Shedding the most tears since the end of
Darrell Issa's bid for governor, "Congressman
Randy 'Duke' Cunningham resigned in disgrace yesterday after admitting he took more than $2.4 million in bribes to help defense contractors land lucrative government contracts," reports Onell R. Soto in the Union Tribune.
Dan Walters
explains "[t]he federal charges - which could land the 63-year-old Cunningham in prison for up to a decade - evolved out of a transaction in which Cunningham sold his house to a defense contractor for nearly twice what it brought in a subsequent resale. Prosecutors said that among the $2.4 million-plus in bribes were more than
$1 million to pay down the mortgage on Cunningham's mansion, and
$13,500 to help buy a Rolls-Royce. Defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who bought Cunningham's house, also allowed him to
live rent-free on a yacht in the Potomac River."
Governor Schwarzenegger will have two weeks after receiving official notice of the resignation to call a special election. Capitol Weekly's Malcolm Maclachlan
lists the likely candidates, which include Republicans
Bill Morrow,
Alan Uke,
Pam Slater Price,
George Schwarzman,
Howard Kaloogian. Possible Republican candidates include Escondido Mayor
Lori Pfeiffer and former U.S. Congressman
Brian Bilbray.
"On the Democratic side, Cardiff school board member
Francine Busby appears to be unquestioned front-runner. She's locked up a host of high-profile endorsements, including state treasurer
Phil Angelides and insurance commissioner
John Garamendi. Busby's communications director,
Brennan Bilberry, said she had raised $248,000 so far."
Gary Delsohn reports in the Bee that
Phil Angelides called for the governor to
disclose who paid for his recent trip to China, and suggested new rules requiring the disclosure of donors should be adopted.
"'The day I am sworn in, if I am lucky enough to be chosen by the people of California to be their governor, I will put these rules in place,' Angelides said in a conference call with reporters."
"'And if I take any foreign travel representing this great nation-state of 35 million people, and if there's any private funding, the people of California will know exactly who funded the trip.'"
Steve Westly's campaign used Angelides' move to blast Angelides and Schwarzenegger for
failing to release their financial history. "Can either of these guys really be interested in openness in government?
If you really want to prove there is no conflict of interest, you have to release those taxes."
Meanwhile, the governor received good news yesterday when the
State Workers' Compensation Fund filed to lower rates 16%. "The proposed rate cut by the State Compensation Insurance Fund, the government-backed insurer that accounts for more than half the California workers' comp market, was revealed in a filing Monday with the state Department of Insurance."
The Bee's Claire Cooper reports "a federal court judge is
losing his patience over the state's prison health care system. "State defendants in a federal lawsuit, who include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,
have no choice but to pay for emergency reforms 'the same way you find the money to build a tent to smoke cigars,' said Senior U.S. District Judge
Thelton Henderson in a court hearing."
"Henderson said he was 'taking the gloves off..." in his efforts to get the governor to appoint an official with independent delegated powers to oversee the health system.
"Echoing Henderson's statement that the defendants 'just don't get it,' [State Senator
Gloria] Romero told reporters that explanations for the state's objections will be demanded during confirmation hearings for
Roderick Hickman, secretary of the new Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and
Jeanne Woodford, undersecretary."
Dan Weintraub writes in today's Bee that of all the governor's failed ballot measures,
redistricting is likely to resurface in a bipartisan compromise. "'
We have a bill ... we are going to push down and get it to the governor,' [Senate President Pro Tem
Don] Perata said. 'Put it on the ballot. Set up a real independent commission that
will take effect when the next census is taken. And get the Legislature forever out of a conflict of interest. We're committed to doing that.'"
The governor is playing host to the Republican Governors Association beginning this Thursday in San Diego. National eyes are on the election for chair of the group and the assumed elevation of Massachusetts governor
Mitt Romney. Romney is expected to use the position as a
launching pad for the 2008 presidential nomination.
Department of Corrections: The governor plans to interview lawyers for both sides in the
Stanley "Tookie" Williams case, but not victims family members as reported in yesterday's Roundup.
Kevin Yamamura writes in the Bee that "Secretary of State
Bruce McPherson conceded Monday that he
might not certify any more electronic voting machines this year, leaving many of the state's 58 counties at risk of missing a Jan. 1 federal deadline requiring upgrades for voters with disabilities."
From the best we can understand, its the same old fight of a voter verified paper trail to ensure the votes of disabled voters are counted correctly versus privacy concerns of a machine-generated printout.
On that note, the county clerks association, headed by
Conny McCormack of Los Angeles,
has hired Theresa La Pore--also known as "Madame Butterfly" for the ballot she approved for the 2000 election in Palm Beach County, Florida--to conduct a class for the group this Friday on "Elections Security."
Following the session, La Pore may travel to Arco to watch the Miami Heat teach the Kings a thing or two about basketball.
