For years, the Central Basin Municipal Water District was seen as a poster youngster for presidency dysfunction: State auditors slammed the company for questionable contracting practices, poor management and violating the regulation. Competing lawsuits accused officers of corruption and harassment, whereas the district’s bond ranking plummeted.
Then in 2020, as some California lawmakers sought to dissolve the district’s board of administrators and place it in receivership, the Commerce-based water wholesaler employed a self-described “turnaround specialist” to reform the district, which serves nearly 2 million residents in southeast Los Angeles. The troubled district was lastly coming into a brand new age, some hoped.
However these hopes have now pale because the district finds itself in yet one more main scandal.
Basic Supervisor Alejandro “Alex” Rojas — the person who was imagined to rehabilitate the district — now faces fees of cash laundering, soliciting a bribe and grand theft embezzlement. The costs, which have been filed in August, stem from his days as superintendent of La Puente’s Bassett Unified Faculty District from 2014-17, and never from his work on the district.
Rojas has denied any wrongdoing.
The costs have stoked bitter infighting amongst board members and sophisticated decision-making at one in every of Southern California’s main water wholesalers. Some district residents are involved concerning the allegations in opposition to Rojas and different officers.
“There’s this pervasive tradition in southeast L.A. politics the place, for my part, profit-driven and special-interest of us take benefit; they see these cities and these companies as a means to assist their companies and to serve themselves,” mentioned Juan Muñoz-Guevara, 25, of Lynwood.
“In a few of these southeast cities, individuals are working paycheck to paycheck, simply making an attempt to make ends meet, and with these smaller companies, you belief that the folks elected to them are going to be doing proper, and working the company proper,” he mentioned. “And these folks perceive that and use that.”
At a current board assembly, accusations of mendacity, mismanagement and alleged crimes flew as two members voiced issues about Rojas remaining in his place at the same time as he faces corruption fees.
Board members Leticia Vasquez and Martha Camacho-Rodriguez slammed Rojas and different board members, saying the water district lacked sufficient monetary controls or transparency, and mentioned they feared public cash could also be in danger.
“I’m involved that Alex Rojas additionally serves as the first individual on the district’s funds, the treasurer. He shouldn’t be performing as the final supervisor and the treasurer,” Vasquez mentioned. She referred to as for Rojas to be positioned on administrative depart.
Camacho-Rodriguez referred to as for a forensic audit to be carried out on the district’s funds.
“I can’t imagine that something at our company at the moment is clear, not whereas he’s had two years of dealing with our books,” Camacho-Rodriguez mentioned.
Rojas, who holds a doctorate of schooling from USC, insisted that the company’s administration and funds are so as and that correct procedures are being adopted. He additionally mentioned that enhancements within the district’s bond scores throughout his tenure have “saved the taxpayers some huge cash.”
Prosecutors allege that in 2015 and 2016 — when Rojas served as Bassett Unified’s superintendent — he schemed to divert greater than $1.4 million in public cash by approving invoices for work that was by no means executed. He was charged together with Luis Rojas, the chief govt of Del Terra, an organization that was employed to supervise development tasks for the college district. The 2 males aren’t associated.
“Illegally diverting voter-approved bond cash from faculties not solely deprives our kids of already scarce assets but in addition diminishes the general public’s belief in and assist for our academic establishments,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón mentioned when asserting the costs.
The pair are scheduled to be arraigned on March 15.
Information of the corruption fees troubled Meeting Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), who co-authored the invoice that may have positioned the district in receivership greater than 10 years in the past.
“I’m deeply involved by the allegations dealing with the final supervisor of Central Basin,” he mentioned in an announcement. “That is simply the most recent in an extended line of points dealing with Central Basin Water District and threatening their credibility. We want to have the ability to belief that our native water companies have the neighborhood’s greatest pursuits at coronary heart.”
In an electronic mail to The Instances, Craig Missakian, Alex Rojas’ legal professional, mentioned his shopper was “caught within the crossfire” of a 2018 investigation report written by the college district’s common counsel, Francisco Leal, concentrating on Luis Rojas and his firm, including, “there’s nothing to substantiate the costs.” He mentioned the unfounded fees are a “political hit piece masquerading as a legal criticism.”
In an electronic mail, Luis Rojas referred to as the district legal professional’s case “frivolous” and alleged that Leal’s criticism was based mostly on “rumor and hypothesis.”
“Had the DA’s workplace executed its personal homework — somewhat than merely taking Mr. Leal’s phrase — they might have seen that the costs are with out advantage,” Luis Rojas mentioned within the electronic mail, which Missakian despatched to The Instances. He identified {that a} choose in a associated civil case in opposition to his firm reviewed the fraud allegations and dismissed them, and mentioned he’s “assured that the identical will happen within the legal case.”
Missakian mentioned Alex Rojas “adamantly denies the central allegation within the legal case — that he took half in a pay-to-play scheme with a contractor … and appears ahead to clearing his identify.”
Missakian mentioned as a result of the case has not affected the work he does for the district in any means, Rojas “sees no cause to resign pending the result of his case, which he believes will finally be determined in his favor.” Two credit standing companies “have reviewed the district’s operations and funds and gave it a clear invoice of well being,” the lawyer mentioned.
No less than one activist stays involved.
“Why is he nonetheless working as GM of Central Basin when he’s underneath indictment?” mentioned Charming Evelyn, chair of the water committee for the Sierra Membership’s Angeles Chapter. “That is very extremely uncommon, and he ought to be eliminated.”
A number of the fiercest criticism of Rojas has come from Vasquez, who is not any stranger to political clashes. In 2007, Vasquez — together with different Lynwood Metropolis Council members and then-Mayor Louis Byrd — have been voted out of workplace in a recall after years of investigations, corruption allegations and a proposal for an NFL stadium.
Even earlier than Rojas was charged, Vasquez sued the water district alleging that Rojas, common counsel Robert Baker, board President Arturo Chacon and then-board member Robert Apodaca had violated her civil rights.
The criticism says that as a result of Vasquez is a “whistleblower who publicly disclosed a large number of wrongdoing and corruption at Central Basin these males have conspired collectively to cease her from publicly talking and in any other case disclosing unlawful, improper, unreasonable, immoral and unethical actions.”
In an electronic mail, Baker mentioned that Central Basin “will defend this matter and are assured we’ll prevail.”
Chacon declined to touch upon the lawsuit.
Amongst different claims, Vasquez alleges that Rojas and others bullied her, devised a scheme to cut back her pay, deactivated her official electronic mail account and wrongly censured her. She mentioned there have additionally been different incidents of intimidation.
Within the lawsuit, Vasquez alleged a “bodily assault” by fellow board member Apodaca throughout a 2020 assembly. In a video of the incident, Apodaca is seen standing from his seat and grabbing and pulling Vasquez’s arm as he reached for the gavel.
Apodaca couldn’t be reached by cellphone or electronic mail, however in courtroom paperwork, the district has denied all of Vasquez’s allegations.
Missakian referred to as the lawsuit and the claims of rights violations frivolous.
“No one, least of all Dr. Rojas, has prevented Ms. Vasquez from talking her thoughts, as her numerous public statements — at board conferences, by electronic mail, on YouTube, and in any other case — clearly exhibit,” Missakian mentioned.
