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According to attendees, the City did nothing to accommodate Rep. Sanchez, but had time to throw a lavish cocktail party the night before at City Hall for the city’s controversial Sister City Mayor.
Rep. Linda Sanchez speaks with Hawaiian Gardens residents sitting on a brick fence without proper sun protection. Hawaiian Gardens did not provide food, furniture, or staff members for the event and Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Myra Maravilla arrived one hour late and left early without talking to the Congresswoman.
BY BRIAN HEWS
Over 150 people attended long-time Congresswoman Linda Sanchez’ (D) “Coffee with the Congresswoman” on Saturday Oct. 5, held inside the patio area at Hawaiian Gardens City Hall.
Rep. Sanchez served as Vice-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the 115th Congress (2017-2019), the fifth-highest ranking position in House Democratic Leadership; she was the first Latina elected to a leadership position in the U.S. Congress
But apparently that was not enough for Mayor Myra Maravilla and other officials at Hawaiian Gardens who, according to several attendees “did nothing” to welcome the Congresswoman.
“It was great talking to Linda,” said one attendee, “she talked with all the residents, but I was embarrassed of the treatment she received from the City.”
Residents and other attendees told HMG-LCCN that the City did not provide tables or other furniture and staff members were not present to address any issues or to assist residents.
Rep. Sanchez was forced to speak sitting on a brick wall, as no dais was provided; and the City did not provide any type of food or beverage.
HMG-LCCN was told that Rep. Sanchez and her staff brought coffee and donuts to the event.
Yet the City managed to arrange a lavish cocktail party the night before – using tax-payer funds and city property – for Hugo Mejia Zepeda, the controversial Mayor of its Sister City, which Maravilla and most Council members attended.
And according to two high-ranking local officials who attended the Sanchez event, Maravilla “must have had a good time at the cocktail party,” showing up one hour late to Rep. Sanchez’ event “visibly hungover,” and leaving early, not speaking to Rep. Sanchez at all.
City Councilman Jesse Alvarado, who posted on social media that he was “throwing the Sister City event,” did not show up to the Sanchez coffee, with sources telling HMG-LCCN he was “too hungover” to attend.
Serving alcohol on City property is apparently allowed if the City has the correct insurance, but given what sources told HMG-LCCN, “some people were way over-served alcohol.”
“It was disgusting,” said one resident who emailed HMG-LCCN, “she [Rep. Sanchez] had a brace on her knee and was forced to sit on a wall in the hot sun to speak to us because our City provided nothing. We had to go get the chairs, and her staff brought the coffee and doughnuts. Our Mayor came late and left early, very bad treatment of the Congresswoman.”
Emails and texts to Maravilla asking for confirmation went unreturned.
In 2011, Congresswoman attended the city of Cerritos labor union meeting, which ended in midnight impasse with the city’s labor unions. That moment in time, Mayor Jim Edwards would not allow congresswoman to sit down, she had to stand in the back of the council chambers until 11 pm. Good old political fight between the Republicans and the Democrats.
Residents in her district, upset that congresswoman did not do enough to keep Boeing in Southern California. Past 20 yrs, her term has brought no new major jobs to her district.
Congresswoman has poor report cards, for returning phone calls nor work to improve the Del Amo Bridge at the Los Coyotes Flood control..
More recently, Pelosi and Congresswoman, been at blows with each other in Washington DC. Congress woman’s sister Loretta, fell out of grace in Orange County. Congresswoman has fallen out of Grace with the Catholic church, this was televised years ago, plus congresswoman, moved her office out of Cerritos and became part of the establishment in Norwalk.
Don’t forget, congresswoman is under investigation over her husband’s estranged financial dealings in government cobwebs
Sad ending, congresswoman lost her brother, something to add to Day of Dead celebrations this week. Congresswoman needs to spend more quality time in her district, less time in DC. Plus work with Supervisor Janice Hahn. Hahn and Sanchez are both democrats, but lack of togetherness does not exist.
Well this is interesting. Left to your own ”sources” you really will write just about any nonsense fed to you. I am actually in the picture posted in this article. Sitting directly across, you can see my black hair and a glimpse of my brown shoe. I left early to finish my last class at USC. The only event I attended the night before was a USC graduation ceremony reception. I will continue to monitor the obsession you that you continue to demonstrate with Hawaiian Gardens.
HMG emailed the Mayor asking her for comment prior to the story publishing, without response….just like the last sentence in the story.