By Randy Economy and Brian Hews
California State Senate candidate Mario Guerra held a passionate press conference at Downey City Hall last Friday to publicly denounce a new website that portrays images of his wife and son in what he calls “an obscene manner.”
Guerra was joined by nearly 100 supporters, his wife Ann, members of his family and other community leaders to slam his rival, former Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, about the situation that has become a hot-button issue in the already explosive campaign between the two rivals.
Guerra took direct aim at Mendoza at the event.
“Spreading a message of hate that will not be tolerated by my, our community and those who believe that corruption politicians have no place in a civil society or in this campaign,” Guerra said.
“I hope the voters of the district understand how grotesque this site is in its attempt to present lies about me and the pain it has brought to my family, “said Guerra. “My opponent, Tony Mendoza, should publicly condemn this site and those responsible for creating it and ask them to remove it.”
Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper was the first media outlet to report on the highly controversial website that appeared the internet recently. HMG-CN has chosen not to publicize the site.
The website purports to be created from “local concerned Downey residents,” but HMG-CN confirmed that it was actually established in Arizona.
HMG-CN also confirmed documents requested from Pat Owens, a Public Works Commissioner appointed by Downey Councilman Luis Marquez, who is now serving as a senior advisor to Tony Mendoza’s campaign for State Senate.
Ann Guerra, Mario Guerra’s wife, also took to the podium at the press conference and condemned the site and the graphic that proclaimed “Mario Guerra Refuses to Disclose Why He Was Forcefully Removed as Deacon of His Church.”
“As a mother, I was devastated to see the image of my husband, my son and I celebrating mother’s day after a mass and having it twisted into a disgusting campaign smear attack. It saddens me and I can see why good, decent people like my husband stay away from politics,” Ann Guerra remarked at the press conference.
Mendoza has yet to publicly comment on the site but his campaign manager, Parke Skelton dismissed the site stating, “You see this kind of stuff all the time in local politics, No one ever sees it, it has no impact. It is a waste of good pixels.”
Guerra also announced that he is considering the legal option or filing a defamation lawsuit in the case.
Mendoza invited his supporters to a campaign kick-off event on Saturday in Norwalk. Mendoza told HMG-CN in an email that Senate President Elect Kevin DeLeon (D-East Los Angeles) would be attending the event that is slated to begin at 12386 Firestone Blvd. in Norwalk.
Guerra told HMG-CN late Friday afternoon that he hopes DeLeon will denounce the website attack on him and his family.
“We hope Senator De Leon will join so many community leaders and other elected officials in denouncing the terrible and disgusting web site using my son as a personal attack against me and my family. We hope that Senator De Leon will emphasize that there is no place for this in politics. Corruption and ethical, moral lapses like this today I cannot continue. We hope he will do the right thing,” Guerra said.
“We look forward to working together with senator Deleon when we get elected to move California forward. Creating jobs, education and public safety are issues we should all be working together in the state senate and I will make this my priorities,” Guerra concluded.
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