Dropping like flies

Jan 11, 2010

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took his criticism of the federal government to the Sunday talk shows. The LAT's Michael Rothfeld and Richard Simon report, "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sharpened his criticism of the federal government in an interview televised this morning, taking aim at California's congressional representatives for what he said was a failure to advocate for enough funding from Washington.

 

"The state's federal lawmakers had reacted negatively to Schwarzenegger's statements last week even before his more pointed criticism of them.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose, head of the California Democratic delegation in Congress, said Friday that the delegation would do "what we can to support California." But she said Schwarzenegger "sounds like he's trying to avoid responsibility. He's the governor. We're not. There has been a financial storm brewing in California for years. They haven't dealt with it."

 

Will media darling Tom Campbell drop his gubernatorial bid Monday? Republican Party official Jon Fleischman reports on his Twitter feed that the former Congressman chas cancelled a speech in Los Angeles Monday morning, and is set to make an "announcement" some time today. Stay tuned...

 

The LAT's Maura Dolan reports on the history-making trial that begins today in federal court in San Francisco. "Scholars, gay and lesbian partners and opponents of same-sex marriage are expected to testify about the nature of marriage and homosexuality during an unprecedented federal trial today to determine whether gays and lesbians may marry.

"The case, Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, is expected to become a landmark that eventually will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Both sides have hired leading legal advocates with lots of experience before the high court.

San Francisco's U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker, a Republican appointee known for independence, will decide whether Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage violates U.S. constitutional rights of equal protection and due process. Walker's pretrial rulings have tended to favor supporters of same-sex marriage."

 

George Skelton says he's seen plenty of bad budgets, but none quite this bad. And it hasn't exactly inspired profiles in political courage

 

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposal was depressing by itself. And the reaction to it made the Capitol even gloomier.

"Blame the governor for his populist pouncing on the federal government, trying to lay partial responsibility for Sacramento's dogged deficit on Washington. Cite Democrats and their interest groups for too many predictable, pedestrian potshots."

 

The New York Times gives California's initiative wars some ink on the front page of Sunday's paper.

 

"From San Diego to Mount Shasta, voters are expressing mounting disgust over California’s fiscal meltdown and deteriorating services, and they are offering scores of voter initiatives that seek to change the way the state does business."

 

“It is a very California moment,” said Robert Hertzberg, co-chairman of California Forward, a group of business, political and academic leaders that seeks to change the state’s budget processes. “It is almost like there are a bunch of weapons on the battlefield, and the bullets will be the funding of these initiatives.”

 

 

Carla Marinucci has the dirt on the latest chapter in everyone's favorite political cat fight -- Steve Schmidt vs. Sarah Palin, which came to 60 Minutes this weekend.

 

"Sacramento-based political strategist Steve Schmidt, true to his take-no-prisoners style, hit "CBS' 60 Minutes" Sunday to detail how former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a rushed -- and wholly unprepared -- pick to be a heartbeat away from presidency as the running mate for Republican 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

 

Schmidt adds "Palin didn't do her homework for the big Katie Couric interview on CBS. "The reason that interview was a failure was that she did not prepare for it,'' he said. "I don't think Katie Couric asked a single unfair question in that interview."

You can watch the segment here.
California Watch's Will Evans reports many of the state's share of federal stimulus dollars are going to companies with records of polluting the environment or who have been accused of fraud .

"Residents in Ventura County say they are dismayed that airplane and defense giant Boeing received a $15.9 million stimulus contract for environmental monitoring at the same site near Simi Valley where the company was fined for polluting a creek with chromium, dioxin, lead and mercury. A local resident and opponent, Dawn Kowalski, called the new contract “the fox guarding the hen house.”

 

Watsonville-based Granite Construction received $6.4 million in stimulus contracts to work on airport runways in Salinas and Monterey, and to repair roads in San Bernadino, Riverside and Butte counties. Yet the company faces three federal probes, including a criminal investigation into whether it fraudulently overcharged the city of San Diego in the wake of the devastating 2007 wildfires.

 

And a major apartment owner based in Denver, AIMCO, stands to benefit from $13 million in stimulus tax credits to rehabilitate its housing complex in Los Angeles. This federal assistance comes after the company paid $3 million in 2004 to settle a lawsuit from the city of San Francisco over complaints that it operated mold and rodent-infested buildings that posed serious safety hazards. Residents continue to complain about AIMCO’s management."

 

The Merc's Mike Rosenberg looks at how proposed transit cuts will affect life in the Bay Area.

 

"As the region attempts to push toward economic recovery in 2010, transit agencies expect to be moving in the opposite direction, stuck offering service levels and fares established during the economic downturn — or worse.

 

"Experts question whether transit operators will be ready when residents start getting back to work, and whether their service funding problems will in turn slow the local economic recovery."

 

And speaking of transit woes, imagine being caught in this unfortunate storm of humanity.

 

From our Events We're Glad We Missed, Files, the Chron's Carolyn Jones reports, "Hundreds of riders learned that uncomfortable truth the hard way Sunday when they removed their pants on crowded, San Francisco-bound trains, as part of a national stunt sponsored by a New York performance art group.

 

"It feels strangely normal," said Luke Jakobsson, a student from Castro Valley who rode BART from the East Bay in nothing but shoes, a Swedish soccer jersey and matching skivvies. "Although I'm not sure how I feel about the wind in my ass."

 

We're pretty sure how we feel about it, pal.