ASSEMBLY 25 | By most accounts, last weekend’s Democratic State Convention in Sacramento was a quiet, sedate affair. Not so, was the case at a luncheon Saturday afternoon when the wife of former Assemblyman Alberto Torrico attacked the aide of Fremont Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski while alleging a long-time romance between the two.
The confrontation, which many in attendance labeled a “cat fight,” occurred after the morning general session Saturday at a party sponsored by Wieckowski and Assemblyman Rob Bonta. Seven delegates who witnessed scenes from the encounter tell The Citizen Raquel Torrico, the wife of Alberto Torrico, aggressively confronted Wieckowski’s chief of staff Trisha Tahmasbi outside the event. Witnesses say Raquel Torrico told Tahmasbi to “leave Alberto alone.”
Those who saw the scene say Alberto Torrico appeared deeply embarrassed by the public exchange, as was Tahmasbi, who attempted to flee to room. However, outside the luncheon, Raquel Torrico followed her outside to the street and began repeatedly slapping Tahmasbi, the sources say, in addition, to trying to choke the Wieckowski aide.
The exchange was so fierce, said some delegates, that pedestrians intervened to break up the fight. One delegate at the party, who did not see the altercation, said upon returning to the party, Raquel Torrico freely told guests, she slapped Tahmasbi three times.
Rumors of a romance between Alberto Torrico and Tahmasbi, who once worked as an assembly aide for him and also worked on Torrico’s unsuccessful 2010 campaign for state attorney general, have long bounced around the chatty south county political class.
However, in recent years, Torrico reportedly became a born-again Christian, and was last seen expressing his piety last August when he charged former Rep. Pete Stark with threatening him and his children. Torrico had called Stark to say he was endorsing his opponent, Eric Swalwell, when the tough-talking former congressman questioned Torrico’s sanity and facetiously threatened to have mental health officials take custody of his children. “Maybe I should send a social worker to your house. Your kids need to be safe. You’re not well,” Torrico recalled Stark saying in the San Francisco Chronicle.
The spat in Sacramento also reveals yet another strange turn of events within Wieckowski’s circle of insiders and supporters. In February, Wieckowski formally protested his assembly district’s delegate election citing irregularities in the voting and a large number of non-Democrats allowed to cast their votes. Wieckowski’s slate, incidentally, was routed by another group of minority candidates, but a re-vote was scheduled by party leaders last month. However, the second vote delivered no change in the winners from the initial election. Some minority groups in the Fremont area were displeased by Wieckowski’s move (many accuse Tahmasbi of pushing for the re-vote) and alleged he was disenfranchising their voices.
Keeping this group of delegates content, which serve for the next two years, is in Wieckowski’s best interest since his is likely to seek a seat in the State Senate next year, possibly against former Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi and her $800,000 war chest. Against such formidable resources, the party’s endorsement would be valuable to Wieckowski, say many East Bay Democrats.
Some now allege Tahmasbi is sporting a shiner due to the fisticuffs last weekend. That is not known, but the chain of events over the past few months in the 25th Assembly District is quickly becoming a succession of black eyes for Wieckowski and his bid for higher office that could start making a certain convicted shoplifter of high-end clothing seem like a less chaotic alternative.
MAYBE PEOPLE NEED TO STOP PLAYING GAMES AND START DOING WHATS RIGHT. MAYBE PEOPLE NEED TO STOP THINKING THAT THEY ARE THE SHIT! PEOPLE GO INTO PUBLIC SERVICE TO HELP PEOPLE NOT HELP THEMSELVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I agree with a lot of your points but there's a gray area that gets crossed which doesn't meet the standard that others would use to reprimand or punish someone. But we agree that TT should go. Just based on her judgment (again, if it happened…) and sleeping with that bald fat fuck she should have her head examined. So should his wife but that's another story.
I think at this point Bob doesn't have a choice but to look at her performance and make a decision. But that's his decision, not mine, not yours, and certainly not anyone's on this blog. That said, it seems like a pretty easy one so based on the choices he has in front of him.
What I think is interesting is that Steve's got two stories about electeds where Wilson is, or was, a staffer…
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Trisha and that Kalra guy from San Jose sound like a great couple. couple of losers…
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I don't get it, so many men so little time? I always wondered how such a attractive lil bundle of joy had know man question answered! I'm still optimistic that this will not humble that lil B#@&H! nobody deserves to get FIRED but she sure deserves a demotion.your to good for that BOB.
from the lil ppl
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This gets complicated so stay with me. Word has it that J. Hostermann of Pleasanton overheard someone who knows Frank Imhof, Scott Haggerty commissioner who got into trouble a few years back. That person said that Imhof had was talking shit with S. Wilson of Haggerty's office and worked for Torrico when he was in the assembly. Wilson got fired after about a month spent with Torico. this info. came out during some serius drinking. Bottom line is Bob needs to get rid of Trisha and clean house. To much good old boys screwing around and messing with public.
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10:44 – the back story is that Alberto and Trish started an affair back when Alberto was running for AG – fast forward to 2 weeks ago and Alberto's wife slaps the shit out of Trish – why now is open to debate but obviously something else came to light, what that was we will eventually find out the only question is how long will “eventually” take?
And Ash Kalra is a City Councilperson in San Jose, arrested a number of times for DUI and with a history similar to Alberto – so much fun in Bay Area politics
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Who is this Ash Kalra?
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Answer: Dick Valley!
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Alberto Torrico,George Shirakawa,Nadia Lockyer,Mary Hayashi and Ash Kalra
The question is who's next to join this all star team?
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Trisha is fair game because many people have questioned her political and personal judgement on other matters. She has needlessly alienated and attacked various people and groups in the district. Many have wondered if Wiecowski were better off by firing her. This personal decision to continue an affair shows bad judgment on her part. Come on Bob, time to cut your losses and let her go.
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Anon 9:18 the reason the wife attacks the other woman is because it is the other woman who is the transgressor. Men have also turned down advances from women, but it does not make the news.
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What's the backstory?
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I love how other wife always attacks the other woman. What about dealing with your husband? If a man doesn't want to cheat he won't no matter what another woman does. Divorce him or stay in the marriage but that is your choice. Grow up this isn't high school.
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Anon 3:53, Torrico is history. Quit living in the past. He is a private citizen and not a public official anymore.
The issue is our current Assemblyman and his COS. Trisha has ruffled the feathers of many of Bob's constituents. She failed miserably in conducting the elections. The recount resulting from her failure cost the party money. Any other business would have fired her. And here she is now embroiled in another fiasco and carrying on an affair. She is signaling that by carrying on affairs you can get things done in Sacramento. NO, that is not the way to get things done. If that is her personal life philosophy, then she should be out of the circles in Sacramento. Look at her devious record as a City Council candidate.
If Bob holds onto her much, then it would be time to take a serious look at Bob's fitness to represent us.
And yes, thanks you Raquel.
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I'm sure all of Bob'S staffers wish they could of slapped her once too! her attudide has been out of controll for years that's what you get! THNX Raquel!
Raquel said upon returning to the party, R Torrico freely told guests, she slapped Tahmasbi three times.
thank you Raquel!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Trisha what comes around goes around…lately she's been seen coonoodeling with freshman Erick Swallwell as far as Bob goes he's a class act! DUMP THE BAGGAGE BOB!
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I think Steven has corrected focus on Torrico and Wieckowski in this article. There is tremendous hypocrisy going on with Torrico. Here's a guy who believes in marriage between an man and a woman only and he is positioning himself for a return to Sacramento. We just don't know where or when yet.
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Folks, this is nonsense to say that Trisha is a woman and she should not be treated that way bacause of that. In the case of Gen. Petraeus both the General and the woman were held responsible since both were adults and it was consensual. This case is similar. What I hear folks saying is that let us sweep this aside, clean house and begin fresh. As somebody pointed out, why did Weickowski move her to Sacramento? Looks like she allowed hersel to become a “mobile App”. So let us cut this out of she being a woman. Gender is not a issue here. She was not pressurized in any way. She could have walked away and sought the refuge of “sexual harassment” laws. But she wanted to rise up in her career and she chose the wrong way.
Let us just move on, get her out of the way and if Bob refuses to act, maybe get Bob also out of way.
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Looks like Mr. Sanctity of Marriage got bit in the ass. That's probably how he likes it.
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Leave Trisha alone – no woman deserves this. This is not news. As someone who works with her in Sacramento she has been very good to Wieckowski and easy to work with. Her personal choices have no impact on what has or has not happened with Torrico.
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@ April 17, 2013 at 10:19 AM
As I mentioned in my initial comment, TT is not without blame, to be sure, but the comments left prior to mine were mostly one-sided, and it plays into the misogynist trope that it's all the woman's fault in situations like this (think about the reasons that are given for why women are mandated to wear burkhas, and it's the same logic at play here). It's his fault -too- and maybe even more so, given the fact that he was her employer and mentor. His was the name on our ballot.
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Also any impropriety and wrong doing on the part of Tahmasbi and staff should be investigated..But do we have to do it in an unbecoming manner?
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Thank you for this comment. For the longest time I hated Trisha, but now I see that she too is a victim of dirty politics. She was a young impressionable woman whose heart was in the right place, but she was taken adavntage of. Torrico a public figure and family man ruined that for her. I.believe HE is the one who should.have known better. But instead it seems.he played with.her heart, and she became someone she wasn't. I feel bad for her and I hope she can.turn.her life around. Please don't be so.cruel. It would mean we're no.better than those that we are criticizing.
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Anon 10:19
This is not a private matter. There is an “appearance of impropriety” here. That appearance should be enough.
Answer the following the following questions to determine if the power of the office has been used to return any favors that may have transpired:
What interest did Torrico have in promoting Trisha for appointment to the Ohlone Board using the fact that he endorsed her as a Assembly member
The same question as above but this time to run for City Council.
Why was Weickowski moving Trisha to Sacramento when two of his predecessors drew their COS from the vastly talented pool available in Sacramento.
Is Trisha paid through taxpayer dollars or not?
And yes,, we have heard for calls to clean up the country party leadership in Sacramento.
So it is not a private matter when favors are exchanged using the power of office to which folks are elected. It would have been a private matter if Trisha was not part of the political circle of these two men. Time to banish her from the county politics for good.
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@April 16, 2013 at 5:46 PM
Why shouldn't folks question the moral judgment of TT? The dude is married for crying out loud! Then again, I've never trusted born again folks. Your logic is the same logic that folks use when they try to justify their own sheepish and ill fated decisions. It's always someone else's fault right? WRONG.
IF (and this is a big if) anything happened i would assume it was consensual.
And – just so everyone understands – this is a private matter – god forbid any of you jackasses got your own lives put under a microscope. Just to be clear, this isn't a defense of either of these two idiots. But let's talk about something a little less intimate and justified – like the complete lack of leadership in Oakland.
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Let He who is without sin cast the first stone.
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Hats off to Raquel. It is about time things clean up. We need true representatives to serve the community not a bunch of Johns and whores. Shunt Bob out for good. Torrico is done anyway. Let us bring some fresh blood like we did in the case of Swalwell.
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Funny how mad Trish is at Hayashi when she is her exact clone….
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AMEN SISTER>>>>
You Pegged It!
Anonymous says:
April 16, 2013 at 4:34 PM Reply
Yup well said…I heard the christian lobbyist uses money and sex to be relavent and get his work done..now it makes sense how he has got the state assemblyman and the mayor under his control..pimping his whore 🙂 I a women am really proud of Raquel to take the fight head on with loose cheap morals people who dirty our fabric..she indirectly is helping clean the system.. I hope the Mrs of both the other two gentlemen wakeup and ask their spouses as to why they are so touchy and warm to Trisha ? She is the SuperGlue in Fremont to all the male Fremont politicians. Now we know where the glue is coming from .. we need to clean these dirty politicians who are getting engaged in all these cheap dirty stuff..
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Was about to create a fake email account just to tell you about this. Was seriously questioning your journalistic chops for a minute…Thanks for bringing truth to light….
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Ultimately the buck stops with Torrico and Wieckowski. If Bob can't control his own office how can he control the district?
The anger belongs in one place and one place only – squarely on Alberto's shoulders.
As residents of Bob's district, we should be aware of the character of the public servants that are serving the constituency. Donot want my tax money to be utilized for anyone who has such a shallow character. Donot know the facts, but the confrontation and the rumors that have been going around for sometime, say it all.
Key question is what will Bob do? Ignore everything like he always does or take action and show leadership. Probably do nothing. The whole district is watching him……
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Wonder what Torrico and Trisha did all those trips all over California when he ran for Attorney General?
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“possibly against former Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi and her $800,000 war chest”
WHAT? Did somebody remove the wooden stake?
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Apparently Raquel confronted Trisha and was heard to have asked “Why you such a dirty lil' ho?”
To which Trisha replied “I ain't no Nadia ho!”
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Trisha and Alberto understand friendship and loyalty, and I highly respect them.
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Agreed! Ultimately the buck stops with Torrico and Wieckowski. If Bob can't control his own office how can he control the district?
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Seriously, guys? I can hardly believe I'm coming to TT's defense given how SO MANY people were negatively affected by this relationship, but to circle around her like a bunch of hyenas and place the blame squarely with her is disgusting. She was his employee. He was the one entrusted with making decisions on behalf of the public. The power dynamics in this were not equal.
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I know Raquel and I like Raquel but her anger is misplaced – Trisha made her no vow – Alberto did and they have 2 great kids. The anger belongs in one place and one place only – squarely on Alberto's shoulders. After all the shit Alberto has pulled (and in particular what he did to Pete Stark) I think he has even more anti-Karma coming his way.
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Ask Yogi Chugh how he felt after Racquel gave him a verbal smack down? Yogi was in tears and babbling like a baby.
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This last comment is disgusting…to imply everyone who knows Trisha is tainted.
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Yup well said…I heard the christian lobbyist uses money and sex to be relavent and get his work done..now it makes sense how he has got the state assemblyman and the mayor under his control..pimping his whore 🙂 I a women am really proud of Raquel to take the fight head on with loose cheap morals people who dirty our fabric..she indirectly is helping clean the system.. I hope the Mrs of both the other two gentlemen wakeup and ask their spouses as to why they are so touchy and warm to Trisha ? She is the SuperGlue in Fremont to all the male Fremont politicians. Now we know where the glue is coming from .. we need to clean these dirty politicians who are getting engaged in all these cheap dirty stuff..
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I'm glad to see Mrs. Torrico finally pulled her head out of her ass. This isn't news to anyone that knows of Alberto AND Tahmasbi.
This is like the worst kept secret in south bay politics…
hello? anyone else wonder how an incompetent twit like trish has been able to keep her job this long?…
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Good Job Steve for bringing to light this news. As residents of Bob's district, we should be aware of the character of the public servants that are serving the constituency. Donot want my tax money to be utilized for anyone who has such a shallow character. Donot know the facts, but the confrontation and the rumors that have been going around for sometime, say it all. “There is no smoke without fire”. Two thumbs down to both Trisha and Raquel. Alberto must be finding a place to hide now.
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This is sensational journalism. I'm disappointed by such articles by EB Citizen.
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Yooo man, you decided not to go to the luncheon. Plus, that hamburger was hella good.
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It should be noted that we were just outside the Wieckowski event but EBC's Shane Bond just haaaaaad to have a hamburger down the street!
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Torrico may claim to be Christian, but he doesn't practice it. Others outside said to have heard Torrico's wife say to Wieckowski's chief of staff Tahmasbi – you stay away from my family you f…ing whore or I will kill you.
Isn't that the Christian values! Don't forget it was Torrico who had to go to Bible.com to determine whether or not to vote for marriage equality. I believe he wept because the decision was so difficult.
Wieckowski would be best served cutting all ties to Torrico including Trisha.
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All hail Tavares!
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