| Huntington Park is Republican Country Huntington Park's Dirty Little Political Secret. Posted Monday, March 27, 2006 Editor, WatchOurCity.com |
| Huntington Park, CA - The city of Huntington Park likes to boast that it is the most Mexican of local cities, and one of the staunchest of Democratic voting bases. A popular Spanish morning drive disc-jock even calls this city "Huntington Park, Jalisco, Mexico", inferring that in spirit and culture, Huntington Park belongs more to Mexico than to the U.S. He's not exaggerating. The demographics prove the point. The city officially has a total of approximately 62,000 residents, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Out of those, only a total of about 15,000 are registered to vote. The voting majority historically tends to vote for Democrats. A large portion of the city's residents that are not registered to vote are presumably here in this country with questionable legal status. It is this larger group of resident population that lives in the shadows of Federal immigration laws and local building code inspectors, since some live in converted garages. Pacific Boulevard, Huntington Park's main commercial street, is one of a hand full of places in all of California where one can buy fake immigration "green cards" and California Driver's licences. Each can be had from between $20 to $60, or about 3 to 10 hours of minimum wage labor. Local, state and federal elected officials are predominantly Democrats in this Southeast L.A. County suburb. Huntington Park's State Assemblyman and current Speaker of the California Assembly, Fabian Nunez, is a Democrat. Martha Escutia, a Democrat, is the city's State Senate representative. Huntington Park's federal reps in the House and Senate, Lucille Royball- Allard and Senator Barbara Boxer, are both Democrats. L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina, whose district includes Huntington Park, is also a Democrat. It is such an anomaly, then, when Huntington Park's home grown rising political star, Rosario Marin, is an immigrant Republican, almost a contradiction in terms, given the recent Republican sponsored bill in the House of Representatives that all but proposes to criminalize one's status as an illegal alien. The fallen political star in Huntington Park, Edward Escareno, is also a Republican. He was Rosario Marin's protege and managed for her the political campaign in 2003 of John Noguez (Democrat), Ofelia Hernandez (Democrat) and Mario Gomez (Republican). They are now current council members. Huntington Park's Dirty Little Political Secret Huntington Park is actually Republican Country. Federal campaign contribution data leaves no doubt about that, despite the demographics. Several websites track contributions to Federal election campaigns, among them: www.campaignmoney.com www.opensecrets.org The Federal government has its own website for campaign finance reports and data: www.FEC.gov. The numbers for Huntington Park zip code 90255, reveal that during the last four election cycles, Huntington Park's Federal campaign contributions to Republicans far outstripped spending on Democrats by a factor of 6 to 1. In total dollar amounts, contributions from Huntington Park to Republican state and national committees, and candidates, was $100,400, a whopping number when compared to the pittance contributed to Democrats at $16,200. The totals cover election years 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. These numbers are in sharp contrast to the political, demographic and socio-economic make-up that Huntington Park represents otherwise. The massive protests in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend against the Republican sponsored anti-immigrant House bill was estimated to be between 500,000 and 1 million. The Los Angeles Times reports today that "After massive nationwide street protests this weekend, the Senate is set to begin debate, for the first time in a decade, on the emotionally charged subject of immigration." Huntington Park residents, who are predominantly of questionable legal status, would most be affected by this new proposed Federal legislation. Ironically, Huntington Park contributors to the Republican National Committee and the Republican National Congressional Committee had an indirect part in supporting this bill. The contributors Rosario Marin is a prominent Republican contributor, but by no means the most prodigious. Huntington Park has Pacific Boulevard, a hugely popular regional retail destination for immigrants, legal and illegal. A report by WatchOurCity.com in June 2005 notes: "Take “Pacific Boulevard”, the street, for example. It is arguably one of Southern California's most Latino shopping districts, is perhaps one of the most walkable, and is a major regional shopping attraction on par with the nearest suburban malls around. It is hugely popular with immigrants from all over the region and even south of the border. "Pacific Boulevard is hugely successful financially as well. The tax base generated by a daily influx of immigrant dollars swells merchant bank accounts and city hall coffers. The dollar per square foot in sales here is equivalent to that at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, according to recent studies. There are more bank branches sprouting up here in storefronts as there are taquerias, or taco shops." One prominent retail vendor along Huntington Park's Pacific Boulevard's retail corridor stands out as a prominent contributor to the state Republican Party. This particular business caters to and has seen success and growth due to one solid customer base that helps him keep the doors open for business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The majority of customers are primarily immigrants, some legal, most illegal, from Mexico and Central America. The business has grown spectacularly over the years, even becoming a branded image with franchises opened up in other heavily immigrant Latino communities such as South Gate, Lynwood, Long Beach, East L.A., Los Angeles, and Fontana. The business? El Gallo Giro. Owner Charles Bonaparte is a prominent member of the Huntington Park Chamber of Commerce. He is a good friend of Rosario Marin. According to CampaignMoney.com, Mr. Bonaparte gave $1,000 to the California State Republican Party on 10-19-99. A few months earlier he gave another $1,000 to the "Bush for President, Inc." campaign on 6-30-99. A second business that also depends heavily for its profits on the local immigrant clientele is Shakey's Pizza. The General Manager, Salvador Garcia, has donated both to the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee over $1,000 between 2003 and 2004. Huntington Park has many medical clinics, all catering to the health needs of the local immigrant client base. Seville Medical Group and All Care Medical Group had at least one doctor from each clinic give to the Republican committees. Huntington Park has a relatively small industrial business base. One business in particular gave more than $25,000 in combined contributions to the Republican National Committee. Mr. W. W. Henry, owner of W.W. Henry Company is located on Slauson Ave, across the street from Huntington Park High School, where so many immigrants, legal and illegal, attend school and play football, baseball, and that all time favorite immigrant sport, soccer. Two other notable contributors to a prominent Republican candidate: on 2-9-04 Victor Caballero gave a $2,000 donation to Rosario Marin's U.S. Senate campaign against Barbara Boxer. There is no federal record of Caballero ever giving to any federal candidate, either before nor after this donation. The timing is quite curious and suspicious because on that same month, city council voted to award Victor Caballero's Fiesta Taxi company a multi-million dollar transportation award. Edward Escareno and his city council majority voted in favor of awarding Fiesta Taxi the contract. Another Republican contributor: George Cole's top deputy at the Oldtimers Foundation, Robert Rodriguez also gave on the same day that Victor Caballero did. The Oldtimers Foundation in Huntington Park was the other half of the $4 million transportation contract given by a Rosario Marin controlled city council. George Cole only donates to Democratic causes, but on this February 9th, 2004, he relented and donated Republican, in gratitude, it seems for being awarded part of Huntington Park's $4 million transportation contract. The award was voted on February 4, 2004. All in all, and despite the high immigrant population, Huntington Park is more Republican than Democrat when it comes to giving. That partly explains why Rosario Marin, a Republican with immigrant pedigree, is able to rise. Rosario Marin came to this country from Mexico City at 14 years old and attended Huntington Park High School where she was an English as a Second Language (ESL) program student. Where is Rosario Marin's voice when the immigrant community in Huntington Park and elsewhere needs her most? She was the highest ranking Latina in the Republican White House at one time. She is now probably the highest ranking Latina in California working for Republican Governor Schwarzenegger's administration as the head of Consumer Affairs. The largest consumer group needing protection and a voice is the immigrant's. The Associated Press reports this morning: "We must remember there are hardworking individuals, doing the jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country," the president said in his weekend radio address." |
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| Photo credit: Associated Press. Demonstrators in Downtown Los Angeles against House bill sponsored by Republicans that proposes to criminalize illegal immigrant status. |
| Photo credit: L.A. Times |