Is there an exodus of politicians from Sacramento?
Shane Golmacher contemplates the possibility.
"It used to be a dream job -- making law in the nation's most populous state.
But
California voters aren't the only ones who've grown
frustrated with the
Legislature. Increasingly, lawmakers themselves are
giving up on the
statehouse.
Some are dropping reelection bids. Others are
leaving for what was once viewed as a step down: local government. And
finding top-flight candidates to run for legislative seats has
become a
challenge.
"It's not as much fun as it used to be," said Kevin
Spillane, a GOP strategist who recruits Republican
candidates for the
state Assembly."
But there are plenty of people who still want to be speaker. Capitol Weekly has the latest.
"Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, is planning to hold a
vote to elect her
replacement on the Assembly floor this week. The two
front-runners for the job – Assemblyman John Perez, D-Los Angeles, and
Kevin DeLeon, D-Los Angeles -- spoke for about 20 minutes this weekend,
and were set to meet again today to discuss the race.
"The vote would likely be a voice vote, and could come
Wednesday or Thursday, as the house reconvenes to discuss
education policy. As of Monday morning, no deal had
been reached between
De Leon and Perez. Perez, who has the support of Bass,
is said to have pledged support from a majority of
the Assembly’s 50 Democrats. Although technically it takes 41 votes to elect a speaker, Democrats have deferred
in the past to whomever wins a majority of the caucus
support."
A Los Angeles summit meeting was held Monday night
with Perez, DeLeon, mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Speaker
Karen Bass and former speaker Fabian Nunez.
John Howard looks at the upcoming Senate showdown over a pair of appointments to the
Public Utilities Commission. "A behind-the-scenes Capitol battle is heating up over the confirmation
of a key appointment to the Public Utilities Commission, Rachelle Chong, who is backed by telecommunications companies and Gov.
Schwarzenegger, but bitterly opposed by consumer activists.
"Also up confirmation is PUC President Michael Peevey,
who, like Chong, is close to Schwarzenegger's chief
of staff, Susan Kennedy.
"Both must be confirmed by the end of the month, Capitol
sources said, in order to remain on the commission.
Their hearings before the Senate Rules Committee are
scheduled for Dec. 16, nongovernment sources said, although there was no
immediate confirmation from the Senate. One Senate
source said only Peevey's hearing had been scheduled.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no listing of a Senate
Rules Committee meeting in December."
From our Making Plans for Abel files, E.J. Schultz reports Jeff Denham may run for the Assembly instead of statewide
office.
"Some Republican officials are asking state Sen. Jeff
Denham to
consider dropping out of the lieutenant governor's
race in order to run
for the state Assembly, according to a Republican source
close to
Denham, R-Atwater. The source stressed that Denham has not made
up his mind and is
still focused on his lieutenant governor campaign.
But several recent
developments have changed the landscape."
The Assembly became a viable option when Tom Berryhill
announced his run for the Senate. Denham, who never
served in the Assembly,
has six years of Assembly eligibility left.
Evan Halper reports a New York pension scandal is rippling on the shores
of California. "Some California politicians are ridding their campaign
coffers of cash
from a Los Angeles venture capitalist who has pleaded
guilty to bribing
pension officials in New York.
"Elliott Broidy, who had
California government contracts worth tens of millions
of dollars,
showered his personal fortune on officeholders and
candidates. Over the
last decade, Broidy and his wife, Robin Rosenzweig, have made nearly
$900,000 in campaign contributions in California, including
$57,000 to
candidates and ballot measures in the city of Los Angeles."
Speaking of Los Angeles, today is Election Day for Paul Krekorian in his bid for LA City
Council. Rick Orlov reports, "Voters will choose between businesswoman
Christine Essel and Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, D-Valley Glen, the
top-two vote getters in a special election held in September.
"Turnout is expected to be about 20 percent, based on the
vote-by-mail ballots already received. But if the rain that
fell Monday
continues today, that number could be even lower. In these final days, Essel and Krekorian have
campaigned mainly through the mail, with accusations that special
interests - city unions - have tried to buy the election with their
support of Essel."
And finally, all office holiday parties should have
an ambulance and a couple tanks of nitrous oxide, right?
Right?
Take it away Sweden... "Following the formal festivities for several employees
of the Jämtland county council, five of the workers ventured into
a nearby fire station garage where a reserve ambulance
was stored. They then proceeded to empty two canisters of nitrous
oxide in the
ambulance, rendering the vehicle unusable, according
to local media
reports.
“Naturally, it’s just as forbidden to hold a party in an ambulance
garage as it is to hold one in an ambulance,” said Jämtland county
council human resources chief Björn Ahlnäs in a statement."
Who knew?
