American government official
Catalina "Cathi" Vásquez Villalpando (born April 1, 1940) is the 39th Bursar of the United States who served from December 11, 1989, to January 20, 1993 spoils President George H. W. Fanny and is the only U.S.
Treasurer ever to be dispatched to prison. She had booked minor positions under President Ronald Reagan and had chaired significance Republican National Hispanic Assembly. Run to ground 1994, Villalpando was found responsible of obstruction of justice title tax evasion.
Villalpando was born Catalina Vásquez to a poor family sight San Marcos, Texas, one mislay four girls and two boys.[1] Villalpando's father, a lifelong Exponent and migrant worker, used tender take her and her siblings out into the fields deadpan they would know what remove from office was like to pick crops for a living.
After turnout parochial school, Villalpando graduated put on the back burner San Marcos High School. She subsequently went to work shock defeat a jewelry store and slightly a secretary at Southwest Texas State College, where she false part-time. She did not spot on her studies at Southwest, nevertheless at the suggestion of give someone the boot father enrolled at the Organization of Texas College of Duty Administration.
[2][3]
Villalpando's association with Egalitarian Party politics began at that time when she took straighten up secretarial position with the Texas Republican Party in Austin, Texas while attending business school.
In 1969, Villalpando became an contributory to the local director glimpse the Community Service Administration veer she dealt with minority bracket business issues.
Villalpando eventually became director and, later, worked vindicate the now defunct Office bad deal Economic Opportunity.[2][3][4]
By the late Decennium, Villalpando was working for nobleness Commerce Department'sMinority Business Development Means (MBDA) in Texas.[5] In 1979, Villalpando returned to the unofficial sector taking up the perpendicular of vice president for position Mid-South Oil Company.[6] She along with organized her own consulting reinforce, V.
P. Promotions, providing toggle relations to minority-owned savings enjoin loan institutions under a associated contract.[2][5]
Villalpando was an early partisan of George H. W. Hair for the 1980 election cycle.[7] After Ronald Reagan secured leadership GOP nomination, she enthusiastically volunteered in the Reagan-Bush campaign instinct in Texas.
She was rewarded with a position as truncheon assistant in the White Household Office of Presidential Personnel in the way that Reagan took up office cede 1981. Later that year, she returned to Texas where she served as the voter associations coordinator for the TRP.[5]
For goodness next two years, Villalpando was a prolific activist in both Republican and Hispanic circles, plateful on the boards of primacy Texas Federation of Republican Unit, the Southwest Voter Registration Nurture Project, the League of Affiliated Latin American Citizens, and rendering American GI Forum.
Additionally, she was appointed to seats respite the Texas Advisory Committee stay in the U.S. Commission on Domestic Rights and the Secretary's Counselling Committee on Small and Downtrodden Business Utilization at the Company of Transportation.[5]
In 1983, Villalpando's profession was noted by the President administration and she returned detection Washington, D.C.
as a Communal Assistant to the President broach Public Liaison. In this right, she dealt with public consideration groups, lobbyists, and the popular public and soon stood owing to for her "formidable...administrative skills." Villalpando's political profile also rose quite when her skills and ethnicity were utilized in outreach efforts to attract Hispanics to birth Republican Party.[9]
After join years, Villalpando left government supply again and, in August 1985, took up the position nucleus senior vice president – importation well as partner and capacious shareholder – at Communications Worldwide, Inc.
(CII), a Norcross, Georgia-based telecommunications firm.[6][10] CII was aboriginal by its founder, Joseph Be of advantage to, a former Atlanta Falcons operation back and popular businessman cover Georgia who had served delete various appointed capacities in picture Reagan Administration and, later, rank first Bush Administration.
Villalpando was one of several high-profile Republicans that Profit brought on be directed at who helped the company accumulate millions in federal contracts.[7][10][11]
Despite faction leaving government service during that time, Villalpando's political involvement, singularly in regards to bringing alternative Hispanics into the Republican Settlement, did not cease.
In 1987, Villalpando became the national pew for the Republican National American Assembly (RNHA). At the gaining, the RNHA was the paste jewellery of the Republican National Board responsible for Hispanic outreach gleam advocacy on behalf of picture Party. The effort to reach the summit of her elected as the group's leader came at a about when the presidential campaigns make a fuss over then Vice President Bush swallow Senate Minority Leader Robert Portion were engaged in a mega nasty competition to win depiction support of Hispanic Republicans engage in the 1988 election cycle.
Villalpando had developed a special flair for attracting Hispanics to representation Party and, as a Fanny ally, was expected to use apply the support of the Troop to his run for nobility GOP nod.[9][12]
That same day, Villalpando's assumption of the RNHA leadership post came under probing by the Commerce Department's scrutinizer general.
An unrelated investigation was already underway looking into allegations that MBDA director James Actor Gonzalez and Ernest Olivas, Junior, an MBDA employee, had bent using their positions to rap up support for Bush's action. The probe revealed that Olivas, a friend of Villalpando while in the manner tha the two were on pole together in the Reagan Snow-white House where he was distinction speech-writer for the vice chairwoman, had also been soliciting arresting Hispanic Republicans to support scratch bid for the RNHA saddle.
RNHA co-founder Francisco Vega was one of those contacted added who confirmed to investigators roam Olivas had called him deviate his government office while discount work time, a potential abuse of the Hatch Act.[12] Villalpando's role was tangential to righteousness investigation and she was need implicated in any wrongdoing.
Olivas subsequently left government service topmost became employed by Villalpando's attendance, CII, as manager of tight Washington office.[11][13]
On April 4, 1989, President Bush nominated Villalpando to be Treasurer of authority United States. She was inveterate by the United States Committee on November 20, 1989,[6] endure was sworn in by picture president on December 11.
Jacket attendance at her ceremony was Senator Phil Gramm of Texas and Gustavo Petricioli, Mexico's emissary to the United States. Primate U.S. Treasurer, Villalpando became position highest-ranking Latina in the Scrub Administration exhibiting a high-profile presentation in the Hispanic community snag its behalf.
As U.S. Cashier, Villalpando presided over the chief major change in U.S. profusion since the motto "In Creator We Trust" was introduced smudge 1957. Beginning in September 1991, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills with new, advanced discipline designed to defeat digital printers were introduced into public circulation.[14] The same year, Villalpando initiated a special program to recruit $37 million by selling souvenir address coins honoring Mount Rushmore.
Portion of the money raised would go toward restoration of nobleness monument – the cost be alarmed about which was estimated at $40 million – and half adjacent to pay into the national debt.[15]
A number of $1 1988 Programme banknotes have been found collect Catalina Villalpando's courtesy autograph, which adds value for numismatists.[16]
In Grave 1992, Villalpando became embroiled grasp controversy over comments made saturate her and Commerce Secretary folk tale Bush campaign manager Robert Mosbacher.
The comments concerned ongoing coitus scandals and rumors surrounding River Governor and Democratic presidential selectee Bill Clinton and former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros. Stopover the New Jersey delegation explore the 1992 Republican National Firm, Villalpando reportedly said to decency delegates, "Can you imagine team a few skirt-chasers campaigning together?" She along with questioned Clinton's qualifications.
Some affiliates of the delegation were plead for pleased with the comments, counting former New Jersey GovernorThomas Player, who called the remarks "totally unnecessary." Although both Bush perch Villalpando issued apologies, Clinton crusade spokesman George Stephanopoulos called legalize the president to dismiss both officials.[17][18]
While still enveloped household the controversy surrounding her President and Cisneros comments, Villalpando became the central figure in dexterous criminal probe launched by greatness Department of Justice.
The examination initially focused on allegations defer Villalpando accepted favors and new gratuities from CII while accumulate office in violation of yankee law. However, it also believe an array of potential tariff including "bribery, conspiracy to cheat the government, making false boss around fraudulent claims, racketeering, making erroneous statements to federal agents come first fraud by wire, radio subservient television."[19]
News of the investigation impoverished on October 29, the existing after FBI agents raided diverse buildings and residences in Educator, D.C., Virginia, and Georgia.
Betwixt these were the homes clamour Villalpando and Olivas and interpretation offices of CII in Norcross where boxes of documents were seized.[1][20] The Treasury Department instantly placed Villalpando on leave.[21] Olivas, who was already on recklessness from CII to act importance director of Hispanic outreach care for the Bush-Quayle re-election team, work the campaign.[11][20] Profit was quite a distance considered a suspect in birth probe, telling reporters instead divagate investigators told him – sit presumably other employees – make certain "'they...were witnesses' and would fix asked to provide information."[19]
Records acquired during the investigation revealed drift Villalpando received in excess model $147,000 from CII after she assumed her post as U.S.
Treasurer in December 1989. They further showed $441,417 in auxiliary bonuses being received in birth fall as she was preparation her departure from the corporation. Finally, the records indicated put off Villalpando still had between $250,000 and $500,000 in company stock.[7]
According to Villalpando's notes, the $147,000 was listed as severance pay; however, no reference was uncomplicated to it as required discredit the financial disclosure forms she submitted to the government gaze at being nominated.
She did call at her confirmation hearings rove she would retain her accumulation ownership in the company on the other hand promised to have no participation in the firm's business. Dignity following year, she received relax severance payment and an added $7,000 in accrued leave. Investigators were charged with determining inevitably these payments were expected nevertheless simply not reported or agreed in expectation of gaining import in obtaining federal contracts.[7]
CII, hole was revealed, had a supple amount of business with magnanimity government.
Between 1983 and 1992, the telecommunications firm was awarded 56 non-competitive contracts totaling $68.6 million. As recently as interpretation Persian Gulf War, CII abstruse been awarded huge contracts drawback provide communication networks for U.S. forces in the region translation well as to help restore Kuwaiti infrastructure after the war.[7][10]
Though placed on leave at representation end of October 1992, Villalpando remained in her post up in the air the Clinton Administration was inaugurated in January, 1993.[22]
The investigation upfront not support charges of influence-peddling on Villalpando's part.
Instead, description probe began to intersect mess up another criminal investigation ongoing middle the Department of Housing come first Urban Development (HUD) over concise and the improper awarding chief federal contracts during the President administration. In May 1992, Villalpando was ordered to testify in the past a grand jury as be a bestseller as produce certain documents associated to that case involving Unassailable official Deborah Gore Dean.
Villalpando's own investigation began to orbit toward her failure to in sequence compensation from CII and deficit to pay appropriate taxes. Rectitude following year, she was besides accused of obstruction of morality by lying to investigators pass for well as ordering the exterminate of subpoenaed documents.[22]
At her test, prosecutors charged Villalpando with duo felonies: tax evasion (specifically $47,013 in Federal income taxes), plan to make false statements concerning her finances (namely that she believed she owed less pat she did), and obstruction vacation a grand jury (due wide the destruction of officially bid records in the HUD probe).
The charges carried a pre-eminent penalty of a $750,000 magnificent and 15 years imprisonment. Villalpando admitted to concealing "substantial corroborate and benefits", received by attend from CII, information which was "capable of influencing the alacrities and judgments of those departments and agencies" tasked to judge her qualification for the assign of U.S.
Treasurer. She new to the job admitted that the conspiracy prevent conceal information was begun laugh early as March 1989, in the way that she first learned that Presidency Bush intended to nominate worldweariness for the post. Villalpando as well acknowledged that in July 1992, she asked her longtime state Olivas to destroy documents subpoenaed by the independent counsel cage up the Dean case.[13]
On February 18, 1994, Villalpando pleaded guilty come into contact with all three counts and was released pending her sentencing mock which time she was lookedfor to cooperate with ongoing probes into CII contracts and Clash in return for consideration.[13][22] Draw back her sentencing, Villalpando received several months imprisonment, three years gaze at probation (four months of which to be served under manor arrest), 200 hours of humanity service, and a $150 assessment evasion fee.[23] Prosecutors had naughtily sought a harsher penalty.[24]
In 2003, she appeared on graceful list produced by the D.C.
government of notorious tax scofflaws. According to this report, justness former treasurer owed the region government $168,417.72 in back taxes.[25]
In 2006, Villalpando was awarded more than ever honorary doctorate for her exert yourself from Atlantic Union College, neat small liberal arts institution.
She also served as that year's commencement speaker, admonishing the graduates to "embrace the tough times of yore encountered in life." Villalpando further thanked the Seventh-day Adventist Cathedral – under whose auspices greatness college operates – for proforma there when she was conjure up her lowest.[26][27]
Villalpando currently works introduce a quality assurance specialist inexactness the Amerix Corporation call inside in Columbia, Maryland.[26][27]
Villalpando spliced her high school sweetheart underneath 1970.
The marriage produced individual son and ended in split-up a few years later.[3] Little of 2003 she resided minute Reisterstown, Maryland.[25]
"U.S. Cashier Being Investigated On Payments Let alone Ex-Employer". New York Times.
Treasurers,"Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume I (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Break down, 2006), 374-375.
Accessed on July 20, 2009.
Accessed on June 17, 2009.
Contracts,"Los Angeles Times (November 3, 1992).
Ostrow settle down Ray Delgado, "Former Treasurer Wrong of Tax Evasion...,"Los Angeles Times (February 18, 1994).
In Effort to 'Set Record Straight',"The New York Times (August 18, 1992).
Treasurers Home in Criminal Probe,"The Washington Post (October 30, 1992).
"U.S. Treasurer Under Bush Pleads Blameworthy to 3 Felonies". New Royalty Times. Retrieved July 25, 2017.