Los Angeles Mayor-elect Antonio R. Villaraigosa sits with his wife Corina as they listen to speakers from different faiths at the Interfaith Prayer Service for the Inauguration of Villaraigosa at the Cathedral of Our lady Queen of Angeles, in this Friday, July 1, 2005 photo, in Los Angeles. Villaraigosa, who is in the midst of divorce proceedings with his wife, acknowledged Tuesday, July 3, 2007 that he is in a relationship with a Spanish-language television reporter, Mirthala Salinas.

Latinas feel Antonio betrayed them

In Los Angeles parishes, women pray for the mayor

A black lace mantilla draped over her head, Matilda Salas knelt at a side altar of downtown’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, immersed in solemn prayer, a rosary of black crystals clutched in her tiny hands.

When she finished, she carefully lit two votive candles, as she had done since Tuesday, the day she learned of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s admitted extramarital affair.

“I light one candle for Antonio and one candle for (his wife),” said Salas, 56. “I pray that with God’s help, they find a way of reconciling.

“If they don’t, Antonio is lost. He is lost to his family. He is lost to himself. Most importantly, he is lost to God.”
For Salas, praying for the mayor is her way of handling her anger and disillusionment about his affair – an affront she, like a lot of Latinas, is taking personally.

So much of an affront, political analysts say, that it threatens his longtime core support: Latinas for whom Villaraigosa was once the Latino prodigal son.

Let’s recap while the prayers are oozing forth for Mayor Villaraigosa in Los Angeles:

Remember Los Angeles Latino leaders being nonplussed with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s admission of an affair with Telemundo Channel 52 political reporter Mirthala Salinas.

And you remember yesterday mornings rumor that it was Salinas who “gave up” the Mayor because he was having an affair with yet another woman.

Mayor Antonio Villaragiosa’s affair with Mirthala Salinas was disclosed by Salinas herself because Mayor Villaraigosa was having an affair with another woman – unnamed Korean female developer.

The story goes that the “girlfriend” of a particular member of the City Council has “disclosed” that it was none other than Mirthala Salinas herself who allegedly leaked news of the affair she was having with the Mayor. Salinas’ motivation? The Mayor had allegedly already moved on to a new relationship with an unnamed Korean female developer – and as they say “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” (One of our readers posted a similar claim.)

And apparently it was the rumored relationship with the developer – and not necessarily Salinas – that was the final straw for Corina Raigosa, prompting her to file for divorce.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s admission that he has a relationship with TV anchor Mirthala Salinas comes less than a month after he announced his separation from his wife of two decades, Corina Villaraigosa. She filed for divorce the next day.

Mirthala Salinas who was a political report for Telemundo Channel 52 in Los Angeles that is owned by NBC-Universal was placed on leave pending an ethics investigation. It seems Mayor Villaraigosa was not the only politician with whom she has had a “personal relationship” as well as a professional news media one.

Mirthala Salinas, a Telemundo newswoman, interviews L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the state Capitol on June 21, 2006. Villaraigosa has now acknowledged that he has “a relationship” with Salinas.

And then there was yesterday’s rumor about Sabrina Kay, the Los Angeles City Planning Commissioner being the “other woman” to the Villaraigosa – Salinas Affair.

Los Angeles City Planning Commissioner and Philanthropist Sabrina Kay

This morning Gateway pundit has more about the Sabrina Kay affair:

Sabrina Kay was invited to Mayor Villagairosa’s inauguration but they say they have known each other for 10 years.

Kay is a fashion designer who is also serving as a commissioner of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission(?)

Back in October 2006 the Korean Sunday Journal wrote this about Sabrina Kay and Mayor Villaraigosa and their trip together to Korea:

The translation:

Sabrina Kay (Chung Hee Kim) is an influential Korean-American designer in L.A. She’s also a long-time political ally of Villaraigosa, going back to when he was in the California state legislature, when she hosted fundraising parties for him. Recently, since his election as mayor, Villaraigosa brought Kay with him (and about 10 others) on a visit to China, Japan, and Korea. This was in the fall of 2006. Although the visit was supposedly for the purpose of attracting Asian investment in LA, the article’s sources say the trip was not well planned, did not result in meetings with Korea’s most important corporate leaders, and did not bring in any significant investment for LA. The paper wonders what was the mayor’s intention of visiting Korea.

The one memorable event was when Villaraigosa appeared as a model in Sabrina Kay’s fashion show wearing her clothing (pictured above). The fashion show was sponsored by the Hyundai Dept. Store. It was meant to promote LA’s fashion industry.

The tour generated considerable gossip. One source says the article doesn’t quite say the gossip was of a romantic nature. Another source says the article rumors that Kay is the mayor’s mistress. The article suggests that the mayor was giving Kay a lot of free publicity, by implying an endorsement.

The article also wonders how Kay, a fashion designer, landed in the LA Planning Commission position.

So, there appears to be some sort of relationship here between the Mayor and one of his Planning Commissioners, but what is it?

Did Mirthala Salinas “OUT” the Mayor because of her “FAILED” affair with the Mayor? Or did someone else?

But, wait you ask? Where is the Mayor? Why is he not answering these questions?

Better yet why is the MSM and in particular the Los Angeles Times not covering this story and asking the HARD questions?

Are they protecting him? This piece may shed some light.

At a banquet in Shanghai China the LA Planning Commissioner, Sabrian Kay, stands by her mayor

Back to the Latinas of Los Angeles and the praying:

Latinas on the Eastside and in northeast Los Angeles forgave Villaraigosa’s 1994 extramarital affair after he and wife Corina reconciled, and they became a formidable contingent of his two mayoral campaigns – efforts in which Villaraigosa made his family life and values a key element of his appeal.

But many Latinas are now saying they never will think of the mayor in the same way again in the wake of his admission last week that he has been carrying on an extramarital affair with Telemundo anchorwoman Mirthala Salinas that has resulted in the breakup of his 20-year marriage.

“Whether this affair poses a threat to Antonio’s political future is debatable,” said Los Angeles attorney Alex Jacinto, a longtime veteran of Eastside politics.

Flap does not think it is so debatable. Multiple affairs at different times of his marriage with multiple women at the same time. Two children born from two different unmarried women previous to his marriage – Flap never heard this during this campaign against Mayor Jimmy Hahn.

Do you see a pattern here?

And now, a Flap commenter is hinting at Mayor Villaraigosa dating an LAPD officer on his security detail:

Here’s the latest I heard from inside sources — the Mayor has been dating a woman on his security detail after
dumping the t.v. anchor. The Mayor allegedly spotted her at the police dept. and said he wanted the woman he saw on his detail. He was told only those from the Metro division are assigned to this kind of detail and it’s very hard to make that happen. Apparently getting into Metro division is not an easy task and is highly sought after. Allegedly, strings were pulled and this woman whisked through the process and ended up on his detail– this one would be easy to check–find out who the new woman on detail is who was moved into Metro with a quick and speedy and highly unusual transfer to be with the Mayor. Confirm with LAPD sources to suss out veracity.

And this is not the first time this was mentioned in the blogs (H/T Luke Ford).

Anyone out there from the LAPD have the story?

During the course of a television interview on June 19, 2006, Villaraigosa walks with Salinas outside the state Capitol.

Update:

Luke Ford has the poop on more possible women with “personal relationships” with the Mayor:

Cecile Ablack
Tina Choi, planning commissioner

Unnamed Deputy on mayor’s security detail

Cynthia Ruiz (president of the Board of Public Works of the City of Los Angeles)

Celine Cordero (Homeland security for Los Angeles)

Jennie Carreon de Lacey (LAUSD school administrator)

Patricia Higuera (more, more) Pregnant Latina La Raza Activist Attorney

Haco Hoang – Policy analyst for mayor, Poli Sci prof gets smashed on this thread

Serena Zeise, Special Assistant to the Mayor.

Anyone heard yet from the LAPD?
Previous:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Watch: Sabrina Kay Rumors Heat Up Los Angeles City Hall

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Watch: Fading Latino Star – Another Alleged Affair Leaves Questions

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Watch: Mirthala Salinas Placed on Leave by Telemundo

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Watch: Still A Contender for California Governor in 2008?

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Watch: The End of a Political Career

Technorati Tags: Antonio Villaraigosa, Mirthala Salinas, Telemundo, Fabian Nunez, Sabrina Kay

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