Sunday, April 3, 2016

Los Corruptitos de Cudahy Suppress Public Comment

From January 11, 2016, the Cudahy City Council, particularly Los Cuatro Corruptitos, have been on notice.

Aside from Jack Guerrero, the only honest member of the city council, the city council continues to fight and limit public comment at the city council meetings.

In January, members of the audience were permitted to address the city council at three periods.

1. Agenda items

2. Closed Session items.

3. Non-agenda items.

After three months of having to endure severe criticism from an enraged electorate, fed up with the corruption, waste, and malfeasance, the city councilmembers have opted to severely limit public comment outright.
Councilman Jack Guerrero speaks out against his corrupt colleagues

Councilman Guerrero has repeatedly resisted these efforts.

Chris Garcia (right) interrupts Jack Guerrero (left)

At the March 14th, 2016 city council meeting, Guerrero reminded the audience that members of the previous city council routinely resorted to suppressing public comment from the community.

The corruption eating up the city from the inside out was later found out, and two members of a previous city council went to federal prison for corruption charges.

Yet here we are again, with the Cudahy City Council limiting public comment even further.

Los Corruptitos, including Baru Sanchez, admitted their perverse intent as soon as they informed the public that public comment used to permit each person to speak for five minutes.

I respect that city councils want to make sure that every person can address their elected leaders about their poor or good decisions.

But in Cudahy, a grand total of eighteen people wanting to speak out against the city's actions should not be curbed from their comments.

Instead, the elected leaders not to start engaging in good government, and respecting the will of the voters. More importantly, they need to honor their oaths and uphold the rule of law.

In response to this repeated suppression of public comment, I released the following complaint to the Los Angeles County Public Integrity office:

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Subject: Deliberate Limitation of Public Comment in Cudahy‏

Dear Chief Deputy DA Sean Hassett:

In a previous correspondence from this office, you alluded to a perceived agenda of limiting public comment from the public from the Cudahy City Council:

We also note that at the following meeting on February 8, 2016, one of the council members who left abruptly during the January I I, 2016 meeting, left immediately prior to public comment, which is held at the very end of the meeting, while the remaining council members, except for one who dissented, voted to limit public comment to two minutes instead of three, even though only 18 people signed up to speak. So, although we do not reach the issue of the council's intent, there are certainly facts that suggest that the city council is attempting to infringe on the public's right to criticize its government.

I am now reporting to you that that is EXACTLY what is happening in Cudahy.

Los Corruptitos de Cudahy
From left to right: Chris Garcia, Cristian Markovich, Cristian Hernandez, Baru Sanchez
Check over this extended video, from the very beginning to the five minute mark:


The city council has admitted publically twice that the city council used to permit five minutes of public comment.

There were also three periods for public comment:

1. Agenda items only

2. Closed Session items.

3. Non-agenda items.

In the past three city council meetings, the city council has now phased out two periods for public comment, and reduced the time for that one period from three minutes to two.

Indeed, this city council is seeking to limit public comment!

I do understand that city councils are free to allow one period for public comment. 

However, I am specifically pointing to a concerted effort from the Cudahy City Council to prevent, to limit discussion.

Please issue a cease and desist letter--the city council needs to restore the times and periods for public comment.

Thank you.

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact

City Councilman Jack Guerrero: (323) ----------------

Local activist Patricia Covarrubias (323)  ----------------

Local activist Francisco Torres (323)  ----------------

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