Who's Funding Frank Robles? And Why?

They say that money is the mother's milk of politics.  

And last week's indictments of four members of the San Jacinto Council remind us that politicians will do many things, legal and otherwise, to get their hands on that precious political milk.

Which brings us dear readers to the man who want to be Riverside County's next Sheriff, Frank Robles.

Frank Robles as we've reported is the failed former police chief of Desert Hot Springs and a political crony of disgraced Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle who left office admist the controversy surrounding his illegal practice of giving badges to supporters.  

Back in May, Frank Robles declared his intent to run for the office of Sheriff, seeking to unseat current Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff in next year's election.

Frank Robles' campaign finance filing covering the first part of the year shows that Robles raised $67,390.00 between June 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009.  

That's means Frank Robles was raking in average of roughly $2,245.00 per day in June.  That's appears quite impressive, doesn't it, dear readers?

Well, in politics as in life, all is not what it appears.

You can click here to view Robles' campaign report:  Download Frank_Robles_460_June_30_2009. 

$65,000 of the money that Frank Robles has raised from his campaign comes from a single source: Southern California Braiding Company, Inc. of Bell, California.  

Robles reported that Southern California Braiding Company, Inc. gave him $50,000 on June 1, 2009, then gave him an additional $15,000 a week later on June 8, 2009.

The $65,000 that Frank Robles reports collecting from Southern California Braiding Company, Inc. represents a whopping 96% of Robles total contributions.

The other $2,390.00 (or 4%) of Robles contributions comes from the following contributors:

    $500.00 from Mike Murray of Oak Hills on June 27

    $500.00 from Richard J. Rile of Riverside, on June 2

    $100.00 from Jim Parsons of Riverside on June 13

    $100.00 from Frances Parsons of San Bernardino on June 4

    $100.00 from Rose Perkins of Riverside on June 2

    $100.00 from Robert B. Wilkins of Riverside on June 27

    $990.00 came from unitemized sources since the contributions were amounts under $100.00

$500 donor Mike Murray as you might recall is a Riverside County Deputy Sheriff and one of the last remaining hacks loyal to the Royal Doyle.  Murray is also a currently a candidate for president of the Riverside Sheriff's Association, the union representing the Sheriff's Department rank and file officers.

Murray has denied being a puppet for Frank Robles, but his personal contribution to Robles' campaign for sheriff impeaches him.  Murray appears to be seeking the RSA presidency not to represent the union's membership, but to represent the interests of Frank Robles.

Since the Riverside Sheriff's Association has about $1 million in it's Political Action Fund, Murray as RSA president would be positioned to throw the union's support behind Frank Robles and then funnel the members dues to Robles for his campaign. 

If Mile Murray is able to raid the RSA's coffers and help Frank Robles get elected as Sheriff, Robles would probably repay  Murray by promoting him to Sergeant having both won office and effectively gutted the deputies union of its political clout, then leaving the association without a leader.  

This arrangement seems to have the support of Riverside County's Executive Office and County Supervisor Bob Buster who desire to dismantle the RSA leadership then impose pay cuts and furloughs.

Buster revealed his allegiance by pulling his endorsement of Sheriff Stan Sniff earlier this year and is now helping Robles in his campaign for Sheriff.

But even if Mike Murray and Frank Robles are unable to take over the RSA and suck its members dry of their money, Robles still has the deep pockets of the Southern California Braiding Company in his corner.

So who is behind the Southern California Braiding Company, Inc. of Bell, California?

According to the corporate filings with California's Secretary of State, Southern California Braiding Company is a California Corporation that has been active since 1974.  The agent for service of process for Southern California Braiding Company is one Leo P. McIntyre of Northridge, California.

Sources close to Robles tell us the Leo McIntryre runs Southern California Braiding Company, Inc. This company was also one of Bob Doyle's major supporters, and one of the few donors to receive its money back when Doyle resigned his office in disgrace.

Now its not unusual for campaigns in Riverside County to receive large contributions from single sources. But those large sums of campaign cash usually come from local unions and developers with business in the County.

What is unusual is that Southern California Braiding Company's about large contributions is that the firm located in Los Angeles County.  And Leo McIntyre is also a resident of Los Angeles County. Something appears to be a bit wrong here.

What's is Leo McIntyre's huge interest in Riverside County politics?

What's Leo McIntyre's relationship with Frank Robles and Bob Doyle?

Could there be a Stephen Holgate - Jim Ayres thing going on here?

As the San Jacinto indictments remind us, relationships between candidates and their major contributors need to be examined closely by the media, and preferably before they win a possibly tainted election.

There's 7 1/2 months until the election for Riverside County Sheriff.  That's more than enough time for The Press-Enterprise and the rest of the traditional media to look into this rather than miss the story for three long years the way they did with San Jacinto's corruption.

But if they continue to fail to do their job, have no fear dear readers, we here at Inside Riverside will continue to report on the news that they should be and either can't or won't report to you.

Comments

[No on Robles]

The connection between Frank Robles and Leo McIntyre is easy to make. It goes back to when Frank was at the coroners office and Leo's wife died. That's where I understand they became friends and for some reason remain so. Doyle was Roble's superior then. Leo became Bob's friend too and he's been such good friends with them that he's contributed quite liberally to both of their campaigns. Maybe someone should take a look at Mrs. McIntrye's autopsy report. Maybe there's something there. Maybe there's not. But one way or the other the public has the right to know if there's some weird reason why these three fellas are such good friends.

[back the badge]

MIKE MURRAY IS A DISGRACE TO THE BADGE!

It's clear that he's being backed by Frank Robles and Ron Komers. Robles was a failure at DHS and RSO. That's why Robles lost his job at both. Didn't know about the Mrs. McIntyre stuff, but its definitely something worth looking into.

The way Komers mistreats injured cops is a sin. He may not have to answer for his actions in this life, but if there is Divine Justice and I believe there is, he will be held to answer for it in the next.

I have no doubt that Murray will allow Komers to impose pay cuts of 10% or more on RSA members and to cut our retirements that we've paid into.

A vote for Mike Murray is a vote to cut your pay, your retirement and to decrease your family's quality of life.

RSA MEMBERS! The choice is yours! Choose wisely!