Verdict Taken as a Blow to Latino Progress

On state Sen. Joseph B. Montoya’s home turf in the San Gabriel Valley, his corruption conviction Friday was taken as a blow to Latino progress as well as a personal tragedy.

“He made his bed, and now he’s got to lie in it,” said Phil Soto, a former state assemblyman who has known Montoya for more than 30 years. “Apparently there was some truth in what was said about him (in the accusations). . . . Now, he has to pay the piper.”

But Soto said the consequences are not limited to Montoya, whose once-bright political career may have ended abruptly in a Sacramento courtroom.

“It’s a sad day for Sacramento legislators, and just as sad a day for the Hispanic community,” Soto said.

Montoya was convicted on five counts of extortion and single counts of racketeering and money laundering. His downfall was taking a $3,000 check from an FBI agent posing as a businessman trying to get legislative help for his shrimp business. But testimony at the trial said it was typical Montoya behavior.

“He is one of the few Hispanics in office. And that they find him guilty on something like this--what an embarrassment,” said Marcia Vazquez, a cashier at Cafe Bahia in El Monte’s Valley Mall.

Montoya, 50, was a player in local politics for many years, almost since he graduated from La Puente High School. He was a symbol of promise in the working-class belt of the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles, a native son who rose to power and success.

At 28, Montoya was elected to the La Puente City Council. He served as the city’s mayor in 1971-72.

“Oh my God, I’m stunned,” said La Puente City Councilman Frank Palacio when told of the guilty verdicts.

The two politicians were longtime rivals. Montoya beat out Palacio for a seat in the state Assembly in 1972, and Palacio was working for then-state Sen. Al Song when Montoya beat Song to win his first term in the Senate from the heavily Latino and Democratic 26th District.

But Palacio did not revel in Montoya’s troubles.

“I’m sad in a way, because it reflects badly on all Hispanics,” Palacio said, echoing what several other Latino leaders said about the verdict. “I feel like it’s a bad mark against us. We’ve been trying and trying.”

Karen Hardy, a shopper at Valley Mall, said Montoya should be removed from office.

“People are having a hard enough time without the persons we want to look up to doing something like that,” Hardy said. “He committed a crime and he should be punished.”

Others said they could not help but reflect on how Montoya turned into the corrupt political figure described by the prosecution.

“The real unfortunate thing is that the guy was so smart, so bright, and he appeared to be very capable,” Soto said. “I guess the influences in Sacramento got to him. I hate to see that happen to anybody.

“There goes 15 or 20 years of a good, clean, dedicated career down the tubes--wiped out in one year’s worth of activities,” he said. “That sure is a shame.”