A Hews Media Group-Community News investigation has revealed that Protect Local Jobs, a political action committee based out of Los Angeles that is spending thousands to defeat Montebello City Council candidate Fernando Chacon, received $10,000 from a company owned by Jason Kashanian.
Mr. Kashanian, a.k.a. Jason Kachan, is the son of Sam Kashanian, a good friend and business associate of current Montebello Mayor Jack Hadjinian.
The documents were obtained from the L.A. County Registrar/Recorder’s Office in Norwalk. The company donating the money was 2113 Whittier Blvd. LLC.
Mr. Hadjinian approved a controversial Montebello development owned by Mr. Kachan in July, a lot where the French Café once stood. One month later, the $10,000 was donated to Project Local Jobs to defeat Mr. Chacon.
Sources are telling us the property approved for development was rezoned from C-2 Commercial to PD (Planned Development). Then it was sold for considerably more than it was worth prior to the zoning change.
The past and present associations of Project Local Jobs read like a Who’s Who of Los Angeles corruption figures.
The list includes indicted former state Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother Tom Calderon, who also is under indictment, disgraced former Bell Gardens City Councilman Mario Beltran; convicted felon Ric Mayer and his political partner, a felon who pleaded down to a misdemeanor, Angel Gonzales.
Additional associations with Project Local Jobs include indicted L.A. County Assessor John Noguez, who swore in Mr. Hadjinian as mayor, and Kindee Durkee, who embezzled $10.5 million in campaign funds from 1998 to 2010 and is serving eight years in federal prison.
The discovery ties Mr. Hadjinian to Project Local Jobs, the Calderons and Mario Beltran, who, sources tell us, is running Mr. Hadjinian’s campaign.
Project Local Jobs was created last year from another PAC called Saving Local Jobs. Yolanda Miranda was selected treasurer. Immediately after that, the PAC turned its sites on Mr. Chacon and the Montebello City Council campaign, with Saving Local Jobs giving $8,000 to Project Local Jobs last February.
Ms. Miranda has a checkered past in East Los Angeles politics going back many years.
She was the longtime treasurer for former state Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother Tom Calderon.
Ms. Miranda, similar to Mr. Hadijinian, is a known associate of former Bell Gardens City Councilman Mr. Beltran who was accused by prosecutors of misusing contributions from Ron Calderon to pay for his legal defense in a 2006 criminal case. Mr. Beltran pleaded guilty to four counts.
In addition, Mr. Beltran was accused of filing a false police report when he solicited a prostitute at a seedy hotel in 2013.
Ms. Miranda was the treasurer for Central Basin Municipal Water District Director Bob Apodaca, who recently was sued for sexual harassment, settling the case for $670,000, using Central Basin funds.
Mr. Hews may be contacted at loscerritosnews.net