Wednesday, April 27, 2016

THE PORT ELECTION: THE OP 10.33 FACES BEHIND THE SCAM

By Juan Montoya
As admitted by the spokesman for OP 10.33, the group, headed by millionaire Mike Hernadez III and his job developer Carlos Marin want to take over the Port of Brownsville.
Toward that end, they will spend $100,000s to achieve the goal of defeating incumbents Tito Lopez and Ralph Cowen and replace them with their pliant candidates Ed Rivera and Raul Villanueva.
But who are these nice folks who want to lead us to the land of wealth and nirvana?
We know Marin all too well.
He has managed to squeeze the turnip of eight publicly-funded entities at a cool $25,000 per year for "a seat at the table" of United Brownsville. In case you've never heard of this no-profit, it is an invention that was created  by Marin and a gaggle of local movers and shakers who have succeeded in replacing the representation of the people with their own cadre of yes-men (and women) to steer the economic, educational and social development to their own ends and that of their cronies.
Those on this United Brownsville Coordinating Committee are IBC President Fred Rusteberg, former UTB President Julieta Garcia and UTB VP Irv Downing.
Their mission statements includes a phrase that they are willing to take over some of the onerous tasks of elected officials to "lessen the burden of government," for a slight fee, of course.
Up to now, they have collected some $1.4 million without having to account to anyone on what the money was used or who has benefited from it. So far, not one job has been created by this group aside from several "plans" put together by former planners of United Brownsville's director Mike Gonzalez ($50,000) and Julieta's son Oscar Garcia Jr. ($185,000).
They have teamed up with Hernandez's OP 10.33 through the participation of job developer Marin, the link between United Brownsville and this new group. The group says it is seeking to eradicate poverty through the creation of a technical training center coupled with aggressive political action to place its candidates on boards like the Port of Brownsville, Texas Southmost College and other public entities.
OP 10.33 lists Hernandez as its executive director and lists his home in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Cameron County and Starr County.
His  Education Initiative Director is one Carlos (Carli) Strength, also of the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and his Community Organization Director is Jose Angel Gutierrez of Raza Unida fame. He was also residing in Dallas before moving to Brownsville to hook up with Hernandez and Marin.
Their Director of Communications in one Roger Roger Lee, also of the Dallas-Ft. Worth area (Colleyville). Aside from his 32 years in marketing, his only other claim to fame is that he was the New York Mets 11th round draft choice in 1980, some 36 years ago.  (That's Mike and the ace Roger at right.)
OP 10.33 makes much of its trade school which will prepare students with the needed skills to enter and be competitive in the global market.
The linchpin to this endeavor is Strength, who claims he "led and managed all business operations for $300 million educational service system, spanning 23 campuses from Texas to Florida." He left that the ATI gig in Nov. 2011 for no apparent reason.
 In fact, he was so "successful" at his educational system that it caught the notice of the U.S. Dept. of Justice which in August 2012 filed a complaint against the Dallas-area for-profit chain schools under the False Claims Violations.
The government’s complaint alleges that from 2007 through 2010 (when "Carli" was one of its CEOs), at three campuses in Dallas and North Richland Hills, Texas, ATI Enterprises knowingly misrepresented its job placement statistics to the Texas Workforce Commission in order to maintain its state licensure, and therefore its eligibility for federal financial aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. On Aug. 9, 2011, the Texas Workforce Commission revoked licenses for several of ATI’s programs at the three campuses after a third party audit of ATI’s reported placement statistics.
The government intervened and filed a complaint against  ATI Enterprises Inc. based in North Richland, Texas, which does business as ATI Technical Training Center, ATI Career Training Center and ATI Career Training, operates career college campuses in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
"The government’s complaint alleges that from 2007 through 2010, at three campuses in Dallas and North Richland Hills, Texas, ATI Enterprises knowingly misrepresented its job placement statistics to the Texas Workforce Commission in order to maintain its state licensure, and therefore its eligibility for federal financial aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. On Aug. 9, 2011, the Texas Workforce Commission revoked licenses for several of ATI’s programs at the three campuses after a third party audit of ATI’s reported placement statistics.
Furthermore, the complaint alleged that ATI employees at the three campuses knowingly enrolled students who were ineligible because they did not have high school diplomas or recognized equivalents; falsified high school diplomas, including five Dallas Independent School District diplomas for students who later defaulted on their federal student loans; fraudulently kept students enrolled even though they should have been dropped because they had poor grades or attendance; and made knowing misrepresentations to students about their future employability.
The alleged misrepresentations included telling students that a criminal record would not prevent them from getting jobs in their fields of study, quoting higher salaries than the students would be likely to earn and reporting inflated job placement statistics both to the students and the Texas Workforce Commission. The complaint alleges that the executive directors at each campus, as well as various ATI corporate officers, including the chief operating officer, chief executive officer, executive vice president of operations, national director of career services, regional director of education, regional director of career placements and vice president of recruitment were aware of and in some cases encouraged the alleged conduct.
The complaint further alleged that ATI engaged in these practices in order to induce students to enroll and thereby increase the school’s receipt of federal dollars at the expense of students, who incurred long-term debt, and the taxpayers."
Is it any wonder that Carli left "for unknown reasons" and alighted here to dispense his brand of knowledge under the auspices of Hernandez's OP 10.33?
And are we going to let his bunch of carpetbaggers take over the Port of Brownsville just after they have recorded a record cargo year under Lopez ands Cowen?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ya salio el peine Juan!!


Bola de RATAS!!!!

They want to take control and do their shenanigans!

Shame on you Villanueva and Rivera!

Anonymous said...

I hate to say it but our local politicians and politicians to be have the "If I run for Office how much money can I Make" mentality. Debbie Portillo worked for United Brownsville and look what she has done? NOTHING. Just because they attend meetings and go on trips doesn't mean they are doing anything other than traveling on the tax payers expense. Not to mention Jessica countless trips to Florida to watch space ships go to orbit to post on her facebook page how much she wants to be an alien. All her travel on the tax payers expense.

We need to stop OP1033 from taking Brownsville and Cameron County from being 2 years in a row the poorest city and county in the Whole USA to declaring Bank Ruptcy after they take all our money.

Vote accordingly. Don't be deceived by flashy suits, condos on the island and nice signs. You and I paid for them.

Anonymous said...

The blimp said;

"Mike Hernandez will expand the port and there is no stopping it. Those claiming he is in it for the money, so what? - that is what business does - it makes money. But he is not in it for the money. To date he has funded his entire operation.


There is amazing news around the corner. It is killing me to have to hold until given permission."


So the blimp has posted many a time that Carlos Marin, the creator of Imagine Brownsville, now United Brownsville, that he backs candidates so they can fund his personal projects. Now he says "so What" to Mike Hernandez's bid to do the same! He is condoning Mike Hernandez and his partner in crime to do just that....to get them elected and do as they say....the word puppets comes to mind. The blimp is so anxious to talk to Mike Hernandez that he posts he is the second coming of, as he likes to say, Joshua AKA Jesus. He also adds that it kills him to not spill the beans on information around the corner of his new crush Mike Hernandez and his OP scam....like a full bladder, it hurts him to hold it in. What a hypocrite the blimp is.


April 26, 2016 at 3:28 PM

Anonymous said...

I am surprised that you are so fond of the term "carpetbaggers" considering your obvious disdain for the Confederacy and Southern history.

The use of this term is designed to stir up images of folks from other places coming South to exploit the plight of a defeated people. It is an incorrect usage of this term as you are trying to apply it to a Home Boy who went to Big D and made it large in business. He is far from a carpetbagger.

Anonymous said...

Which candidates are for LNG and which candidates are against LNG?

Juan would you please post a simple list, for or against, to inform your readers. From a voter who hasn't voted yet. Will vote this week for whichever candidates are against LNG.

Anonymous said...

These people are just scaming on CAMERON COUNTY, and the candidate's are involved as well.. Shame on you all... I will not be supporting people like this. And not even candidate's who are involved with this organization... People who are supporting and helping out this organization better think twice before you all burn your good name's.. Shame on you organization OP1033 for trying to involved the people from Cameron County in your corruption. We have been trying to fight corruption

Anonymous said...

The blimp supports these crooks Juan. He is trying his darnedest to get the attention of Mike Hernandez and Carlos Marin so he can convince them to invest in his idiotic robotics or nude beach. So much for the unbought voice of the community. The blimp is for sale Juan, it is clear to me.

Anonymous said...

Bobby the blimp supports the crooks that come to ripoff the taxpayers of Brownsville.

Anonymous said...

All you people that post comments are all full of shit!!! Closed minded people who are afraid of change.

Anonymous said...

Do you include yourself as being one of those people that post comments are all full of shit?

Anonymous said...

Is bobby on the pay roll of D&M Leasing? And so can you find out.. Thank you.

Cantinflas said...

juan el carlos Marin tiene cara de yo no fue- mas rata que nada

cantinflas said...

Marins motto is, yo chingo, tu chingas, todos chingamos puros mamones end of story

rita