From our Better Late Than Never Files, Speaker John Perez held a press conference monday to respond to Gov. Schwarzenegger's budget.
And then he tried to blame Gov. Schwarznegger for his absence.
"Perez was in a far more defensive crouch when asked about skipping out of Sacramento on Friday when the governor presented his budget plan. Perez spent the day in Pebble Beach, mingling with the state Democratic Party’s biggest contributors, who were asked for up to $60,000 to attend the two-day golfing affair. “Yes, I was there,” Perez said.
"He then tried to parry blame in the governor’s direction. “I think the question becomes: Why did the governor choose that day to release his May revise?” The answer, according to the governor’s office, is state law, which requires the governor update his spending plan by May 14. In Schwarzenegger’s seven years in office, he has proposed his May budget proposal three times on May 14, twice on May 13 and once each on May 12 and May 11. But Perez didn’t seem to buy that. “I don’t think the timing was coincidental,” he said. “I think it was proven to be really a good opportunity for the governor to make ugly proposals and dump the trash on a Friday and then try to distract you from talking about where I was instead of what the substance of his proposals are."
Hmm...
As far as the substance goes, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner both say Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to eliminate welfare goes too far.
"Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has made reforming state welfare programs a centerpiece of her campaign, but she said Monday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to eliminate the state's main welfare program, known as CalWORKS, was too extreme.
"I would have reformed welfare as opposed to call for its entire elimination," Whitman said. "I would not eliminate CalWORKS entirely."
"Whitman insisted that the state budget could be brought under control by targeting "waste, fraud and abuse" -- as well as making cuts to social services. That same troika of maladies has been featured prominently throughout the Schwarzenegger administration, though the state remains mired with a $19.1- billion deficit."
Meanwhile, the teachers have trained their fire on Darrell Steinberg.
Susan Ferriss reports, "A fresh billboard heading into Sacramento off Interstate 5 showcases the California Teachers Association's dissatisfaction with a chief ally in the state Capitol: Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.
"Dear Senator Steinberg," reads the pink billboard, which appeared over the weekend. "Stop the blame. Stop the cuts."
In an email to colleagues Friday, Steinberg wrote, "Given all our caucus has done to protect Proposition 98," Steinberg wrote, "the repayment of the 2.5 billion maintenance factor in the midyear budget and last July, and our support of proposition 1B last year, I can only conclude that their action has more to do with their own re-elections and jobs than mine or yours. The fiscal crisis is obviously taking a toll on everyone."
The National Rifle Association is urging Republican voters to reject Tom Campbell.
Maeve Reston reports, "The National Rifle Assn. is urging its California members to vote against Republican Senate candidate Tom Campbell “to protect your gun rights and hunting heritage in California."
"The bright orange postcard, which went out over the weekend, faults Campbell for favoring gun show regulations, a waiting period for handgun purchases and restrictions on the sale of semiautomatic assault weapons. Campbell defended his record on 2nd Amendment issues in an e-mail to a handful of voters who sought clarification from his campaign after receiving the mailing. While lobbying groups often attack candidates who don’t score 100% on their issues, he said, “the truth involves much more than they disclose.”
Is Meg Whitman a smut peddler? Steve Poizner says yes in a new Web ad.
Joe Garofoli reports, "His linkage here is that eBay -- which Whitman CEO'd -- has multi-millions worth of Adults Only items being trafficked on it. Meg knew about it and did nothing to stop it. It's been written about here.
"The timing of this ad is interesting. If, as noted here last week, that Poizner is within striking distance of Meg based on her connections to Goldman Sachs, etc., then why would he open up the can of porn on her now? Are the polls headed the other way? Or is this a way to add to the "Meg will do anything to make a profit (Goldman-Sachs, etc.)" narrative that would bring her down further?
"Is Steve Poizner seriously trying to tell us that eBay is a pornography site? eBay's millions of users, including my grandmother, will find that a little hard to believe. Steve Poizner is desperate," said Team Whitman's Dan Comstock. "The only pornography in this race is the obscene act of watching a liberal like Steve Poizner try to pretend he's a conservative."
The Los Angeles city council voted to eliminate 761 jobs while continuing to seek concessions from unions in labor negotiations.
John Ellis candidate for state Assembly was arrested on drug possession charges Friday.
"Jesse James White, a Riverbank City Council member running for state Assembly in the Central Valley, was arrested Friday on suspicion of possession of marijuana and cocaine along with violating probation."
Why was he on probation, you ask?
"In 2007, White was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court records. He pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of "wet and reckless" driving. In that same case, court records show, White also initially was charged with possession of marijuana."
And finally, from our Juke Box Hero files, "A Bismarck man was charged with aggravated assault on Friday after allegedly stabbing a bar owner over the volume of his juke box.
"Sgt. Mark Buschena said the suspect, John Wetzel, 33, threw an ashtray and became belligerent when the bar owner wouldn't turn up the volume on the juke box. Buschena said a struggle ensued as Wetzel was being escorted outside and the 34-year-old bar owner was stabbed."
We're guessing the man was trying to pay tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio. We know that's how we spent our night last night...