The Year in Roundup

Dec 23, 2005

JANUARY
The Roundup is launched, giving Capitol insiders another damn thing to read every morning. The governor declares war on Democrats in a blistering and ambitious State of the State Address, and unveils a state spending plan that ticks off the education community.

Meanwhile, Martha Escutia flexes her muscle, killing the reappointment of Reed Hastings to the Board of Education. And Ward Connerly leaves the Board of Regents: “There will now be great temptation here to relax on the issue of race. For God’s sake, don’t do it.”

Internecine wars erupt in the Assembly. Bill Maze calls Kevin McCarthy a “weak leader.” And Joe Canciamilla blames the loss of his Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee chairmanship on his unwillingness to make hefty donations to the Democratic Party.

The month roared to a close with No Name Calling Week, which was immediately criticized by social conservatives.

“I hope schools will realize it’s less an exercise in tolerance than a platform for liberal groups to promote their pan-sexual agenda,” said Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America’s Culture and Family Institute. Closer to home, Steve Maviglio says of the no-name-calling rule: “I just hope the governor can make it through the entire week.”

And in an astute bit of foreshadowing the LA Times compared Schwarzenegger to Gray Davis:

“The governor who once embraced the Legislature as a helpful “partner” now depicts it as a plodding hindrance…To lawmakers, some of this is hauntingly familiar. Former Gov. Gray Davis , the man Schwarzenegger ousted, demanded in 1999 that lawmakers “implement my vision.” It backfired. Years of mutual enmity and legislative paralysis followed.”

Meanwhile, some Democratic legislators call on Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to resign.

Also this month: Senate Leader Don Perata talks about revisiting Prop. 98. Maviglio signs on with Speaker. Gavin and Kimberly announce they’re separated. Matsui announces she’ll run for Congress. Mudslide in Ventura kills 10. Snatch the Sidekick wants a date with Nicole Parra. Donald Beardslee executed. Matt Reilly takes control at SOMS. Linda Ackerman caught at the State of the Union in “fabric shoes.”

February
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley announces his resignation amid investigations into his handling of federal election funds, questionable campaign contributions and bad behavior… Schwarzenegger taps Sen. Bruce McPherson to replace Shelley.

Nurses take to the airwaves in the beginning of the end of the governor’s special election plans.

Meanwhile, Dan Walters outlines the Democrats’ strategy. “If they can bloody Schwarzenegger’s nose on schools, his opponents believe, they can blunt his drive to gain voter passage of four governmental overhaul measures, two of which are aimed directly at Proposition 98 and the powerful California Teachers Association.”

The Times comes through with one of the great political reporting non-sequiturs of the year in their coverage of a Democratic caucus retreat in Newport Beach. “Nicole Parra (D-Hanford) walked out of the lunchroom with her arms full of brown paper and tape, mumbling about a broken piñata.” George Skelton predicts there will be no compromise. “A ‘political-industrial complex’ has developed around Schwarzenegger: a team of private campaign consultants who make a bundle off his ballot brawls. The governor spent $1.9 million on political consultants last year, plus$302,000 on fundraising and $802,000 on campaign travel.”

Former CTA gov’t relations boss John Hein announces a new committee formed to oppose the governor’s reform measures. Contrasting themselves with the gov-friendly “Citizens to Save California,” the new anti-governor group is calling itself “Seriously, Saving California.” The Committee would later be renamed the Alliance for a Better California. Seriously.

The governor dismisses the Legislature as “poor little guys.” Pointing out that his approval ratings are in the 60s, while the Legislature’s are “in the 30s.” Little did he know that by the end of the year…

In further signs of impending doom, a rift emerges between wings of the governor’s supporters on a spending cap proposal that would ultimately become the ill-fated Proposition 76. “We went through this with Prop. 58,” says Sen. John Campbell. “It wasn’t even close to something that would prevent future deficits. We’re not interesting in doing another Prop. 58, another measure that doesn’t get the job done.”

In more foreshadowing news, the governor’s appearance at a Sacramento premiere of “Be Cool” was interrupted by what would become a familiar cast of characters. “It wasn’t the paparazzi greeting the governor last night, but rather “dozens of teachers, nurses, union members and activists who have joined forces to fight his conservative reform agenda.” Rob Stutzman wasn’t pleased by the red carpet treatment “They’re rude and they’re special interests.”

And in even more foreshadowing news, the Field Poll shows the governor’s approval ratings have fallen from 65 to 55 percent.

Also this month: The Virgin Mary appears on a grilled cheese sandwich in San Francisco, Perata opens a legal defense fund, Paris Hilton gets Gavin Newsom’s digits, a tiger spotted at the Reagan Library, Sean Walsh returns as head of OPR, the birth of Bobzilla, death of Dolly the cloned sheep, Ronald Reagan is put on a stamp, Jerry Brown starts a blog.

MARCH
Zach Hall, a veteran neuroscientist and associate dean of medical research at the University of Southern California’s medical school, is named interim president of the state’s new $3 billion stem cell research institute. Senators Deborah Ortiz and George Runner join forces to propose limits onthe new stem cell agency.

Assemblyman Mike Gordon is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Gordon would succumb within months.

California Teachers Association moves into action, sending 50,000 pieces of mail to attack ... Don Perata? Perata’s crime — having the audacity to question the wisdom of Proposition 98.

In the first installment of this month’s political foreshadowing, Republican UC Regents board chairman Gerry Parsky says “California’s economic competitiveness will suffer” if the governor’s pension plan is approved. Meanwhile, the Citizens Committee to Save California reports its first fundraising statements, which included a $1.5 million check from Jerry Perenchio the developer and head of Univision.

In the LA Mayor’s race, Bob Hertzberg takes on Jim Hahn at Canter’s Deli: “Hertzberg tried to present Hahn with a stainless silver kitchen sink when they crossed paths campaigning at Canter’s deli, saying, “You’ve thrown everything but this at me.” Hahn’s breezed past him, but Hertzberg followed him into the restaurant. “Let’s sit down, and I’ll buy you a corned beef sandwich,” Hertzberg said as the two shook hands.

Hahn then shook his head and walked away, muttering, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’” Hahn would make the runoff, later losing the race to Antonio Villaraigosa. Meanwhile, the parade of nurses, teachers and firefighters becomes a mainstay on the governor’s national fundraising tour. Citizens to Save California announces it is endorsing six initiatives, five of which are backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. Two of those initiatives – merit pay for teachers and the pension overhaul proposal – would later be dropped. The other four would be defeated by voters in November.

Phil Angelides announces he’s running for governor, kicking off a statewide bus tour.

A San Francisco judge rules the state can’t ban gay marriage, comparing the ban to racial segregation.

The guv plants a wet one on the cheek of Fabian Nuñez at a bill signing giving Maria power to remake the state museum, but that does little to curb the political fight to come.

The California Republican Party takes to the airwaves to support the governor’s education initiatives. Meanwhile, widows of fallen firefighters go on the offensive in what would be the death knell for the governor’s pension plan.

The LA Times dings Fabian Nuñez for money he receives from the LA County Federation of Labor. “He is being paid $35,000 a year, personally, not as a campaign contribution, by a nonprofit arm of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, which is led by Nuñez’s old pal, Miguel Contreras ... it doesn’t pass the laugh test that Nuñez is merely consulting on effective methods of voter registration.”

Also this month: John Edgell introduces the “girlie-man” bobblehead, a jury convicts the 21-year old shooter of Bruce McPherson‘s son, Hunter; Danny DeVito fined by the FPPC; Matsui elected in a landslide, Pataki raises case for Schwarzenegger, McPherson is confirmed, CTA launches an ad against the governor.

APRIL
The governor makes a last-ditch effort to save his pension proposal. When asked about critics who claim the plan would strip widows of peace officers of death benefits, “That’s just propaganda that they are spreading out there, that the unions are spreading,” the governor tells KFI radio in Los Angeles. The governor would drop the proposal a week later.

Meanwhile, Steve Westly breaks from the governor, who he co-starred with in the commercials for Props. 57 and 58. “This is a much more politicized, partisan election, and I don’t think that’s the path to successful elections,” he said. “This is not the right course for California.” Westly announces the formation of an exploratory committee to run for governor. Ina rah-rah letter sent to Democratic activists, Westly says, “In the next few weeks, I’ll offer my vision for making sure Arnold Schwarzenegger is hasta la vista in 2006. And I look forward to hearing yours. Together, we’ll put California on the right track—and send Arnold back to Hollywood on his.”

More foreshadowing: By a 3-1 margin, independents who once held positive views of the governor, are now “starting to turn,” says the Field Poll’s Mark DiCamillo; that spells trouble because once those voters develop a negative impression and get turned off, “it’s harder to win them back.”

Attorney General Bill Lockyer earned back some Democratic chits by torpedoing the governor’s spending cap proposal in the title and summary process. By focusing on the measure’s cuts to Proposition 98, Lockyer helped seal the fate of what would become Proposition 76.

Tom Arnold hosts the Worst Damn Political Rally, Period! at the Capitol, as only 200 or so people show to support the governor’s initiatives. The “few dozen supporters of the governor, including his own employees and political aides” went home without a sighting of the governor. Tom Arnold led the crowd to believe Schwarzenegger was about to make a surprise appearance before telling them that he had gotten bad information. And a local barbecue mogul handing out free hot dogs headed home with plenty of leftovers. ”Meanwhile, the Alliance takes to the airwaves to challenge the governor’s initiative plans.

The governor calls for closing the border with Mexico. Then clarifies: “the bottom line is, I misspoke and I’m sorry if that, you know, offended anyone. But it was a language problem, because I meant securing our borders rather than closing our borders ... I think we have a terrific relationship with Mexico.”

San Diego mayor Dick Murphy resigns after being named one of the three worst big city mayors in the country by Time magazine.

San Jose State suspends their dance team over a dance that drew complaints from a wealthy alumnus. “It was vulgar,’’ said Ray Silva, 74, a San Jose businessman and well-connected university booster who has been instrumental in helping raise money for athletics. "It was like a burlesque, with bumps and grinds. I just came unglued.’’

Also this month: The Finger in the Chili saga begins, PhRMA threatens with paycheck protection, but backs off; Maria does Oprah; DiFi takes on Casino San Pablo; Joe Dunn checks out of the AG’s race and into the treasurer’s race… for now, Joe Nation flirts with a congressional bid; Julie Lee pleads not guilty; Hertzberg endorses Villaraigosa; Rob Reiner introduces his universal preschool initiative; Andrea Hoch confirmed; Poizner says no to PUC nomination

MAY
All bets are off as signatures are submitted for the so-called Paycheck Protection initiative. “Schwarzenegger has not endorsed [Lew] Uhler‘s initiative to restrict use of union dues unless union members give their consent, although the Republican governor has expressed support for the concept. Either way, Uhler sees his initiative working hand-in-hand with Schwarzenegger’s agenda. Signatures for the teacher tenure, a spending limit and redistricting initiatives follow, along with four other measures. LA county labor chief Miguel Contreras dies and “top members of California’s labor and political world flock to Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood in a show of respect.”

A federal judge takes the first formal step Tuesday toward placing the California prison health care system in receivership , saying it has killed “a significant number of prisoners’ and is sure to kill more without drastic intervention.”

The governor’s May Revise includes a plan to restore $1.3 billion in transportation revenues. The Speaker criticizes the May Revise for failing to restore money for education.

Mike Murphy proclaims: “Arnold has not touched the Legislature with a feather yet compared to what the real campaign will be,” said Murphy, one of the governor’s closest advisors. “It’s a referendum on the governor versus the Legislature, and he will win.”

The governor’s stagecraft reached another peak, as he presided over the filling of a 10-by-15-foot pothole to illustrate his commitment to transportation programs. The twist is that a San Jose City Crew had dug the hole a few hours earlier .

Meanwhile, Assemblymember Ray Haynes and the recall organizers Rescue California plan a ballot measure to create a California Border Police. The measure would later fail to qualify for the ballot.

Warren Beatty used his commencement speech at Berkeley’s public policy graduate school to tear into Governor Schwarzenegger.

Also this month: Angelides heads to Washington; Nation announces for Congress; Stem Cell Institute picks San Francisco; Willie Brown lobbies for Bakersfield; The Minutemen announce plans to come to California; Cassandra Pye leaves the Horseshoe; Mindy Tucker Fletcher is hired.

JUNE
Rumors of a macro deal to avoid a special election swirl, but ultimately failed to materialize. The governor calls a special election, even though his approval ratings fall below 40 percent.

Chris Cox is appointed to head the SEC, and Dick Ackerman says he’ll run for Congress. Ackerman later backs Jim Battin for Senate leader, angering John Campbell enough to enter the Congressional race against Ackerman.

The Assembly rejects a bill legalizing gay marriage. “The issue was so emotionally charged that Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Newark, broke down and cried Wednesday night while embracing gay state Sen. Carole Migden, after opting not to support the bill.” But Democrats did pass a bill to ban the gubernatorial smoking tent.

The LA Times eavesdrops on a phone call of Schwarzenegger donors and advisors in which Schwarzenegger’s media expert, Don Sipple, outlined a strategy “based on a lot of polling” to create a “phenomenon of anger” among voters toward public employee unions.”

The Natomas home shared by Assemblymen George Plescia, Rick Keene and Kevin McCarthy is robbed. Suits, a flat-screen television and the Republican leader’s basketball shoes were among the items taken.

The FBI announces it is looking into the relationship between Rep. Randy Cunningham and a defense contractor.

Janice Rogers Brown is confirmed to the federal bench. Experts predict Vance Raye is the likely successor. Experts will be wrong.

The California Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the Coastal Commission “I am glad that I lived to see the day that the court ruled unanimously this way,” said Peter Douglas, executive director of the commission.

Also this month: Deep Throat comes forth; Bob Pacheco gets a six-figure appointment; Chris Cox appointed to head SEC; SF cracks down on pit bulls; Ludlow quits LA City Council, Herb Wesson announces candidacy; The guv is booed at Santa Monica College; Maldonado and Strickland both announce for controller; CTA raises dues to pay for special election; Michael Jackson acquitted; Lakers rehire Phil Jackson; Westly formally announces for governor; Bay Bridge deal announces; Umberg’s affair revealed; Mike Gordon dies; Paula Abdul testifies; John Walton killed in plane crash.

JULY
The governor and legislative leaders announce a $117 billion budget deal, clearing the way for campaign season to officially begin, despite rumors circulating that the governor’s team is seeking legal opinions on how to cancel a special election.

Bill Lockyer sues to throw the redistricting measure off the ballot. The measure would be tossed momentarily, only to be reinstated by the state Supreme Court.

The governor may not be drawing a salary for his work as governor of California, but reports show he’s making $5 million from the deal that made him executive editor of a series of fitness magazines, the Bee reports. (The LA Times puts the dollar figure at $8 million.)

“The governor’s aides noted that many California legislators accept outside income.” And since he’s only making your average journalists salary, it’s really no big deal. “But the disclosure immediately opened Schwarzenegger to new criticism over his activities promoting bodybuilding magazines, which are fat with ads for controversial dietary supplements . He vetoed a bill last year, for instance, that sought to restrict supplement use among high school students.”

In Burbank, a local councilwoman is arrested after drugs and guns were found in her home as police investigate whether her boyfriend is a gun runner for a local gang. And you thought your city council was tough. Governor Schwarzenegger signs legislation Monday to complete and finance construction of a new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Tolls will go up to $4 on Jan 1.

In more bad news for San Diego, Councilmen Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza were convicted of conspiracy, extortion and fraud yesterday in a surprisingly swift verdict by a federal jury that dealt another body blow to a City Hall already staggering from a pension fund scandal, a vacancy in the mayor’s office and eroding public confidence.

In political art news, an exhibit of paintings by lawyers in cafeteria of the AG’s office sparks Republican criticism. “A painting of the United States sinking into a toilet now on display in the cafeteria of the state Department of Justice has raised the ire of the state Republican Party, which is demanding that Attorney General Bill Lockyer remove the image.”

The work was painted by Berkeley lawyer Stephen Pearcy. “I don’t know why we need to tolerate the cheap artwork of a gadfly with a world view that is so offensive to a majority of the people,” says GOP spokeswoman Karen Hanretty.

Also this month: Ron Nehring appointed to forestry board; Kaloogian announces congressional bid; Garry South signs on with Westly; governor plans China trip, David Drucker moves to Roll Call; Mayoral runoff in San Diego set between Frye and Sanders; Lloyd Levine to be the next bachelor?; Coachella Valley voters approve mosquito-fighting tax; Gray Davis does Eric Hogue.

AUGUST
The Capitol Weekly relaunches this month as a new source of California political news, and something new to put in the bottom of your bird cage. The attorney general’s office opens an investigation into the financial practices of the J. Paul Getty Trust. A memo written by the trust’s general counsel says "the attorney general has requested eight years of records relating to trust Chief Executive Barry Munitz‘s compensation and expenses, as well as expenditures made for his wife, grants, gifts to trustees and a 2002 real estate transaction.”

The Mercury News reports that three of the governor’s top aides—Rob Stutzman, Pat Clarey and Richard Costigan—are also receiving cash from the campaign. “Costigan earned $25,000 this year providing policy advice to the California Recovery Team, which promotes the governor’s agenda through ballot initiatives. Clarey and Stutzman both earned $20,000 each this year advising Schwarzenegger’s re-election committee. Both committees are funded by private donors, many of them business concerns that have a stake in state policy that the aides help shape.

Despite spending $2 million to gather signatures for a measure to raise property taxes on commercial and industrial property, the California Teachers Association abruptly drops the measure.

Convicted murderer Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams receives The President’s Call to Service Award for his good deeds on death row, complete with a letter from President Bush praising the notorious gang founder for demonstrating the outstanding character of America.” Williams would be executed four months later.

Gigi Goyette appears on the tabloid show “Inside Edition” to discuss her acceptance of $20,000 from American Media, Inc. to stay quiet about the nature of her relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Don Perata calls for the resignation of the man he appointed to the coastal commission just two months earlier. After a brief holdout, Jim Aldinger would resign within weeks.

As a sign of just how bad things have gotten in the Capitol, negations breakdown over solar paneling.

Also this month: Nuñez announces he’ll remarry his ex-wife; Hill bows out of53rd AD race; Times media critic David Shaw dies; a Modesto woman makes cheese sculpture of the governor, high court reinstates Prop. 77; Murieta cracks down on fortune tellers; Surf City battle erupts; dog breed bill passes Legislature; Perata drops transportation bond proposal; LA alligator on the loose; blackouts in LA; Nuñez heads to Mexico.

SEPTEMBER
Gov. Schwarzenegger announces his reelection bid in an effort to boost lagging campaign fundraising. Meanwhile, a Field Poll shows “opposition to the special election is growing“ and the governor’s disapproval rating at 52 percent. Rob Stutzman, Tom Campbell and Pat Clarey move over to the Schwarzenegger campaign.

The Bee reports on Sen. Carole Migden pushing some Assemblymembers’ buttons — literally. Migden, a San Francisco Democrat, pushed the voting button of a GOP assemblyman who was temporarily away from his desk. Her action violated Assembly rules and drew an angry response from Republicans “That behavior cannot be tolerated,” said Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. “It’s unheard of on this floor, it’s against the rules, and it cannot be tolerated.”

UC Merced officially opens its doors with nearly 1,000 undergraduate students. “The first classes for the initial 1,000 students, about 900 of them freshmen, will begin today but will be held in classrooms in the two finished wings of the library and in large conference rooms in residence halls. Two other key structures, the main classroom building and a science and engineering facility, will not be completed until later in the school year.

The Assembly approves Mark Leno’s AB 849, which would legalize same-sex marriage on a 41-35 vote. As proponents celebrated what they called a “historic” victory, the governor prepared a historic veto. Speaking of bills to be vetoed, the Assembly also approves SB 60, which would allow undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses, as well as a minimum wage increase bill.

Ted Lieu cruises to a 40-point victory over Republican Mary Jo Ford in AD53. With Lieu receiving 59% of the overall vote, there will be no runoff. Ford, a physician, spent $255,000 of her own money, and received 19% of the vote.

Federal judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge of allegiance is unconstitutionally coercive when administered in a public school classroom. Surprising nobody, the governor endorses Proposition 75, which requires public employee unions to seek approval before dues are used for political activity. “After months of watching Democrats and public employee unions pummel the governor with ads and protests, they finally saw their standard-bearer ready to fight back.”

Three Californians make the list of the 13 “most corrupt” members of Congress . The list, compiled by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington included Democrat Maxine Waters and Republicans Duke Cunningham and Richard Pombo.

Also this month: Senate rejects Cindy Tuck; DiFi endorses Angelides; Battin challenges Ackerman; more LA blackouts; Poizner on point for Prop. 77; Dunn announces for controller; Republicans meet in Anaheim; Steve Westly opens his tax returns; Beatty courts the nurses; Willie Brown quits CalPERS board; LA Times for sale?; Mickey Conroy dies; Hurricane Katrina rocks the Big Easy; guv fires State Reclaimation Board.

OCTOBER
Maria Shriver taps former Gray Davis aide Daniel Zingale as her chief of staff. Zingale, who served under Davis as the link between the governor’s office and the vast state bureaucracy, will be the new chief of staff to Shriver, a Democrat. Davis, in a telephone interview with the LA Times, said Zingale may now be in a position to help shape the Schwarzenegger agenda. John Campbell easily outpolls a crowded GOP field to replace Chris Cox in Congress. Campbell would later be elected to the seat in a run-off.

Both the speaker and the governor return campaign contributions. One week after Fabian Nuñez returned $140,000 in campaign contributions, the Yes on 77 committee returns $1.75 million in donations made from Gov. Schwarzenegger and the California Recovery Team that may have violated state campaign finance laws.

Bill signing time ends. The final tally: Schwarzenegger signed 729 of the961 bills that arrived on his desk this year.

Ron Dellums declares his candidacy for mayor of Oakland this weekend, after supporters circulated a petition to get him into the race: “If Ron Dellums running for mayor gives you hope, then let’s get on with it.”

A local watchdog group files an ethics complaint against Sen. Dean Florez “accusing him of violating campaign funding rules and profiting by hiring his wife as his fundraiser,” the Fresno Bee reports.

“The complaint filed Wednesday with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleges that Florez, a Shafter Democrat, funneled campaign contributions to his personal wallet by paying his wife, Elsa, more than $145,000 for fundraising and other activities. Florez, it alleges, created the loophole to dodge rules against politicians using campaign funds to pay themselves.”

President Bush comes to town, and the California Republican Party isn’tt hrilled. The governor himself tells the LA Times that he wished Bush would keep his distance. “We would have appreciated if he would have done his fundraising after the Nov. 8 election, because you know we need now all the money in the world,” Schwarzenegger says. “We want to make sure that we win, that we can have our TV spots out there on television, which is very important.”

California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez has her moment at the Washington’s Funniest Celebrity contest, and added her list of Top Ten Reasons I Don’t Date Republicans. We’ll just cut to the ending: No 2 : Republicans are only interested in screwing the poor. And No. 1 : Because they make love like they make war: they lie to get in and don’t have a plan for what to do once they get there.

Also this month: McCain and John Kerry descend on California; Capitol Weekly launches statewide salary database; Oakland bans pet roosters; campaign cartoons take off; Craig Brown says No on Prop. 76; Judge Wapner says No on 77 Vallejo fire destroys 500,000 cases of rare wine; Wyland announces he’s undecided about Congressional run; the guv holds a real town hall meeting; Edward Royball dies; Ortiz announces Secretary of State run.

NOVEMBER
All eight measures on the special election ballot go down to defeat, a stinging rebuke to Gov. Schwarzenegger. Union leaders say they deserve an apology. The governor refuses.

The governor does respond by naming Susan Kennedy his new chief of staff, and reorganizing his political and policy team.

The Kennedy appointment sends idle conservatives into a formal and violent tizzy. ‘She embodies everything I have spent my life opposing. It obviously raises more problems and concerns about where he is headed next year,’ said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly. ‘ There is a list of things now where it appears we would have been better off if Gray Davis were governor. ‘”

Congressman Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham quits Congress in disgrace after admitting he took more than $2.4 million in bribes to help defense contractors land lucrative government contracts.

In a heroic round of political spin, Carole Migden tells Capitol Weekly that she is taking a “temporary leave” from her job as chairwoman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. “Midgen says she is taking the leave to have more time to focus on Steve Westly’s gubernatorial campaign. She will remain in the Senate, but with a lighter work load.

From our I’ve Always Wanted to Try That Files, a California man was pulled over for driving in a carpool lane with only a mannequin in the car with him. “The California Highway Patrol gave Kevin Morgan, 28, of Petaluma, a$351 citation for driving in a high occupancy vehicle or ‘HOV’ lane with a kickboxing dummy propped in the passenger seat.”

“The dummy was wearing a Miami Dolphins windbreaker and a baseball cap but Officer Will Thompson noticed that the ‘passenger’ had no legs. ”The moral of the story: Only dummies root for the Dolphins.

Also this month: LA voters approve a new school bond; More bad press for Barry Munitz; Rosa Parks dies; Herb Wesson and Jose Huizar elected to LA City Council; Arnold heads to China; UC compensation under the microscope; Snoop fights for Tookie; McPherson says he’s running for election; Garcetti takes LA Council presidency; Murphy’s speech roils state Chamber;

DECEMBER
The governor drops the “acting” prefix to Department of Finance Director Mike Genest. And hey, Genest is even a Republican!

Gov. Schwarzenegger moves the state Supreme Court to the left, appointing Carol Corrigan to fill the vacancy left by Janice Rogers Brown. In making the selection, Schwarzenegger passes over Republican Vance Raye, and avoids a likely confirmation fight in the process.

Stanley “Tookie” Williams is executed, despite a star-studded effort to save the co-founder of the Crips. Williams was convicted of murdering a shop clerk in the 1970s, but never confessed to the murder.

Gray Davis returns to the Capitol to pose with – himself. For the official unveiling of the Davis gubernatorial portrait.

San Diego gives up its claim as ‘America’s Finest City’ since Cunningham’s departure from Congress.

“’We couldn’t stake that claim anymore,’ said Gina Lew, the city’s director of public and media affairs. ‘We were taking too many hits.’”

Also this month: Reiner says no to gubernatorial bid; Mundell says no to US Senate run; Willie Brown gets a radio show; Schwarzenegger goes to Mexico; Sanders sworn in as SD Mayor; Campbell elected to Congress; Legislative pay raises go into effect; Mel Gibson for Governor?; Schwarzenegger taken to hospital; Dunmoyer, Aguiar appointed to cabinet posts.