Veteran Latino-rights advocate charged with voter fraud

LA TIMES
7:09 AM | June 25, 2009

Felony charges have been filed and an arrest warrant issued for a well-known Orange County political activist suspected of committing election and voter registration fraud, the California secretary of State's office announced Wednesday.

Investigators in the agency's election-fraud unit said Nativo V. Lopez, 57, of Santa Ana leased office space in Boyle Heights and registered to vote using that address although he lived with his family in Orange County. They also say Lopez, president of the Mexican American Political Assn., cast an illegal ballot in L.A. in the 2008 presidential primary.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office, which is working with the secretary of State, charged Lopez with four felonies: fraudulent voter registration, fraudulent document filing, perjury and fraudulent voting. A warrant was issued for his arrest and bail was set at $10,000. The offenses carry penalties of up to three years in prison.

Lopez is a longtime Latino political-rights advocate in Orange County who served on the Santa Ana school board. Lopez has been a vocal advocate for Latino voting rights and supported immigrant amnesty and allowing undocumented workers to have driver's licenses. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

In 1997, the Orange County district attorney opened a criminal investigation into allegations that a group in which Lopez was a leader registered some clients to vote before they took the oath of citizenship. No criminal charges were brought, and Lopez demanded an apology from critics.

-- Dan Weikel and Shelby Grad

Comments

Posted by: Hiram | June 25, 2009 at 09:49 AM

Before we light the torches, sharpen the pitchforks, dust off the noose and head off to Nativo's house, let's review a little bit of recent history:

This land was inhabited by NATIVE PEOPLE FIRST!

The REST OF YOU are here Illegally. So If anybody should leave or go back to where they came from, let's start with the descendants of the first intruders.

California love it or leave it!

Posted by: Jorge Castro | June 25, 2009 at 09:37 AM

I am in total agreement with "Jose". Also, the majority of hispanics in this country are racist. They are only concerned with the betterment of "La Raiza". If you choose to leave your country and take residence in another, it would only make sense that you learn the language at the very least, and not expect to be catered to in "your" language. They seem to have a problem with every race except their own. Can't get along with Whites, Blacks, Armenians or Asians, etc. What's the problem? If you come here, expect to encounter different nationalities, and govern yourselves accordingly. Or theres always mexico...

Posted by: In agreement | June 25, 2009 at 09:14 AM

Hey, homies. Lay off Lopez. He's just doing things the way we do down Mexico way. Nobody's looking eh?
Just take a little bit homz.... un poquito mordita solamente.

the gringos don't understand

Posted by: jojo | June 25, 2009 at 09:03 AM

US of A is a Mestizo Nation. Get over it!

Posted by: I Love LA | June 25, 2009 at 08:57 AM

More and more we are seeing LA become a suburb of Mexico.

This Mexican Mafia corrupt politics that run much of South and East LA is not needed or wanted here.

I hope they throw his sorry arse in prison.

Posted by: Rob R Barron | June 25, 2009 at 08:53 AM

I'm a Latino and a political independent. I agree with Jose. Ship out the illegals. This is relevant to this story because MAPA is all about empowering immigrants - many of whom are here illegally and do not integrate into American society by quickly learning English, obeying U.S. rules and seeking legal citizenship.

Posted by: zorro1x | June 25, 2009 at 08:49 AM

NATIONAL ID's NOW!!

This could be a one-stop document for citzenship verification, driver's priviledges, passport, and if we become so fortunate, to enable our ability to see a doctor via a national healthcare system!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... fraud.html