The subtle entity known as Cordoba Corporation used to thrive on bad publicity. Cordoba has bid for contracts as diverse as building demolition and subway construction, though lately it has been doing computer-programming work. Formerly located solely in Los Angeles, it now also lists offices in Irvine, Oakland and — not surprisingly — Sacramento. That‘s where Richard Alatorre — close friend of Cordoba founder and CEO George Pla — has held a $100,000-a-year seat on the state Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board seat since he retired from the City Council two years ago.After Alatorre moved, little was heard of Cordoba. The firm had been much in the news for 10 years, mostly for complications involving its contracting with public agencies and its political clout. Cordoba, for instance, was a subcontractor on the since-fizzled $65 million MTA Metro East subway proposal; its 1996 acceptance was linked to strong Alatorre pressure. Cordoba was chosen (reportedly at the behest of then–Labor Secretary Ron Brown) over more-favored bidders to create a $3.2 million 1996 federal Minority Business Development Agency facility and, according to the MBDA‘s own report, wasted the money.