A BRONX QUEEN

Guest commentary

By Ramon Jimenez (August 27, 2012) 

Carmen Arroyo has the distinction of being the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to the New York State Assembly in 1994. But, as Bronx residents have witnessed the corruption that is engulfing the borough with politicos like convicted State Senators Pedro Espada and Efrain Gonzalez, convicted City Councilmember Larry Seabrook, and scandal-ridden Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, they are demanding change. Unfortunately, Carmen Arroyo and her political family have become part of this problem.

 I have personally known the Assemblywoman for over 35 years. In fact, one of the ads found in her original campaign journal celebrating her candidacy was purchased by my law office. I was part of the great fanfare when she was elected as a historical first --- but Carmen Arroyo's tenure in office has emerged as the epicenter of scandal in the condado de la salsa. Bronx residents, a loving people, were willing to perdonar (forgive) her excesses when she was first elected. According to my sources, before being elected, while she was working for South Bronx Community Corporation, she had been found guilty of welfare in 1975 (her prosecutor at the time, incidentally, was Peter Rivera, a former Bronx Assemblyman and now NYS Commissioner of Labor for Governor Andrew Cuomo).

Arroyo  proudly took her seat in the Assembly 18 years ago and has not relinquished it since. During her time in power, the South Bronx has become the poorest Congressional District in the United States , with the highest asthma, obesity, unemployment and drop-out rates in the city. Moreover, she has contributed to the distinction of the borough having escalating rates of incarceration and crime . The performance of many public schools have continued to deteriorate, while charter schools are now being used, not to create new models of learning, but as sources of new political patronage for elected officials, as reported over and over again by the media.

It is now 18 years later and certainly as a political representative of our community Assemblywoman Arroyo has proven a dismal failure. In a report entitled "A Boricua Game of Thrones?" by political scientist Angelo Falcón, he provides readers with an insider look at the Boricua families that control the Bronx. He found that more than anywhere else in the city, the degree of family connections between the Puerto Rican elected officials of the Bronx was unique and suspect --- 60 percent of the borough's boricua elected officials were related. The current revelations in the tabloids about the reckless and possible illegal acts by Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, daughter of Bronx political godfather Assemblyman José Rivera, exposed the tip of an iceberg of political cronyism and scandal fueled by this so-called "Boricua Game of Thrones."

But another central figure in this politically-driven patronage center for Puerto Rican political leadership is Carmen Arroyo and her clan. What was once a political candidacy that arose out of the hopes of the Puerto Rican community has morphed into a corrupt and incompetent patronage-driven leadership whose only goals appear to be to maintain power and reelection. The irrefutable conclusion to be drawn from the Falcón piece, numerous journalist investigatory articles, public records, and the objective facts is that the accomplishments Carmen Arroyo achieved in her earlier years have been scarred by scandal after scandal involving herself, her Councilmember daughter and others in her family.

The origins of the emergence of the Arroyo clan are a matter of historical record and grew out of the South Bronx Community Corporation. Originally, Arroyo was a community worker at the agency, but later was appointed its executive director. Her elevation to the leadership of this nonprofit brought with it many unexpected consequences. The organization was transformed into an employment agency for Arroyo family members who later got jobs at SBCC, including two daughters and a grandson --- Maria del Carmen, Iris Arroyo and Richard Izquierdo.

SBCC, controlled by the Arroyos, managed two buildings that were the base of the Arroyo's voters. At a recent meeting with an NAACP official, the Assemblywoman boasted that she
"...never lets anyone in her building unless they vote for her." SBCC's longtime chairman was her grandson Richard Izquierdo .    

The Assemblywomen used her influence and nonprofit corporation as launching pads for the political elevation of family members. They poisoned the idea of una familia making it into a political machine designed to sponsor,  maintain  and expand the power of the Arroyo tribe. The machine led to the election of Maria del Carmen Arroyo to the 17th Council district.

Having captured a Council seat, they then used government funds to nourish the SBCC. Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo obtained City Council discretionary funds for the agency. Coincidentally, the other Arroyo daughter, Iris Arroyo, was the fiscal officer for SBCC. It was alleged by an ex-employee that Iris was incompetent to hold the position of fiscal officer and that, as a result, her malfeasance led to the SBCC being subject to numerous costly tax liens.

In 2009, Wilfredo Nazario, an aide to Carmen Arroyo, was charged with impersonating a police officer and robbery. On March 3, 2010, Margarita Villegas, a close ally of Carmen Arroyo, was accused of embezzling over $54,000 from the SBCC. Part of the monies spent benefitted both politicians. Villegas received a prison sentence.

On May 12, 2010, Izquierdo, the Assemblywoman's grandson and chief of staff, pled guilty to diverting over $114,000 from SBCC to his personal benefit. He also used part of those funds to benefit both his abuelita politica (political grandmother Arroyo) and his tia (auntie), Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

Many questions remain unanswered on the Izquierdo scandal. Was he the sole participant in the theft of poverty monies? How did it turn out that he used most of the money to benefit both politicos, who allegedly received renovated offices, trips abroad, and lavish dinners and clothes? Why was he given a lenient prison sentence? Are investigations still on going?

In 2012, the New York Post reported that Councilwoman Arroyo paid her husband Richard Aguirre approximately $15,000 out of $21,000 she received in campaign contributions. It was later reported that the Assemblywoman directed monies from her campaign chest to her recently released grandson. In addition to these ethical and potentially criminal actions, Carmen Arroyo has been fined by the Campaign Finance Board over $33,000 for failing to file finance disclosure forms at least 60 times.

The Assemblywoman has also abandoned the workers of the Bronx by voting to support a Tier VI Pension reduction for State employees, which angered many unions. She has been cited as a Bronx slumlord for many years, most recently in 2012 by the Public Advocate's office. And to top things off, she was one of the first Puerto Rican officials to support Rudy Giuliani over David Dinkins for Mayor, a mortal sin in the Bronx.

What conclusions can one draw from these scandals? Assemblywoman Arroyo has yet to be indicted but has had a political career steeped and surrounded by corruption charges and, in some cases, the convictions of her family, employees and close friends. Arroyo and her cohorts are constantly on the brink of investigations, fines, and professional ethical lapses ranging from campaign finance failures to questionable moral decisions. How can she address critical community issues like youth crime and stop and frisk policies when a significant part of her time is spent defending her family and allies from criminal investigations and prosecutions? How can she continue to "fiddle while Rome (in this case, the Bronx) is burning?"

It is indeed a tragedy that what was once a promising career by Assemblyman Carmen Arroyo is now steeped in scandal and corruption and has left residents of the Bronx like a rudderless ship in the night with no direction. There is an old political saying that when everything else fails to organize el pueblo, conditions will. Hermanos y hermanas, ya es tiempo para un cambio.

Ramon Jimenez is a lifetime community activist, mentor/advisor, and writer, at various times a radio host, journalist, professor and lecturer. He has been a South Bronx litigator (and agitator), representing low-income families, injured workers, community groups and others in the poorest Congressional district in the country. He successfully fought to save Hostos Community College and achieved the rebuilding of blighted neighborhoods like Charlotte Street. A well-seasoned professional, Jimenez has also served as an administrative law judge for New York State Workers Compensation Board. He can be reached at ramonjmnzr@aol.com .

References

"Assemblywoman's Aide Arrested in Robbery: by the Associated Press (June 30, 2010)

"Bronx Crime Stats Rising Like the Heat" by Patrice O'Shaughnessy, New York Daily News (August 24, 2010)

"Bronx's high smoking rate puts kids at risk for asthma" by Albor Ruiz, New York Daily News (January 06,
2011)

"Bronx Violent Crime Rate Sill Highest in the City" by Jeremy Herb, The Bronx Beat (February 21, 2009)

"Carmen Arroyo's grandson quits as head of charter school after embezzlement charge" by Robert Gearty and
Greg B. Smith, New York Daily News (June 12, 2009)

"Editorial: It's All About the Money," New York Times (November 29, 2009)

"Embezzler Margarita Villegas bawls in court, crying, 'I'm so sorry'" by Scott Sgifrel, New York Daily
News (June 19, 2010)

"Feds are jingling cuffs for the Arroyos: Sources" by Bob Kappstatter, New York Daily News ( August 4,
2009)

"Making Census of It: Bronx Population Grows, Yet Poverty Remains" by By: Shazia Khan, New York 1 News
(August 21, 2011)

"Maria del Carmen Arroyo: Council member in funding flap" by Robert Gearty and Gregg Smith, New York
Daily News (April 17 2008)

"New report reveals Bronx teens have highest rate in the nation for STDs" by Marisa Treviño, Latina Lista
(November 17, 2011)

"Nonprofit gal in slush-mess 'fess" by Bruce Golding, New York Post (March 3, 2010)

"NY State Assembly Woman Carmen Arroyo Remains on Slum Lord List," DNAInfo (December 29, 2011)

"Prosecutors: Mom-daughter city pols flew to Puerto Rico on funds stolen from non-profit" by Robert Gearty
and Greg Smith, New York Daily News (June 10, 2009)

"Puerto Rican Americans Have Highest Asthma Rate In Nation" by Wanda Hellmund, Huffington Post (May 25,
2011)

"Rush to create charter high schools in New York City is recipe for cash scams" by Juan Gonzaez, New
York Daily News (January 28, 2010)

"$lush scion cops a plea" by Dareh Gregorian, New York Post (March 13, 2010)

"South Bronx is poorest district in nation, U.S. Census Bureau finds: 38% live below poverty line"
by Richard Sisk, New York Daily News (September 29, 2010)

"South Bronx leads nation in hunger stats, but Obesity also big problem" by Corinne Lestch, New York
Daily News (March 10, 2011)

"The Obesity-Hunger Paradox" by Sam Dolnick, The New York Times (March 12, 2010)

"The Worst Cities in America" by Kofi Bofah, Yahoo News (October 28,2008)

"Too many loopholes: Campaign money goes for cars, spas & travel" by Rober Gearty, Barbara Ross and
Niamin Lesser, New York Daily News (September 06, 2009)

"Violent crime in Mott Haven, Melrose at five-year high" by Nasr ul Hadi, The Bronx Ink (December 14, 2011)