Daugherty concludes, “Wouldn’t it have been better just to put a statement saying, ‘Rosa Brooks hates Hillary Clinton, check this space periodically for updates?’” Yup. Better yet, in a time of budget cuts, the Times should give her space to someone who can make good use of it.

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http://www.policemag.com/Channels/Gangs/2007/07/25/History-of-the-Mexican-Mafia-Prison-Gang.aspx

During this period, the Mexican Mafia under the direction of Cadena infiltrated and gained control of numerous community organizations. The League of United Citizens to Help Addicts (LUCHA), Project Get Going, Community Concern, Special Program for Alcoholism and Narcotics (SPAN), and several other narcotic and alcohol prevention programs were systematically taken over and looted to provide money, influence, and vehicles for La EME. The gang used these taxpayer resources to buy drugs and murder its enemies. When Ellen Delia, the wife of Project Get Going director Michael Delia, threatened to expose the corruption to the State Senate, she was murdered in Sacramento. This system of infiltration and takeover of “self help” and gang prevention organizations continues to be one of the Mexican Mafia’s favorite tactics today. They utilize corrupt and gullible politicians, policemen, churches, and attorneys to gain control of these resources.

The Community Concern Corporation and Get Going Project were two programs that were taken over by the EME in the mid-1970’s.

Community Concern was headed by Rafael “Chispas” Sandoval (a street gang member from Hoyo Maravilla and longtime EME soldier) who attempted to legitimize himself by running for councilman in L.A. against Art Snyder. They engaged in heated debates on television and radio and Snyder persuaded the city council to disqualify CCC for $300,000 in federal funds. EME’s infiltration of CCC culminated after two CCC “employees” – Evarito “Little Blanco” Blanco and William “Wild Bill” Robles – were “terminated” by EME gunmen in 1976.

“Chispas” criminal record had somehow been sealed during this political struggle and Snyder succeeded in shedding light on the fact that not only was Chispas a made member but also had celled with Joe Morgan while in state prison. Snyder, whose family would require 24-hour LAPD surveillance and protection, prevailed at the ballot box and “Chispas” was sent packing.

Get Going was in full operation from 1976 thru 1977 due to the efforts of Michael and Ellen Delia.
This halfway house for parolees was allowed to function with a staff that was replaced by EME members as “ghost slots” were created for their employment.

Not only were they being paid for doing nothing but the company cars (which were supposed to take new parolees to job interviews) made the rounds throughout California as “hit cars”.

Over thirty EME executions took place over a ten month period with at least a dozen occurring between January 9 thru February 18, 1977. Many of these were performed by Alfredo “Alfie” Sosa (he later pled guilty to about 4 or 5 of these) who is described by a former EME member in his writings as “the Joe Pesci” of the Mexican Mafia.

Most of these killings took place in Get Going’s company leased cars and one 1977 Pontiac Cutlass Supreme in particular had the dubious distinction of being involved in hits in Sacramento, Hayward, Fresno and Los Angeles. Once again, Alfie was involved in hits in each of these cities with multiples in Los Angeles. I guess you could say he was intimately acquainted with the Cutlass.

It was the execution of Ellen Delia in Sacramento that drew LE’s attention to Get Going and ultimately to the Mob that many in the barrios looked upon as “pillars of the community”.

(On your very last point: I like Blinky much better than you do. But, like you, I have problems with many of his methods.)

South-Central L.A.: Ricardo Rivera Jr., 18, a young Latino man, was fatally shot at about 9:15 p.m. in the 300 block of East 80th Street Thursday, March 13. Rivera was standing on the driveway when a 13-year-old youth approached and allegedly shot him. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced Rivera dead at the scene. Police later arrested the 13-year-old youth on suspicion of murder that day. He was booked at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.

Since you haven’t kept up with the comments, we are editing story title from;

LA Gang Wars IV: Steve Lopez Throws Down

to

LA Witness Blog Gang Wars IV: WBC Throws Down