Albert Robles

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Albert Robles is an American politician. Robles was formerly a mayor, councilman, treasurer, and deputy city manager for the City of South Gate, California. In 2005, he was convicted of plundering more than $20 million from the city and in November 2006 was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison [1] The disgraced politician's actions are seen as an example of Third World Politics that is becoming more prevalent in Hispanic-dominated regions of the United States.[2][3]

[edit] Political Career

  • Robles graduated from UCLA[4] and was a former aide to a Mexican-American legislator.[2].
  • In 1991 Robles became the youngest mayor of South Gate at the age of 26.[5]
  • In 1992 he was elected to the South Gate City Council by a predominantly Mexican-American electorate; the salary for the position was $600 per year.[2]
  • Between 1992 and 1997, Robles was elected to the local water board while retaining his city councilman position; the salary for the position was $23,000 per year.[2]
  • In 1997 Robles was elected to city treasurer position; the salary for the position was $69,000 per year.[2]
  • In 2002, after being charged with felony threat counts, Robles was appointed by the City Council to the Deputy City Manager position; the salary for the position was $110,000 per year. The legal bills associated with his defense was paid by the city.[2]
  • In 2003, Robles was recalled along with Mayor Xochitl Ruvalcaba, Vice Mayor Raul Moriel, and Councilwoman Maria Benavides in an election that was monitored by Los Angeles County by order of Governor Gray Davis.[6] Robles retained his position as Deputy City Manager.[2]

[edit] Criminal Allegations

  • Robles was suspected of being involved in shooting of city councilman Henry Gonzalez and the car firebomb detonation of a political rival.[2]
  • In 1997 Robles began to award to his friends and business associates contracts worth millions.[2]
  • In 2002 he arrested on felony threat charges for threatening to rape State Senator Martha Escutia and kill her husband, and threatening to kidnap Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh and kill him in Mexico. The trial resulted in a hung jury.[2]
  • In February 2003 on the day of his last City Council meeting, Robles was targeted by a federal grand jury looking into the handling of federal loans and grants. During his last week in office, Robles, City Manager Jesus Marez, and several lawyers coerced Assistant Finance Director Yimu Chen to sign many checks totaling over $1 million. The amounts were used to pay several attorneys that represented the outgoing politicians.[2] He was later indicted by a county grand jury for circulating false campaign fliers during the recall election.[5]
  • In 2004 he was indicted on federal corruption charges.[5]
  • In 2005 Robles was found guilty of 30 counts of bribery, money laundering, and depriving the electorate and was allowed to remain free on bond pending his sentencing hearing.[5]
  • In November 2006 he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, ordered to pay the city of South Gate $639,000 in restitution, and was immediately put into custody.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Becerra, Hector. "Robles sentenced to 10 years", Los Angeles Times, November 29, 2006.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "South Gate: Mexico Comes to California; How an all-American town became a barrio" (html), 19 May 2003 Issue, 19 May 2003. Retrieved on 1 December 2006. (in English)</
  3. ^ O Tempora, O Mores! Our Mexican Future (English) (html). March 2003 Issue, Vol. 14, No. 3 (March 2003). Retrieved on 1 December 2006. “In the meantime, even the Los Angeles Times wants to know: “Have Third World politics come to South Gate?” The paper notes that threat-maker Robles and punch-thrower Ruvalcaba are not fresh over the border. They both grew up in America, graduated from UCLA, and took the traditional route into politics by working for established politicians. Their Third World antics appear to be an expression of something other than environment. [Richard Marosi, The Freebies Pile Up as South Gate Goes to Polls, Los Angeles Times, Jan. 25, 2003. Richard Marosi, State to Monitor Recall Election, Los Angeles Times, Jan. 28, 2003. Richard Marosi and Megan Garvey, South Gate Mayor Slugs Councilman, Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2003. Mayor Punches Councilman At Her Last Meeting, AP, Feb. 4, 2003.] Third World politics is coming not just to South Gate but to the entire state. Some time in the late 1990s, whites ceased to be a majority, and in 2001 Hispanics accounted for an outright majority of births in California. Combined with the ones who immigrate legally and illegally, it will be only a matter of time before Hispanics are the undisputed majority. “The long-anticipated Latino majority has arrived,” says David Hayes-Bautista, director of UCLA’s Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture. “In 2003, it is learning how to walk and will shortly learn to talk.” Somehow, it is not difficult to imagine what it will say. “They will be defining the American dream,” says Mr. Hayes-Bautista; “It’s in their hands, basically.” [Study: Majority of State’s Newborns are Hispanic, Los Angeles Times, Feb. 5, 2003.]”
  4. ^ Marosi, Richard. "The Freebies Pile Up as South Gate Goes to Polls ; Some residents say the city's largess before a recall vote resembles the graft they saw in Mexico", 25 Jan 2003 Issue, 25 Jan 2003. Retrieved on 4 December 2006. (in English) “Have Third World politics come to South Gate? As three council members and the treasurer face a closely watched recall election Tuesday, many residents say the answer is yes.”
  5. ^ a b c d Rosenzweig, David. "Ex-South Gate treasurer convicted in bribery case" (html), 29 July 2005 Issue, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2005. Retrieved on 1 December 2006. (in English)
  6. ^ "South Gate Voters Clean House; Ousted Robles Said He May Seek Office Again" (html), KNBC Los Angeles, 29 January 2003. Retrieved on 1 December 2006. (in English)
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