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City Attorney Francisco Leal Resigns As Attorney For Alhambra School
District Tuesday 1-11-05 On The Heals of Planned Board Action to Fire His
Law Firm The Same Day (clict for link to Pasaden Star News)

The District Was Sued by a Parent for Alleged Violation of Ralph M. Brown Act for
Selecting Leal's Firm in Closed Door Session. A School Board Member was hired by
Leal's Firm.

Posted Friday January 14, 2005
WatchOurCity.com
LynwoodWatch.com

Huntington Park, CA - Francisco Leal is Huntington Park's City Attorney. He was selected
in closed door session under questionable circumstances.

Councilman Escareño reportedly proposed hiring Leal in closed door session and without
competitive bids from other attorneys. But nobody sued here because nobody was
watching.

Leal, councilman Escareño and Rosario Marin keep good company and have a close
relationship. Leal accompanied Escareño to Sister City Playas de Rosarito, Mexico, on an
official trip to visit the councilman's girlfriend, a local teacher in that city, as written in a
local news clip, when Escareno was abusing public funds for travel and cell phone calls to
that city. Months later Escareno pays back some of the questionable costs. Leal the, City
Attorney, was in good company.

Leal hosted a fundraising party at his home for ex-U.S. Treasurer and ex-mayor Rosario
Marin's Senate bid in '04. (click here to see copy of fundraiser announcement).

Co-hosting the fundraising event were George Cole, Councilman from neighboring city of
Bell and Director of Oldtimers Foundation; Victor Caballero with Fiesta Taxi and a
member of the city's Arts and Culture Commission, though not a resident of the city;
Vicente Ortiz, owner or Tacos Don Chente, founding member of Meta 2000, a private
Hispanic business group, and is also a member of the Arts and Culture Commission,
though he is not a city resident.

Leal, Cole, Caballero, and Ortiz are very good friends of Councilman Ed Escareno and
Mayor John Noguez. Leal, Cole, Caballero, Ortiz are recipients of lucrative city contracts
awarded by their friends in city council, all within months, if not days, of Marin's
fundraiser, all contracts awarded under cloud of questionable circumstances. For example,
Francisco Leal was selected for a $300,000 per year city attorney contract in closed door
session, a possible violation of the Brown Act. George Cole and Victor Caballero teamed
up to be awarded a nearly $4 million transportation contract, though they were not the low
bidder, not even the second low bidder, but rated third and last. It helped that they had
council members Ed Escareno, Mario Gomez, Mayor John Noguez and Ofelia Hernandez
on their side, and public bid process be damned.

Vicente Ortiz's group, Meta 2000 received $30,000 cash from Public funds for his group's
El Grito event. Mayor John Noguez wanted to give $50,000 but reports by
WatchOurCity.com tempered his zeal to help out his friends with a cold hard cash gift of
public funds.

WatchOurCity.com called for an audit of Meta 2000's use public funds. To date no council
member has requested an audit. Leal was in good company hosting the fundraiser for
Marin.

Marin is currently supporting council candidate team of Elba Romo and A ndres "Andy"
Molina. Elba Romo was first appointed to the Parks Commission by Escareno and council
cronies. She was later appointed to City Clerk by Escareno and council cronies. She is now
endorsed by Victor Caballero of Fiesta Taxi and George Cole, Bell councilman/Oldtimers
Foundation. Elba Romo is in good company.

Mayor John Noguez and council member Ofelia Hernandez received $4,000 in campaign
contributions from Francisco Leal in 2004. Ofelia voted for Leal's attorney contract barely
seven months after receiving one of Leal's donation. Leal is in good company.

Who pays for all this favoritism and sweetheart contracts issued to friends of Escareno,
Noguez, Hernandez and Gomez?

Pre-School programs are cut. City staff is laid off. Little league baseball park enrollment
fees were hiked by 100% from $30 to $60 per kid. Adult baseball league park fees were
raised by 500% ($6,000 to $30,000).

Where were the concerned Parks and Recreation Committee members, some who are now
council candidates claiming to be the voice of the people? Where was Elba Romo's voice
then? Where was Elba Guerrero's "I will be a voice for the people" then as she now claims
in her candidate statement? Mayor John Noguez is reportedly paying for Guerrero's
campaign.

They are all in good company!

See Report in our partner city watch website http://www.lynwoodwatch.com
See Pasadena Star News report dated 1-12-05 http://www.pasadenastarnews.com