Awards Final Voting

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FiendFyre
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Awards Final Voting

Post by FiendFyre » Fri Jan 25, 2019 3:22 am

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We have tallied up the nominees for the 2018 LS-RP awards. Below you'll find the nominees available for each category. You can only have ONE nomination form per person, OOC. Using alternative forum accounts to attempt to get more votes will result in immediate disqualification. Send your form in a PM to LSRP Awards. Voting will end at the end of the day on January 31st.


Kindest member of 2018
Ashley
Benavides
Bennemus
Danielswe
Infinity!

Most changed person (for the better) of 2018
DadoJ
Helius
Hood President
Iudex
Marauder


Best Interior Design of 2018
Sheriff's Communication Center by Cheezy
ASGH by Cloudy!
Vagos Clubhouse by Faledak
Church by Keanu_Petrosyan
Restaurant by Kirill_Ustinov
Valentine's Hotel by Natasha_Valentine


Best Mapper of 2018
.Baker.
Budala.
DDaniels
Eric
Keanu_Petrosyan


Best Modder of 2018
Apathy
bamz
Drumj
Hovvy
pistolevich


Best Screenshots Thread of 2018
creepshots and cremations
Gangs and Narcotics Division
Modern Day Bonnie & Clyde
OPERATION SAFE STREETS BUREAU
Vida Futura


Most Unique Concept of 2018
  • 1499 Rodeo Boulevard Offices
  • Americare
  • Autospex/Globex Capital
  • Lucas Gaudin - "Him murdering people for the sole purpose of being necropheliac and creep beats the sick serial killers LSRP had"
  • Oligarchy
  • Vagos MC

Best Illegal Official Faction of 2018
Los Reyes
Los Santos Crime Family
Tres Puntos
Vagos MC
The Valenti Crime Family
White Pride


Best Illegal Unofficial Faction of 2018
Asao Kouda Kyōkai
La Linea
Lost Demons MC
Outlaws MC
Rollin' 20s Neighborhood Bloods
S/C Ganton Boulevard Families, 516
Valenti Crime Family


Most influential character of 2018
Anthony Navarra
Aziz Nazari
Ethan King
Ezio Poldilotta
Jep Appelo


Most Devloped Character of 2018
Jep Appelo: show
Jep Appelo is a character that has been around for years, he started at the bottom as an aide to former Mayor Johnathan Schrader. From that point he has worked his way up to become a State Legislator (or whatever it was called before). Appelo is the most developed character of the year because the character has achieved a lot of progress for his political agenda, while also taking several turns in the 'revolving door'. Not only is Appelo one of the most decorated political / government characters, he is also the most influential and he has managed to stay in power during many leadership and structure changes. Appelo has been in power since before the Summers era and he continues to prosper to this day.
Lucas Gaudin: show
His character thread and roleplay style still ceases to amaze me especially his development of owning the local Los Santos Graveyard.
Martin Peralta: show
Martin Peralta has come a very long way with this character. He's got a faction thread here; https://forum.ls-rp.io/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=673693 where he has shown a lot of his development. He started off living it rough, got into drugs and guns and made sales, worked his way up through stores, later bars and then clubs and is now living it up into a trafficking ring where he sells both weapons and drugs to other organisations.
Myles Delaney: show
Developed from an Irish immigrant and FD candidate to a hardened criminal over time based on his involvement with one woman (Hayley Marin).
Zoe Laresca: show
has developed from being a major player in an illegal organisation to someone that sits in the background whilst calling shots and getting involved in political roleplay. She also roleplayed in ASGH recovery room for more than a week after getting shot.

Favorite GOV member of 2018
Carl Duncan
Frank Underhill
Jep Appelo
Juliette Naviaux
Peter Daniels


Favorite PD member of 2018
Bob Boulevard
Joshua Carvajal
Joseph Ortega
John Carlston
Lucas Ozaki
Rodney Dalton
William Scanlon


Favorite LSSD member of 2018
Ezio Poldilotta
Gary Sines
Jesse Arsenault
John Jaeger
Shawn Faucher


Favorite LSFD member of 2018
Amy Codsworth
Damian Hunter
Nick Apps
Sylvie Meunier
Tim Wright


Favorite SADCR member of 2018
Aubrey Taylor
Jay Gorham
Mikaela Sokolov
Paul Hess
Roy Orr

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FiendFyre
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Re: Awards Final Voting

Post by FiendFyre » Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:13 am

Also including:

Best Faction Thread of 2018

LSPD: show
LSPD Public Communications wrote:
Sun Jul 08, 2012 1:22 pm
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WELCOME


It is the mission of the Los Santos Police Department to safeguard the lives and property of the people we serve, to reduce the incidence and fear of crime, and to enhance public safety while working with the diverse communities to improve their quality of life. Our mandate is to do so with honor and integrity, while at all times conducting ourselves with the highest ethical standards to maintain public confidence. The motto, "To Protect and To Serve," states the essential purpose of the Los Santos Police Department. The Department protects the right of all persons within its jurisdiction to be free from criminal attack, to be secure in their possessions, and to live in peace. The Department serves the people of Los Santos by performing the law enforcement function in a professional manner, and it is to these people that the Department is ultimately responsible.


(( It is the OOC goal for the LSPD to provide the best quality of police roleplay possible at all times. ))


Lost Demons MC: show
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About Lost Demons Motorcycle Club

  • LDMC was officially formed on the 16th of June 2003. The name originated from the drug smuggling group called Contrabando de demonios History of LDMC is not clear and there are differing accounts. It is known that the founding members eventually settled down in New Mexico shortly after the Cartel was taken down by DEA. The main charter decided to move out of New Mexico and head to the West Coast. To begin laying down new stepping stones for the future of the club flying the nomad bottom rocker. The future of the club is uncertain, it's just a matter of time before hell catches back up to them.


    Chapter 1
    The expansion was the Demons number one priority upon moving into Los Santos, shortly after arriving the club began to take a small portion of Verona over at their local bar called The Hell Hole. With the progression of the club quickly expanding and growing it was only a matter of time before the Demons would have to relocate.
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    Shortly after the expansion into Verona, word was given to the Club President of a large-scale operation about to take place. Upon a large scale vote from the club, it was easier to pack up now and leave to another location. Upon looking for new areas to set-up shop, the Demons found a large real estate market in Palomino.

    May 2nd the club passed the vote to move to Palomino.

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    Chapter 2
    The Lost Demons expansion into Palomino Creek was like a plague, fast-moving, and infecting everything and anything inside of the small town. Like any plague, death always follows along with it. The Lost Demons began to grow unwanted attention from Local Law Enforcement inside of Red County. Los Santos Sheriff’s Department, along with its Operation Safe Streets unit, began to swarm in and out of Palomino daily to gather and collect new information on the fastly growing Motorcycle club that was taking Palomino by Storm.

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    May 25th, 2018 Operations Safe Street, along with the Los Santos Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau, conducted a no-knock warrant at Two homes owned by Palomino Chapter, President Deville Morterero. The warrant was served to gather information on a house invasion that occurred in Los Santos at the home of an off-duty Police Officer located in Temple. President Deville Morterero was arrested on May 28th, 2018, for Possession Of An Unlicensed Firearm, Maintaining A Place For The Purpose Of Distribution, Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, and Manufacture Of A Controlled Substance.


    Chapter 3
    The White Knights Motorcycle Club offered the chance for the Lost Demons Motorcycle Club to patch over. After a full house vote, all demons agreed to patch over to the White Knights an begin their new lives in blueberry. This story will follow the future of former International President Deville Morterero.
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    After the vote was passed down Deville Morterero made several calls to other chapters around the country letting the rest of their chapters to decide on patching over to local clubs or sticking with the patch. After seven of the eleven clubs in the country, the seven remained at Lost Demons with a new International President Peter Acero was voted the new International President of the Lost Demons.

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    Chapter 4
    Two years have gone by since the patch over the Lost Demons Palomino Chapter folded into thin air. The remaining members who remained loyal to the patch left San Anne and returned to other chapters across the country. The international President Peter Acero contacted several old members from the Palomino Chapter and requested a sit down at the clubs main state. A vote was passed in New Mexico for a new chapter to re-form in San Andreas. The chapter would remain as nomad until they were certain of the return to the state.

    Peter Acero assigned Julian Morillo and George Cross to look after the new chapter and ensure a smooth transition back into the State.
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  • Faction Rules
    I. Follow the server rules at all times; additionally, follow all administrator’s instructions.
    II. Development of a character within the faction is a very important aspect, and we take it very seriously.
    III. Out of character respect towards one another is a must, towards all members of the server, administrators.
    IV. Upon affiliation to the club, the leadership reserves the right to character kill your character with adequate reason(s).
    V. Basic knowledge of how an outlaw motorcycle club operates is a must, do some research beforehand, or if you need assistance; we are here to assist you in gaining some knowledge on outlaw motorcycle clubs.
    VI. OOC chat should be kept to a minimum, /b usage is not needed during role-playing, if you need to go out of character for some reason, use /pm.
    VII. The ability to create your own RP is a must-have for factions like this. ( We will not spoon feed you role-play, create your own! )


    Question and Answers
    Q1: How to get to know Lost Demons Motorcycle Club?
    Visit the Palomino bar during opening hours - The times are different, just check /SAMAPS in-game. We have multiple houses inside of Palomino which you can visit after showing your face to the club. Remember this is a 1% motorcycle club, you can't just walk up to them and expect to be friends.

    Q2: What races does your faction accept?
    Our faction accepts American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino or Spanish Origin, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander & Caucasian.

    Q3: How to get started in the faction?
    One of the best ways to get started in joining our faction is to simply show up and roleplay. The worst you could do is stand around and not do anything. The bar is used to recruit members and give a small but private look at how the club operates in and out of the public eye. Becoming a local or hangies is very simple, show your support for the club and you will become one step closer to joining Lost Demons Motorcycle Club.

    Q4: What time zone is the faction?
    We have a large number of time frames we roleplay in. A large amount of the faction is from North American and Europe. You're always able to find someone to role-play with or hang out with. However, one thing we will not accept is having to provide role-play for you. We will not spoon feed players for role-play, it is your job to find role-play around and in Palomino or Los Santos.

  • Overall, we are here to roleplay and have fun just like everyone else, as well as advance our club to the fullest to bring roleplay to the entire server, as well as our members and business associates. There is zero tolerance for anyone breaking the rules, or trolling. There will be no warnings. We're very strict with our rules and if you plan to find us ICly to begin roleplay, please plan on being as serious as you can with the roleplay


Send all Screenshot request permission to - CheezyTheNerd
Submit Character Kill forms to CheezyTheNerd


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This thread contains information regarding role-play with factions surrounding the entire server. Information seen in this thread IS TO NEVER BE USED IN-GAME. Any forms of Mixing or even a hint In Character will be submitted to Faction Management and all Official Faction Leaders.

This thread is used to provide screenshots on the progression of the faction.


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Oligarchy: show
Boss wrote:
Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:20 am
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Date: September 25, 2015 | Topic: Politics | Region: San Andreas | Tags: Lobbying, Corruption, San Andreas, Los Santos, The Mayor

In San Andreas, the roots of corruption run deep



By: Adrian Ortega and Steve Marino


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ast month, Otis Glassman, a community activist, civic leader, lawyer, and the former director of the Los Santos Housing Authority, was sentenced to 11 years in a federal prison after being convicted of money laundering, racketeering, embezzlement, and conspiracy. This was, at long last, the end of a criminal saga that spanned over four years and pulled together individuals from all walks of life, including politicians, businessmen, police officers, community leaders, and activists into a massive criminal conspiracy that exposed the dark depths of Los Santos' political underworld.

The influence of criminal elements in the political world has always been a part of debate and discussion, and nowhere is this influence greater than in Los Santos. Elected politicians in Los Santos have a colorful history of corruption and criminal association, ranging from former mayor Calvin Benton, who was alleged to have been a close friend of convicted mob boss and former leader of the Valenti crime family, Santino "Sonny" Valenti, to Jaime Olmos, who is currently serving time for wire fraud, extortion, and making false statements to federal agents.

Besides organized crime, big business and the wealthy elite are another major force impacting political decision-making in the state. Politicians have direct links to special interests and sometimes are the interests themselves, as in the cases of mayors Jim and Brad Hoover, the father and son duo who served as the CEOs of two powerful investment firms, Dauphin Capital Partners and Hoover & Bassett, respectively, and former mayor Felix Mackie, the CEO of the San Andreas Network, the state's largest media conglomerate.

By focusing on several specific examples of criminal activity and unethical behavior we can examine the history and current landscape of San Andreas' and Los Santos' political culture. It is important to determine just how corrupt our politics are in order to make informed decisions about those who we trust to run our government. Although the specific inner-workings of government and the contents of backroom deals may never be known, we can at least attempt to gauge the level of corruption that exists in our politics or it will forever remain unchecked.

Yield not to temptation

The events leading to Glassman's arrest were not his first run-in with the authorities. In April 2012, federal agents raided two of Glassman's businesses: Glassman and Associates, a law firm, and Yield Not To Temptation, a charity which Glassman served as the director of. The search warrants stemmed from the same investigation which led to the arrest of disgraced Los Santos mayor Jaime Olmos, who was convicted of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy.

Although Glassman was never charged with any crime, an unsealed affidavit made in support of the warrant application alleged Glassman had accepted money from an undercover FBI agent to be used to bribe city officials to create economic redevelopment zones in areas where the undercover agent owned property. Glassman was also accused of soliciting bribes to Jaime Olmos on behalf of the undercover in order to get the undercover agent's purported girlfriend hired as a mayoral aide.

Glassman first appeared on the FBI's radar in August 2011, when he paid $1 million to retain Hector Olmos, a former San Andreas state legislator and Jaime Olmos' brother, as a consultant to lobby Los Santos city officials. The FBI suspected that such an exceptionally large and unusual payment was most likely made in order to influence Jaime Olmos through his brother.

Although the investigation into Glassman for bribery was never substantiated, his downfall eventually came when investigators discovered he was embezzling money from the charity he served as the director of. In September 2014, authorities again descended on the offices of Yield Not To Temptation, which advertised itself as a charity to promote anti-gang youth programs and keep inner city kids in school. This time, instead of search warrants, they were armed with arrest warrants for Glassman and three associates.

A federal indictment stated that Glassman had conspired with several co-defendants to funnel drug money from major level narcotics traffickers in San Andreas into the charity through anonymous donations and then either embezzled or laundered the money back into the pockets of the dealers. Prosecutors alleged that Glassman was effectively acting as a banker for several organized crime figures, including Delroy Wilcox, the drug kingpin convicted in December 2013 for presiding over one of the largest and most successful drug trafficking organizations in Los Santos history.

Some of the money went towards campaign contributions to several local and state politicians, ostensibly in support of their anti-gang efforts. However, officials believed that these were bribes, offered in exchange for political favors. The recipient of the most money from Glassman was Jaime Olmos, who is believed to have worked to benefit Glassman even from behind bars, calling in favors from political allies to make Glassman the director of the Los Santos Housing Authority, a city agency which Glassman took control over in April 2014.

When federal agents knocked on Glassman's door, he wasn't home. Glassman, tipped off by an unknown employee of the federal courthouse where the grand jury met, had already left town. For five days, Glassman was a federal fugitive. It was during this time that Glassman was alleged to have given orders through an intermediary to two members of the Money Made Mafia Bloods, a south Los Santos street gang, to burn down the offices of Yield Not To Temptation. Although the suspects, Kyree Carr and Orlando Iles, were successful in setting the fire, police had already emptied the location of relevant evidence. Carr, Iles, and Glassman were all additionally charged with arson and conspiracy. Glassman was eventually apprehended in Washington, D.C. by local authorities.

The fixer

In January 2014, the body of David Hanczuk, a retired police officer, was found washed up on the shore of Santa Maria Beach. Hanczuk, who was 54, spent 27 years as a member of the Los Santos Police Department and had been working as a private detective since his retirement in 2011. Before that, he was a decorated veteran investigator who served as the commanding officer of the department's organized crime unit and had led several high profile cases.

Before being dumped into a river in Whetstone and carried out to sea, Hanczuk was fatally shot in the driveway of a Richman estate owned by Francis Maurer, a businessman and nightclub owner rumored to have been a silent partner in the Visage, the failed Las Venturas hotel that went under less than a month after opening. Hanczuk was killed by Vincent Ricchetti, an inducted member of the Valenti crime family. Ricchetti was convicted of the murder but the motive was never determined. Police still believe there were other suspects involved in the killing.

At the time of his death, Hanczuk had been working on retainer for the Los Santos branch of the United States Reform Party and before that for local chairman and former mayor Jonathan Schrader's campaign team.

"The Reform Party send their condolences to Hanczuk's family; it's unfortunate," Schrader said when asked to comment.

When asked about the nature of Hanczuk's employment by the organization, Schrader indicated that Hanczuk had been employed as a member of the security team for Lucas Garvey, Schrader's running mate in the 2014 Los Santos mayoral election.

The 2014 mayoral election is now infamous for being an exemplar of a typical election in Los Santos, filled with scandal, conspiracy, and Machiavellian power plays. Despite leading in opinion polls by almost 75%, Jonathan Schrader was defeated by Allison Hall by a narrow margin of 14%. Political thinkers attribute the surprise results to rumors that Schrader was responsible for engaging in smear tactics against the other candidates, Bill Bloomberg, Marcus Hoffman, and Jim Weinerberg. Schrader, who has denied any wrongdoing, went on to win the next mayoral election and is now thought of as having one of the most successful mayoral terms in Los Santos history.

The rumors began when candidate Marcus Hoffman dropped out of the race following allegations made in the media that he had links to Alfredo Scaletta, an alleged mafia member and convicted criminal. Photos were released of Hoffman, his running mate, and Scaletta meeting outside a strip club in East Los Santos. Hoffman later sued the Newsflash Corporation, the media conglomerate whose newspaper originally ran the story. In the lawsuit, Hoffman testified that he had been subject to harassment and death threats from anonymous "Schrader supporters." Hoffman lost in court but his reputation was already blackened and he retired from politics.

Shortly after, recordings from a wiretap surfaced online of candidate Bill Bloomberg promising to buy a Ferrari with public funds for his alleged mistress, 18-year-old Bella Mollo. In the recording, Bloomberg was quoted as promising that she would be "counting the millions in my office [when I'm elected]."

Bloomberg fought back, stating that the audio recordings were lacking context and that he was interviewing a potential employee for his future mayoral administration, and that he was not engaged in a relationship with Mollo. Despite the leak, Bloomberg was able to win 16% of the vote.

In the last few weeks of the election, the criminal record of candidate Jim Weinerberg was leaked online. Weinerberg, who had already publicly admitted several wrongdoings, was dishonest about the time that his offenses had taken place. It was revealed that Weinerberg was arrested for grand theft auto, evading a peace officer, and battery the same month he declared his candidacy. Weinberg was interviewed by San Andreas Network news on live television about his criminal record in an interview described by viewers and critics as hostile and aggressive. The interview ended when Weineberg left and was chased down the street by cameramen. The candidates all alleged that the San Andreas Network had been paid off by the Schrader campaign.

Last month, a source from within the former Schrader administration, under the condition of anonymity, revealed to The Arena that David Hanczuk was working as a political "fixer" and was responsible for most, if not all, of the scandal surrounding the election, and that he had been killed as a result. The source, who is confirmed as being a Schrader insider, stated that while Hanczuk was acting on behalf of individuals loyal to Schrader, Schrader himself had little to no knowledge of Hanczuk's activities and was kept isolated by his subordinates.

A former detective of the Los Santos Police Department who specialized in organized crime investigations also spoke to The Arena anonymously. The detective stated that Hanczuk was taking orders from Patrick Durante, the underboss of the Valenti crime family, the same organization responsible for Hanczuk's death. Durante was later murdered by members of his own faction in a bloody gangland civil war that led to the demise of the Los Santos branch of La Cosa Nostra. Although the reason for Hanczuk's assassination is still unknown, it can most likely be attributed to his political wetwork.

This election is just one of many examples of attempted or successful underworld subversion of the San Andreas political sector. A lack of oversight coupled with a powerful criminal elite means organized crime elements will surely attempt to force themselves into almost all aspects of municipal and state politics. The case of David Hanczuk is a prime example of the length criminals are willing to go in order to ensure their interests are protected in City Hall and the State House.

Every aspect of Hanczuk's story is politics and crime intertwined, from his employers to his associates to his killers; even the place where he was murdered--on the steps of the house of the father of the mayor.

Money equals speech

On April 2, 2014, the Supreme Court struck down struck down certain limits on federal campaign contributions, freeing wealthy donors to give more money directly to congressional candidates. In McCutcheon v. FEC, conservative justices sided with the idea that money equals speech, and that speech should be limited as little as possible. In his opinion for the majority, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said that Congress may only target a specific kind of corruption — the quid pro quo type, where, say, a donor gives money with the understanding that the politician will do a specific thing in return.

"Money in politics may at times seem repugnant to some," Roberts wrote. "But so too does much of what the 1st Amendment vigorously protects. If the 1st Amendment protects flag burning, funeral protests, and Nazi parades — despite the profound offense such spectacles cause — it surely protects political campaign speech despite popular opposition."

Since the landmark Citizens United case in 2010, the floodgates have been opened to advocacy groups, for- and not-for-profit corporations, labor unions, and other associations who want to push as much money as they want into the public sphere. Despite opposition, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote about independent spending, that it does "not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption" and "influence over or access to elected officials does not mean that these officials are corrupt."

The implications of Citizens United, McCutcheon, and cases like it have been carried down from the federal level to state and municipal politics. In San Andreas, there is still no existing state campaign finance legislation or regulation. Instead, candidates are supposed to police themselves, a strategy which we have seen as difficult to achieve the desired result. One of the reasons why the likes of Olmos and Glassman were able to maintain such a comfortable level of freedom in their actions was that there is no state or municipal investigative body, law enforcement or civilian, tasked with investigating political ethics. Instead, it was a federal agency that eventually led to their demise.

In local and state politics, money plays an important role in campaigns for office. It gives candidates a voice and allows them to buy public opinion. Candidates fight vehemently for money, and in Los Santos they fight dirty. Before Jaime Olmos was mayor, he ran for city council on a ticket with former mayor Gary Keane and council member Demetrius Xavier. Olmos received support from Takumi Akuji, the CEO of Akuji industries, which at one time owned most of the property in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Santos. Akuji hosted several fundraising events and made generous donations towards the campaigns of Olmos and Keane, who were both elected in the positions they sought. It was later discovered that Akuji was the head of a criminal syndicate and sentenced to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder.

No more relevant example for the importance of money in politics in San Andreas exists than that of Francis Maurer, the business tycoon whose Richman estate was the location where David Hanczuk was assassinated. Maurer, a Polish immigrant, is a self-made millionaire who made his fortune in the hospitality industry, beginning with the renowned Vinewood jazz bar and eatery, Frankie's. The bar received a five star review in the San Andreas Post in February 2012 and jump-started Maurer's career, which continued to grow as he bought property in Santa Maria, Vinewood, Commerce, and Rodeo, opening up restaurants and nightclubs, such as the Obsidian, which soon became Maurer's flagship operation.

Maurer was interviewed by the San Andreas Post in March 2012 about his take on local politics.

"There's no direct support from the government, though they do create opportunities for us. For me, at least. [...] [The government should] give us more opportunities," Maurer said when asked how the government should support his businesses.

Maurer stated that there was no mayoral candidate he would endorse because no candidate had fulfilled his expectations of how a potential mayor should benefit the business leaders of Los Santos.

It should not come as a surprise then, when in October 2013, a now well-established Maurer endorsed a candidate for the first time--his daughter, Alexis Maurer. Alexis Maurer, who had no experience in politics, had been the director of her father's charity, which made grants and interest-free angel investments in disenfranchised and unemployed citizens in need of employment or startup cash for a business idea. Although critics accused her of being a trust fund kid in the pocket of her father, Maurer ran an aggressive campaign around a variety of hot button issues such as crime and unemployment.

Maurer's campaign was viewed favorably by the media, especially the San Andreas Network, who ran stories in support of Maurer's achievements. This came only months after a fundraising event hosted by Maurer's restaurant raised over $250,000 to assist in buying new equipment for SAN and remodeling their news studio. In fact, it was the Los Santos Times, a publication owned by SAN, which ran a story stating that Maurer's sole opponent, Milli Sinclair, had been detained by deputies of the San Andreas Sheriff's Department during a drug investigation. It was this article which led to Sinclair dropping out of the race and Maurer's unopposed victory.

Maurer's tenure as mayor was mostly unimportant and is rarely mentioned when discussing the political history of Los Santos. No major legislation was passed, no lasting changes were made, and the impact on the citizens of the municipality were minimal. However, Maurer enacted several changes to programs affecting small, local businesses. The rules for obtaining licenses were relaxed, fees decreased, and the abundance of subsidies and grants went up. Businesses were offered financial incentives for maintaining a presence in various business improvement districts, including Vinewood and Rodeo, where Maurer's father owned most of his property.

Because of the use of holding companies and intermediaries, it is not able to be determined just what financial impact Francis Maurer's daughter's term as mayor had on his business interests. However, it was only just after her term ended that Maurer was rumored to have gone into business with David Gold, a Las Venturas casino developer, to construct the most expensive hotel and casino in the city's history: the Visage. How Maurer was able to obtain the capital to finance such a project will forever be unknown. The Visage, despite its highly anticipated opening and almost perfect reviews, was unable to sustain itself past a few months, and closed down in February 2014. Since then, Maurer has all but disappeared from the limelight.

The revolving door

Perhaps nowhere is the effect of the Citizens United ruling more evident than in San Andreas. The ruling, combined with already lax laws governing the influence of money in politics, has given birth to an entire industry that operates at the nexus of business, politics, and the shadowy world of organized crime. Behind the prolific figures of the San Andreas political scene are an array of lobbying firms that wage battles on their behalf in the public and private arena. Fueled by substantial sums of money from the private sector and elements of the criminal underworld, these lobbyists have adopted aggressive tactics to further their clients' interests, engaging in everything from smear campaigns to outright bribery.

Politicians are unable to fight dirty on their own behalf at the risk of being viewed in a negative light, so lobbyists provide an invaluable middleman service as the link between the politician and fixers like David Hanczuk and power brokers like Otis Glassman. Ostensibly they act as public relations consultants, advising clients on the best way to argue their point or obtain a favorable ruling on a relevant issue, when in reality lobbyists are muscle--the strong arm of industry and the voice of special interests.

The concern with corruption, broadly conceived, has remained a dominant theme of American law and politics. Indeed, because of these concerns, lobbying itself was treated as illegal for much of the nation's history. This seems inconceivable in today's political culture, in which "K Street" lobbying dominates Washington's political and financial economies alike. But until the twentieth century, lobbying was considered contrary to public policy. Some states, such as Georgia, made it a crime. And even where lobbying was not a crime, courts refused to enforce contracts for lobbying on the ground that such conduct was contrary to public policy.

Today, fully half of all members of Congress become lobbyists upon leaving office. Most of them, of course, represent corporations. Far from a dirty word, lobbying today is seen as a First Amendment right; it's how we petition government, after all, and how we let our representatives know what we believe they should do as they represent us. We understand that lobbyists can engage in unethical behavior, but lobbying as such is seen as a necessary and often salutary part of representative democracy.

The challenge posed by lobbying is a microcosm of the larger problem that the free flow of money presents in a democracy. Representatives are supposed to be responsive to their constituents' desires, and must gain their constituents' support for election and reelection. Yet if an elected official takes money in exchange for a vote, responsiveness becomes corruption. The principle of one person, one vote reflects a deep commitment to equality. But citizens engage in political campaigns not only by voting—they debate with their friends and neighbors, write letters to the editor or Op-Eds, canvass for their favored candidates, donate money, and spend their own money to express their views on the issues of the day.

That's how representative democracy is supposed to work. But when individuals and corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money campaigning, and when society is marked by vast disparities in wealth, there is a real risk that democracy will become an oligarchy, as elected officials increasingly represent not all of us equally, but those of us who are willing and able to spend vast sums of money on their behalf.

Several lobbying firms dominate municipal and state political battlegrounds of our state. Firms like Griggs Dugan LLP, Orozco & Associates, Apex Strategy Group, Ernst & White, and Beacon Government Affairs, can be linked to almost every major politician, corporation, and interest group in the state. These elite consultants together take in over $75 million every year from various sources. Few candidates are elected without the backing of one of these influential kingmakers. Almost all political and corporate decisions will at some point pass the judgement of a specialist whose opinion is more powerful than a legislator's entire constituency.

In San Andreas, a state where the wealth gap almost triples the national disparity, a small group of independent and corporate actors has come to control the economic, social, and political realms. Political dynasties like the Hoovers and Maurers exist solely because they are the Rockefellers and Hearsts of our state. It is no longer a question of whether there exists corruption inside the political question, but rather how widespread it is and who will it eventually implicate. The battle for Los Santos mayor and other government seats is repeatedly won by public affairs and dirty tricks, not by ideology or innovation. When money equals speech and the loudest candidate is the one who wins, money is always more important than substance.
Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang: show
Vago Hulk wrote:
Sun May 13, 2018 5:52 am
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Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
Outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) have been in existence since the late 1940s. Returning World War II veterans formed motorcycle clubs as a way of adjusting to post-war life. Although members sought adventure, they also engaged in criminal activity. As they continued to become more organized, the United States Department of Justice validated the groups as OMGs. Both the United States Department of Justice and the California DOJ define OMGs as organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises. OMGs are highly structured criminal organizations whose members engage in criminal activities such as violent crime, weapons trafficking, and drug trafficking.

OMGs are highly organized with a well-defined chain of command, and the club president and other ranking members often wear patches displaying their status in the club. (Retired members hold the lowest position in the organization.) Colors and logos worn by OMG members have a unique association with a particular club. The club patch includes the name, emblem, and county where the OMG chapter was established. Other items that identify specific clubs include articles of clothing, flags, signs, stickers, and banners.

OMG members engage in many organized events such as bike runs, toy runs, parties, rallies, and concerts. These events are often coordinated with the use of cell phones and through Internet social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace.

The role of females in OMGs can vary. They are often associates but will also form their own support clubs, sometimes known as puppet clubs. Support clubs, made up of either men or women, provide assistance to the OMG. Females are often responsible for holding weapons and drugs, especially during bike runs. They are viewed as “property” to the club and “shared” with all the members. Females are referred to as “old ladies” within the biker community.

According to California law enforcement authorities, OMGs are most notoriously involved in narcotics trafficking. OMGs also engage in criminal activities including homicide, rape, witness intimidation, assault, money laundering, racketeering, mortgage fraud, identity theft, and weapons trafficking. Methamphetamine and marijuana are the most common narcotics trafficked. The support clubs aid the OMGs in their criminal activities and are often themselves associated with organizations or businesses such as motorcycle shops. OMGs also establish alliances with criminal street and prison gangs; they use street gangs to buy or traffic drugs and weapons. Many OMG members are armed with weapons purchased illegally through the Internet from gun traffickers, or through “straw” purchases where a third party makes the buy with OMG money.

OMGs often conduct counter surveillance on law enforcement authorities and will attempt to corrupt police officials to gain intelligence on law enforcement or rival gang members. The members display direct violence to law enforcement authorities to show loyalty to the club and will use weapons and explosives. The most prominent OMGs in California are the Hells Angels,Vagos, and Mongols motorcycle clubs.

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Significant Events

  • In January 2010, a Hells Angels member assaulted a Vagos member in Santa Cruz. The assault was suspected to be in response to the Vagos establishing a new chapter in the same area.
  • In May 2010, a Vagos prospect was fatally stabbed in Kern County during a fight between Vagos and Hells Angels members. A high-ranking Vagos member was also stabbed, but survived. Four Hells Angels members are under investigation for the attack, including one member who, according to outside sources, allegedly fled to Oregon.
  • In September 2010, during a search of a Hells Angels member’s residence, investigators learned that the OMG was receiving confidential law enforcement information from a Santa Clara police officer. The officer was arrested in October 2010. As of December 28, 2010, the officer is facing federal criminal charges for allegedly supplying confidential information to a Hells Angels member.
  • In September 2011, the president of the Hells Angels’ San Jose, California, chapter, Jeffrey “Jethro” Pettigrew, 51, was shot to death, and one Vagos member was wounded in the melee at John Ascuaga’s Nugget hotel and casino in Sparks. A second Vagos member was wounded in a drive-by shooting the next day at the site of a nearby motorcycle rally in town.
  • In June 2018, federal agents arrested 22 reputed members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club in the Inland Empire and elsewhere in Southern California. The 23 defendants — one died of natural causes before he could be arrested — are accused of murder; conspiracy to commit racketeering (organized groups operating illegal businesses); kidnapping and assault in aid of racketeering; using and carrying a firearm to commit a violent crime; conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; stealing a motor vehicle; and aiding and abetting.
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Analysis and Trends
Rivalrous tensions between the Hells Angels and Vagos, and between the Hells Angels and Mongols, are anticipated to continue, creating a significant threat to the safety of law enforcement officers and the public. The threat posed by the Hells Angeles and Vagos rivalry is particularly poignant. The Vagos have attempted to establish chapters in two areas that the Hells Angels are known to frequent. In both instances, the Hells Angels have run the Vagos out. All three OMGs use the Internet. The OMGs announce upcoming events such as parties and bike runs on their websites, resulting in increased participation by support club members. Social networking websites display event photographs. Rival OMG attendance at the same parties, motorcycle conventions, and bike runs can pose an immediate threat of violence at otherwise safe events. OMG investigators generally believe that OMG criminal activity has increased over the last five years. Investigators believe this trend will continue, signifying a growing threat to law enforcement officers and the public.

Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang
The Vagos, also known as Green Nation or Green Machine, were formed in San Bernardino in 1965, evolving from the Psycho Motorcycle Club of Corona. They identify with the number 22 which represents “V,” the twenty-second letter in the alphabet. The Vagos also have members residing in Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon, and have established chapters in Mexico. Unlike the Hells Angels, the Vagos typically do not participate in public charitable events, focusing more on parties and bike runs. They are not as organized as the Hells Angels, but are successful due to their fierce intimidation and violence. During 2010, law enforcement authorities increased surveillance on the Vagos as part of Operation Green Day. The operation resulted in multiple arrests and inflicted serious, albeit temporary, setbacks to the Vagos’ criminal capabilities.

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OOC information
We aim to provide the most realistic portrayal of an outlaw motorcycle club on this server. By joining this faction, we reserve the right to CK you if roleplay leads to it. We are also non-political and should add that screenshots aren't mandatory for progression here. Progression happens through in character events and being active. Any concerns, criticisms or queries should be directed to Vago Hulk, Mark or Sonny_Hills through private message.
White Pride: show
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Credits to George_Svoboda




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