Free Republic

NATIONAL CITY The mayor on Saturday declared this small city just a few miles from the Mexican border a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants. Mayor Nick Inzunza made the proclamation at City Hall as a few hundred supporters rallied on the sidewalk outside, said police Lt. Lanny Roark. Backers were met by a smaller group of anti-illegal immigration protesters, including members of the Minutemen civilian border patrol group, Roark said. The rallies were "loud and tumultuous" but peaceful, he said. There were no arrests. As a result of the declaration, city funds will not be used to enforce federal immigration laws....

Another big immigration rally is planned in National City this weekend. Mayor Nick Inzunza has signed a proclamation making National City a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Last weekend there was a protest over the idea that nearly got out of hand, 10 News reported. This weekend people who support Inzunza's proposal are planning their own rally. At the advice of law enforcement, Inzunza said he will not attend.

National City was the scene of a fight over illegal immigration Saturday. Critics of mayor Nick Inzunza are upset with what they see as a plan to declare National City a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Saturday, local minuteman clashed with Inzunza's supporters. On one side of the street there was a minuteman rally. On the other side were migrant suporters. In the middle were 130 officers who were called in to keep the peace, and law enforcement needed every one of them. Things got very heated early on in the rally when small group dressed as clowns crossed over onto...

Mayor Nick Inzunza's proclamation that National City is a sanctuary city is, we presume, a gesture of gentleness to illegal immigrants. But if he had first consulted the City Council and clarified what he means by sanctuary city, he might have accomplished more than a headline. Apparently, his focus is not on turning National City into a Maywood. That Los Angeles County city has dismantled its traffic-enforcement police because it arrested too many unlicensed drivers and impounded their cars. That's a relief. No city in California has so few drivers – and so few bad drivers – that it can...

NATIONAL CITY – While other cities in the county aggressively attempt to rid their communities of undocumented immigrants, local activists are planning to turn National City into a “sanctuary city.” Such a classification means city funds will not be used to enforce federal immigration laws, which is already the case in National City. Mayor Nick Inzunza declared in an interview on National Public Radio last week that he wants National City to be a sanctuary city, a designation being promoted through a grass-roots effort in other parts of California and the country. However, the other City Council members are irritated...

NATIONAL CITY – While other cities in the county aggressively attempt to rid their communities of undocumented immigrants, local activists are planning to turn National City into a "sanctuary city." Such a classification means city funds will not be used to enforce federal immigration laws, which is already the case in National City. Mayor Nick Inzunza declared in an interview on National Public Radio last week that he wants National City to be a sanctuary city, a designation being promoted through a grass-roots effort in other parts of California and the country. However, the other City Council members are irritated...

Project Could Land City In Another Investigation Developer Gets Barrio Logan Land For $100 http://www.10news.com/news/7064349/detail.html SAN DIEGO -- A planned retail center in San Diego's Barrio Logan was suppose to revitalize the entire area, but the city's redevelopment agency, developer and politicians never got anything done. Now, the lack of progress could land the city in another federal investigation.A memo from the city's redevelopment agency estimated if it had been built, the Mercado Project could have generated $307 million in revenues for the city over 40 years. Instead, the empty 6.5-acre lot is a haven for the homeless.

Digging into City Hall's money mess LANDLORD OF OPPORTUNITY National City mayor's units have made him millions while tenants fight vermin, disrepair By Leslie Wolf Branscomb and Tanya Sierra UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS December 15, 2005 Nick Inzunza, mayor of National City and candidate for state Assembly, passionately talks about how hard he works to improve the lives of poor people by giving voice to their struggles. He has publicly taken credit for investing the millions he has made in real estate "to create affordable housing in the inner city." What Inzunza never mentions, though, is that nearly all of the...

Nick Inzunza, mayor of National City and candidate for state Assembly, passionately talks about how hard he works to improve the lives of poor people by giving voice to their struggles. He has publicly taken credit for investing the millions he has made in real estate "to create affordable housing in the inner city." Nick Inzunza purchased this Barrio Logan duplex in 1995 and transferred one of the properties to his wife Tuesday. Inzunza and his wife own mostly duplexes, many on dead-end streets overlooking freeways. None shows outward signs of renovation or improvements. What Inzunza never mentions, though, is...

Zucchet acquitted of conspiracy UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM 2:36 p.m. November 10, 2005 SAN DIEGO – Former City Councilman Michael Zucchet was acquitted Thursday by a federal judge of conspiracy after a day and a half of legal arguments in the City Hall corruption trial, KGTV-Channel 10 reported. Zucchet and fellow former Councilman Ralph Inzunza were convicted July 18 of extortion, wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges in a scheme to trade campaign contributions to try to repeal the law banning touching between dancers and patrons at strip clubs. Lance Malone, a Las Vegas lobbyist, was convicted of multiple...

Former San Diego City Councilman Ralph Inzunza has been hired by the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council to teach computer, math and language skills to low-income job seekers. Inzunza began his job the first week of August, about two weeks after he and ex-Councilman Michael Zucchet were convicted of federal corruption charges and resigned from the council. "We have a job and he can do the job very well," said Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Butkiewicz. "It seemed like a perfect fit." Inzunza's new job, which pays $30,000 to $40,000 a year, was offered spontaneously by Butkiewicz during a lunch date the last...

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A city councilman announced his resignation Thursday, three days after he was convicted of federal corruption charges in a failed scheme to overturn San Diego's ban on touching dancers at strip clubs. Ralph Inzunza, 35, said his resignation would take effect Monday. In a three-sentence letter, he said he was stepping down "in order that the business of the city may continue." Inzunza and Michael Zucchet, a fellow councilman and acting mayor, were suspended from office Monday after a jury convicted them of conspiracy, extortion and wire fraud. Zucchet announced his resignation Tuesday at an emotional...

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A councilman convicted this week in a City Hall corruption case resigned Tuesday, fighting back tears as he described how he and his family have been devastated by the scandal. "It pains me greatly that some people will infer that I am somehow giving up or making an admission of some kind. Nothing could be further from the truth," Michael Zucchet said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Simply put, I am devastated. My wife and I have endured two years and two months of pure hell. What kept us going was the belief that justice would...

A federal jury has found San Diego City council members Ralph Inzunza and Michael Zuchett guilty of several charges in connection with allegations that they accepted money from a strip club owner in return for efforts to rescind the city's no-touch ordinance. LISTEN FOR LIVE COVERAGE ON NEWSRADIO 600 KOGO.

San Diego's Acting Mayor Convicted By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago A federal jury on Monday convicted San Diego's new acting mayor and a city councilman of taking payoffs from a strip club owner to help repeal the "no-touching" ordinance at nude clubs, the latest blow to a city already awash in scandal. Michael Zucchet, who became interim mayor over the weekend, was found guilty of conspiracy, extortion and fraud on his first business day in office. He will almost certainly have to resign. Councilman Ralph Inzunza, who was also convicted of the same charges, is also...

SAN DIEGO (AP) - An FBI spy told a federal jury Wednesday that former strip club owner Michael Galardi paid bribes through a former southern Nevada lawmaker and another associate to a Las Vegas judge. The judge was not named, and U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller in San Diego struck the testimony from the record after defense lawyers objected that Tony Montagna's testimony was not relevant to the corruption trial of former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone and two San Diego city councilmen. Government prosecutors argued the testimony was relevant because it established that Galardi and Malone bribed public officials...

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A retired Navy commander, an insurance underwriter and a fan of conservative talk radio were appointed Friday to a jury that will decide whether two San Diego councilmen took money from a Las Vegas strip-club owner in exchange for trying to ease restrictions on touching dancers at adult bars. The jury of eight men and four women will hear opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Councilmen Ralph Inzunza and Michael Zucchet, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and extortion in an alleged scheme to repeal San Diego's...

The highly anticipated corruption trial of two San Diego city councilmen is scheduled to begin Tuesday with much more at stake than the freedom and careers of young politicians. The reputation of the city and the future of its Democratic-majority council will be on the line. The trial could bring a backlash against politicians in general, revealing their behind-the-scenes behavior and giving constituents an unprecedented peek at their elected officials beyond images and slogans. "To a certain extent, the system is on trial," said Geoffrey C. Morrison, a lawyer for cooperating defendant John D'Intino. "What's going to end up happening...

FBI agents accompanied by San Diego police raided the offices of three San Diego City Council members shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday. Search warrants were served at the offices of Councilmen Ralph Inzunza, Charles Lewis and Michael Zucchet, U.S. Attorney Carol Lam said at a news conference The probe may involve campaign contributions, sources close to the investigation told The San Diego Union-Tribune. No charges have been filed, FBI Agent Jan Caldwell said in a brief statement. "We'll try to wrap up the investigation as expeditiously as possible," Caldwell said. The FBI also served a search warrant at Cheetahs, a...