Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper
Re “Has Reporter Been Stalking Water Board Member, Scaring Family?”
[img]2724|right|Reporter Mike Sprague||no_popup[/img]In the past week, the editor of the Whittier Daily News and his reporter Mike Sprague have published several questionable stories aimed at discrediting Central Basin Water District Director Art Chacon, while ignoring ethics and monetary violations of other water board Directors.
Their mission to publicize Mr. Chacon’s alleged transgressions has involved, among other things, harassing Mr. Chacon’s diabetic 77-year-old mother Paula, his 80-year-old wheelchair-bound aunt Lupe, and his nephew’s fiancé, Jessica Lao.
Sources are telling Hews Media Group-Community News that former water board general manager Art Aguilar, a close associate of the Calderon family and longtime friend and mentor of Mike Sprague, could be behind the harassment in a behind-the-scenes power grab of the water board directors.
Sources say Central Basin Directors Leticia Vasquez and James Roybal are helping Mr. Sprague in an effort to seize the majority on the board so Ms. Vasquez can reap millions by voting for the Qui Tam whistleblower lawsuit she filed against the embattled agency.
As exclusively reported by this newspaper group last Friday, Ms. Vasquez filed a last-ditch amendment to the whistleblower complaint, with the final hearing to occur Oct. 10.
How did Mr. Sprague obtain Ms. Lao’s number?
Ms. Lao has no idea how Mr. Sprague got her cell number. She did spend the night at Mr. Chacon’s house last week. Mr. Sprague was seen parked in front of the house at the time.
The next day, Ms. Lao received a text from Mr. Sprague that said, “My name is Mike Sprague. I’m a reporter at the WDN. I understand that you know Art Chacon, a member at CB, can you call me at 562-567-7537?”
Mr. Sprague also emailed her several times, harassing Ms. Lao to the point that she threatened to file a police report.
Granted Mr. Chacon’s history is by no means spotless, but neither is Ms. Vasquez’s or Mr. Roybal’s.
But the Whitter Daily News and Mr. Sprague have published Mr. Chacon’s history ad-nausea, using Ms. Vasquez, who was recalled from the Lynwood City Council in 2007 and who was accused of jury tampering in the Paul Richard’s corruption case, as their source.
No fewer than five articles — and today an editorial — have been published in the last six days slamming Mr. Chacon.
The editor should call it the Chacon Daily News.
What is the motivation of the latest articles?
The first article was, “District Attorney’s Office investigating complaints about Central Basin Water District Director Art Chacon.”
The key words in the title are “investigating complaints.”
When this newspaper group called Los Angeles District attorney spokesperson Jane Robison to clarify, she said, “We don’t discuss whether they’re under investigation or it’s an ongoing investigation. All we say is that we’ve received a complaint, and it’s under review.”
Mr. Sprague wrote a misleading “investigating” — not reviewing — in his article headline.
Interestingly, Mr. Sprague failed to mention that Leticia Vasquez, his well-known source, had several complaints filed against her in the past that are under review by the District Attorney’s office, the F.B.I., and the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Omitted, too, was the fact that Director Roybal is under investigation by the LAUSD’s Office of Inspector General and took over $20,000 in 8 months from the Central Basin while in “teacher jail,” a violation of LAUSD policy.
Omitted also was the fact the Robert Apodaca recently cost the District over $600,000 in a sexual harassment lawsuit.
But Mr. Sprague chooses to go after Mr. Chacon and his $597 per month auto allowance and $16,000 payment.
Further, Ms. Vasquez was quoted as saying, “Chacon should return all auto allowance money he received to (the Central Basin).”
Absent was any quote by Ms. Vasquez asking Mr. Roybal to return the money he “earned” while in teacher jail.
In that same article, Mr. Sprague wrote, “DMV officials say he hasn’t had a license since Sept. 30, 2003.”
I guess Mr. Sprague did not read the CHP report relating to the 2010 accident Mr. Chacon was in that said Mr. Chacon had a license at the time of the accident, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
This newspaper group obtained Director Chacon’s driver’s license last Friday. It is clear that his license has been valid since March, which Mr. Chacon told Mr. Sprague and the Central Basin board several times.
Mr. Hews, Publisher, may be contacted at sales@cerritosnews.net
