Robert Steve Bullock, the son-in-law (or stepson?) of veteran lobbyist Joe Cerrell and the CFO of Cerrell Associates, sold Mirthala Salinas her condo.
Bullock claims it was total chance that he sold the condo to Mirthala.
When the news broke that the mayor was hooking up with Mirthala Salinas, Joe Cerrell spun the L.A. Daily News for Antonio Villaraigosa.
From ERSNews.com reported July 12, 2007:
ERSNews has learned that the Studio City condo owned by Mirthala Salinas and her sister Isabel Salinas was sold to her by a political supporter of the mayor and campaign contributor. In addition, the seller, Robert Steve Bullock, is the Chief Financial Officer of Cerrell Associates one of the largest lobbying and public relations firms in Los Angeles. The company has a long track record of doing business with the city of Los Angeles.
The firm has over 22 registered lobbyists according to the city ethics commission and has provided extensive consulting and PR services to city agencies and political consulting to many of LA’s leading politicians according to records obtained by ERSNews.
The condo was purchased by Salinas on March 16, 2006. According to property records the selling price was half a million dollars. The condo was on the market in late 2005 prior to Salina’s purchase of it.
On July 3, 2007, L.A. Daily News reporter Beth Barrett broke the story of mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s relationship with Telemundo reporter/anchor Mirthala Salinas. Here’s how the article ended:
One political insider predicted any hint of scandal will make Villaraigosa’s political climb tougher, but not impossible.
"He’s tenacious, he keeps fighting and fighting and fighting. He fights for his image, and that’s a big factor. He doesn’t crawl up in a shell. He’s hard to keep down."
Joe Cerrell, a political consultant often viewed as the dean of city politics, said it may be a "new era" where personal indiscretions are more easily tolerated and even political enemies are reluctant to take shots.
"People love gossip, but I don’t know that it hurts," Cerrell said.
"Bill Clinton is being used all this week in Iowa by Hillary … They must have done some polling to say it’s a plus, and he was president of the United States in the White House."
