A Hews-Media Group-Community News investigation has found that Vanessa Delgado, recently declared candidate for Montebello City Council, supported by current Montebello City Councilman Jack Hadjinian, a woman who touts herself as a “Montebello homeowner and a product of the local community,” has personal ties with the Calderon family. In particular, she is linked with former state Assemblyman Tom Calderon, who was indicted for bribery and money laundering charges along with his brother Ron in 2014.
In the same investigation, we discovered that Ms. Delgado, who began looking for and eventually bought a house in Montebello in mid-2014, recently registered to vote in Montebello. just weeks before the filing period for City Council candidates.
The relationship with Tom Calderon was discovered via a recent campaign flyer where Ms. Delgado listed the location of her fundraiser last Thursday as the “Delgado Residence” at 412 N. 10th St., Montebello, Ca. 90640.
A search on the address revealed the house was owned by Tom Calderon, sold to Ms. Delgado on Aug. 8, 2014, for $555,000, well under market value in the area.
When questioned by email about purchasing the house from Tom Calderon, Ms. Delgado responded, “My broker did the entire transaction. I had no idea who the owner was.”
She contradicted herself in another email, indicating she knew Mr. Calderon owned the house. “I did buy my current home in Montebello from Mr. Tom Calderon,” she said. “I actually never met Mr. Calderon.”
As a further indication that Ms. Delgado knew who owned the home was when she said that “he (Tom Calderon) had not lived in the home for some time.”
A simple Google search revealed the address to be that of the Calderon Group, Inc., Tom Calderon’s company, that secured several questionable no-bid contracts from Central Basin Municipal Water District.
Questionable Relationships
The flyer also lists Central Basin Water Director Leticia Vasquez as a Delgado “Committee member.” Ms. Vasquez is the embattled Director of Central Basin who was recalled from the Lynwood City Council in 2007 and is a “party plaintiff” in a $2 million whistleblower lawsuit filed against the very public agency she was elected to serve. Records show that the lawsuit has cost Central Basin over $270,000, click here to read story.
Ms. Vasquez is under investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission for conflict of interest and violating campaign disclosure law
Mr. Hews may be contacted at loscerritosnews.net
