Ref Rodriguez
Ref Rodriguez | |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 5 | |
| In office May 19, 2015 – July 23, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Bennett Kayser |
| Succeeded by | Jackie Goldberg |
| President, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education | |
| In office July 7, 2017 – September 19, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Zimmer |
| Succeeded by | Monica Garcia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1972 (age 52–53) Cypress Park, Los Angeles |
| Alma mater | Fielding Graduate University (PhD) Loyola Marymount University (B.A.) |
Refugio “Ref” Rodriguez (born 1972) is adjunct professor and a former member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education representing District 5 and former president of the Board. He resigned from both positions in July 23, 2018 after an accounting scandal.
Career
LAUSD Board of Education
District 5 election
November 2014
Tenure (2015–2018)
On July 7, 2017, Rodriguez was elected as the president of the Board of Education with a 4-3 vote. The four votes were newly elected members Kelly Gonez and Nick Melvoin, reelected member Mónica García, and Rodriguez himself.[1][2]
On September 19, 2017, Rodriguez stepped down as president amid charges of perjury and other felonies. Although stepping down, he remained on the board.[3]
Controversies
Conflict of interest case
On October 24, 2017, the California Fair Political Practices Commission closed the case against Rodriguez, citing his conspiracy charges filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.[4]
2018 arrest
Campaign contribution scandal
LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey charged Rodriguez with three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument. The case was linked back to Rodriguez's bid for the board in 2014, with he and cousin Elizabeth Tinajero Melendrez reimbursing $25,000 to his campaign donors, most were family and friends.[5] In January 2015, Rodriguez reported in his first campaign disclosure statement that more than $51,000 came from family, friends, and other people, but half actually came from himself.[6]
On July 23, 2018, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy and four misdemeanor counts, and as part of a deal with prosecutors, resigned from office.
Elections
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ref Rodriguez | 10,355 | 38.6% | |
| Bennett Kayser (incubment) | 9,510 | 35.5% | |
| Andrew Thomas | 6,946 | 25.9% | |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ref Rodriguez | 14,201 | 53.3% | |
| Bennett Kayser (incubment) | 12,421 | 46.7% | |
References
- ^ "Ref Rodriguez elected LAUSD school board president". Beverly Press. July 13, 2017.
- ^ "DR. REF RODRIGUEZ ELECTED LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT". PUC Schools. July 7, 2017.
- ^ DeSocio, Jeffrey Thomas (September 19, 2017). "Ref Rodriguez steps down as LAUSD president amid charges". KTTV.
- ^ "Dr. Ref Rodriguez's Conflict of Interest Case Dropped". La Comadre. October 24, 2017.
- ^ Favot, Sarah; Szymanski, Mike (September 20, 2017). [the74million.org/article/ref-rodriguez-resigns-in-los-angeles-why-the-school-board-president-stepped-down/ "Ref Rodriguez Resigns in Los Angeles: Why the School Board President Stepped Down"]. The 74.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Koran, Mario (July 23, 2018). "Ref Rodriguez resigns: 3 things to know about the Los Angeles Unified school board member's departure". LA School Report.
- https://laschoolreport.com/district-5-lausd-school-board-race-snapshot/
- https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-edu-rodriguez-conflict-case-closed-20171020-story.html
- https://edsource.org/2017/las-new-school-board-president-calls-for-help-to-market-districts-quality-programs/584448
- https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/lausd-board-president-felon-ref-rodriguez-resigns
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/los-angeles-deserves-to-know-more-about-ref-rodriguezs_b_5a53e7e2e4b0f9b24bf319ed
- https://www.courant.com/la-me-rodriguez-puc-rochester-20171102-story.html
- https://theintercept.com/2017/09/27/la-school-board-ref-rodriguez-money-laundering-charter-schools/
- https://abc7.com/refugio-rodriguez-lausd-board-president-campaign-violation/3810518/
- https://www.theeastsiderla.com/news/public_safety/eastside-school-board-member-ref-rodriguez-arrested-for-allegedly-being-drunk-in-public/article_508ee413-f938-591e-9b20-4eac4598030a.html
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/09/13/l-a-school-board-chair-faces-money-laundering-charges/664026001/
- https://ktla.com/news/local-news/lausd-board-president-and-his-cousin-charged-with-reimbursing-nearly-25000-to-donors/
- https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php/375-voices/15033-amid-felony-allegations-and-perjury-charges-ref-rodriguez-clings-to-his-lausd-school-board-seat
- https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lausd-president-cousin-charged-campaign-contribution-case/23728/
- https://archive.kpcc.org/news/2015/04/29/51338/lausd-audit-finds-school-board-candidate-s-charter/
- https://www.laprogressive.com/lost-honor-ref-rodriguez/
- https://beverlypress.com/2018/07/lausd-board-member-pleads-no-contest-to-campaign-violations/
- https://www.dailybreeze.com/2018/07/25/the-clock-is-ticking-lausd-board-members-have-60-days-to-decide-how-to-fill-ref-rodriguezs-seat/
- https://laschoolreport.com/just-in-school-board-president-ref-rodriguez-charged-with-felony-campaign-violations/
- https://www.dailynews.com/2019/03/03/meet-the-10-candidates-running-for-the-lausd-school-board-seat-left-vacant-by-ref-rodriguez/
- https://lacomadre.org/2018/07/ref-rodriguez-lausd-school-board-member-accepts-plea-bargain-and-has-resigned/
- https://laschoolreport.com/rodriguez-seeking-an-lausd-seat-as-more-than-a-charter-guy/
- https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lausd-ref-rodriguez-20170919-story.html
- https://www.laweekly.com/who-will-replace-disgraced-president-ref-rodriguez-on-lausd-board/
- https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/07/23/lausd-ref-rodriguez-guilty-resigns/
- https://archive.kpcc.org/news/2018/04/18/82269/ref-rodriguez-filed-two-forms-disclosing-his-2014/
- https://archive.kpcc.org/news/2017/09/13/75603/lausd-president-ref-rodriguez-charged-with-conspir/
- https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/06/13/video-released-arrest-school-board-member/
- https://ktla.com/news/local-news/ref-rodriguez-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-resigns-from-los-angeles-school-board/
- https://boe.lausd.net/rodriguezbio
- https://www.utla.net/news/utla-calls-resignation-ref-rodriguez-lausd-school-board
- https://www.utla.net/news/ref-rodriguez-resigns-school-board
- https://www.dailynews.com/2018/07/23/lausd-board-member-will-admit-money-laundering-scheme-city-says/
- https://edsource.org/2018/l-a-school-board-member-resigns-after-pleading-guilty-to-campaign-money-laundering/600551
- https://laist.com/news/do-not-publish-ref-rodriguez-resigns-from-lausd-board-amid-charges-scandal
- https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-edu-ref-rodriguez-resigns-20180722-story.html