LOS ANGELES — For years, the Central Basin Municipal Water District has been viewed as a symbol of government dysfunction. State auditors have accused the agency of questionable contracting practices, poor leadership, and violations of the law. Pending lawsuits accused officials of corruption and harassment, and the district’s bond rating plummeted.
Then, in 2020, some California legislators called for the district’s board to be dissolved and brought under control, prompting the Commerce-based water wholesaler to serve nearly 2 million residents in the Southeast. hired a self-proclaimed “turnaround specialist” to reform a district that provided Los Angeles. There was also hope that the troubled district had finally entered a new era.
But those hopes are now fading as the district has suffered yet another major scandal.
General Manager Alejandro “Alex” Rojas (the man who was supposed to rebuild the district) is now facing charges of money laundering, soliciting bribes, and embezzlement of Grand Theft. The charges filed in August stem from his days as superintendent of La Puente’s Bassett Unified School District from 2014 to 2017, not his work with the school district.
Rojas has denied any wrongdoing.
The accusation sparked bitter infighting among board members and complicated decision-making at one of Southern California’s major water wholesalers. Some district residents are concerned about the allegations against Rojas and other officials.
“The politics of southeastern Los Angeles is permeated with this kind of culture that, in my view, is taken advantage of by profit-seeking, special-interest-seeking people. We see our institutions as a way to support businesses and serve ourselves,” said Juan Munoz Guevara, 25, of Lynnwood.
“In some of these Southeastern cities, people are working paycheck to paycheck trying to make ends meet. I believe there is,” he said. “And these people understand it and are using it.”
At a recent board meeting, two members expressed concern that Rojas remained in his position despite facing corruption allegations, leading to allegations of lies, mismanagement, and criminal charges. accusations flew.
Board members Leticia Vazquez and Martha Camacho Rodriguez criticized Rojas and other board members, saying water districts lacked proper financial controls and transparency, putting public funding at risk. He said he feared being exposed.
“I am concerned that Alex Rojas is also the district’s treasurer, the chief financial officer. He should not act as general manager or treasurer,” Vazquez said. She asked Rojas to ask for a leave of absence.
Camacho-Rodriguez called for a forensic audit of the school district’s finances.
Camacho-Rodriguez said, “Even though he’s been working on our book for two years, I can’t believe everything at our agency is clean at this point.
Rojas, who holds a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California, argued that the institution’s administration and finances are on track and proper procedures are in place. He also said that the district’s improved bond ratings during his tenure “save taxpayers a lot of money.”
Prosecutors plan to divert more than $1.4 million in public funds by approving bills for work that was never done in 2015 and 2016, when Rojas was the director of Bassett Unified. He was indicted along with Luis Rojas, CEO of Del Terra, a company hired to oversee the school district’s construction projects. The two men are not related.
“Illegal diversion of voter-approved bonds from schools not only robs children of already scarce resources, but also undermines public trust and support for our educational institutions,” says Los Angeles County. District Attorney George Gascon said in announcing the charges.
The two men are scheduled for arraignment on March 15.
News of the corruption allegations haunted House Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Democrat who co-authored a bill to put constituencies under his control more than a decade ago.
“I am deeply concerned by the allegations facing the Central Basin General Manager,” he said in a prepared statement. We need to be able to trust our local water authorities to have their community’s best interests at heart.”
In an email to the Los Angeles Times, Alex Rojas’ attorney, Craig Misakian, said the 2018 investigative report written by the school district’s general counsel, Francisco Leal, targeted Luis Rojas and his firm. “Caught in the crossfire” of the book, his client said. He said the baseless accusations were “a political blockbuster masquerading as a criminal prosecution.”
In an email, Luis Rojas called the district attorney’s case “frivolous” and claimed that Lille’s complaint was based on “rumours and speculation.”
In an email sent by Misakian to the Times, Luis Rojas said, “If the DA office had done its own homework instead of simply taking Mr. Lille’s word for it, the accusation would have no merit. He noted that judges in related civil cases against his company had considered allegations of fraud and dismissed them, adding, “I am confident the same will happen in criminal cases.” There are,’ he said.
Misakian said Alex Rojas “strongly denies the core allegations in the criminal case, that he participated in a pay-to-play scheme with a contractor…and revealed his name.” I look forward to doing it.”
Misakian said the incident has had no impact on the work he is doing for the district, and Rojas “sees no reason to resign until the outcome of his case is known and will eventually The two credit rating agencies have “reviewed the district’s operations and finances to ensure its soundness,” the attorney said.
At least one activist has concerns.
“Why is he acting as the GM of the Central Basin when he has been indicted?” I’m here. “This is highly abnormal and he should be dismissed.”
Some of the fiercest criticism of Rojas comes from Vasquez, who is well versed in political conflict. In 2007, Vazquez, along with other Lynwood City Council members and then-Mayor Lewis he was elected out of office on a recall after years of investigations, corruption allegations, and an NFL stadium proposal.
Even before Rojas was indicted, Vazquez was accused of violating her civil rights by Rojas, general counsel Robert Baker, director Arturo Chacón, and then-director Robert Apodaca, alleging that the water service sued.
According to the complaint, Vazquez “is a whistleblower who has publicly exposed numerous misconduct and corruption in the Central Basin, so these men conspired to prevent her from speaking publicly, illegally, inappropriately, or We seek to prevent disclosure or disclosure of unreasonable, immoral or unethical activities.”
In an email, Baker said Central Basin “will defend this issue and I am confident we will prevail.”
Chacon declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Among other allegations, Vasquez alleges that Rojas and others bullied her, devised a plan to reduce her salary, disabled her official email account, and wrongfully accused her. , said there had been other incidents of intimidation.
In the lawsuit, Vazquez alleges “physical assault” by fellow director Apodaca during a 2020 conference. You can see it pulling.
Apodaca was unable to be reached by phone or email, but in court documents, the district denies all of Vasquez’s allegations.
Misakian said the lawsuit and allegations of infringement were frivolous.
“No one, including Dr. Rojas, has prevented Ms. Vazquez from speaking her mind, as her countless public statements at board meetings, emails, YouTube, etc. clearly demonstrate,” said Misakian. said.
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