RAGEPATH is the research project of a nonprofit established in 2017, called the Public Research and Education Project (PREP). PREP’s mission is to scrutinize the record of public officials, especially those who have not been vetted by a competitive election process.
We are opposed to corruption, the abuse of power, the victimization of others, and the impunity of public officials. We oppose these things wherever we find them, regardless of party affiliation.
PREP is a registered California non-profit. The politicians we investigate are powerful and frequently retaliate against their accusers, so it is especially important that we protect the identities of those we work with.
Cristina Garcia is an elected official from an uncompetitive district in an area of Los Angeles that has been plagued by past corruption scandals. Garcia has not had a credible opponent for the past several election cycles, nor has she received the same level of scrutiny that politicians in hotly contested elections receive. This class of public officials is of especial interest to PREP, because the possibility for unchecked corruption is highest where public scrutiny is lowest.
It is not our place to tell the story of Cristina Garcia’s victims. They are telling their own stories, and they deserve to be heard. The story here is not, “Who has asked questions about Garcia’s conduct?” The real story is, “What was Garcia’s conduct?”
The recently published news accounts about that matter reflect the stories of real people. Those stories have been verified by professional reporters working for established and reputable news outlets. These factual accounts have been subjected to multiple levels of verification and corroboration. If you have legitimate journalistic questions about the allegations against Garcia, we suggest you speak with the victims who have come forward publicly or the attorneys retained to represent them.
PREP’s investigations are ongoing. It would be unwise to comment on the details of unfinished research. If we confirm credible evidence of wrongdoing, we will bring that information to the public. Until that time, we will provide no further comment.