointed commissioner — and not a city employee — there is no protection within the law from "sexual harassment" and unwanted advances.
Azusa City Attorney Sonia Carvalho acknowledged Ades brought his accusations to her attention in late November. She said because none of the alleged incidents took place on city property, it was determined this was a private matter between Ades and Rocha.
"We've done what we're required to do in accordance with the city's sexual harassment policy," she said.
McGann said Ades filed no police report in the incident. Azusa police Chief Bob Garcia said his department has never received a complaint from Ades about allegations against Rocha.
bethania.palma@sgvn.com
frank.girardot@sgvn.com
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2393
