Posted on 08/07/2006 6:46:59 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides on Monday said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has failed to deliver on campaign promises to reform state politics and spread distrust of California government by soliciting record amounts of special-interest money.
Angelides' attack came as he outlined a four-point plan to toughen lobbying rules, disclose contributions to the governor's office, ban outside pay for top officials and enact conflict-of-interest rules to clean up state government.
The state treasurer released the plan at the California State Railroad Museum. It was the same spot where Schwarzenegger stood three years ago in front of a locomotive to help launch his recall campaign with a set of fundraising and open-government reforms.
Angelides said many of Schwarzenegger's proposed reforms are still needed because the governor either neglected or failed to implement them.
Angelides also said state ethical standards have slipped on Schwarzenegger's watch. In particular, he noted Schwarzenegger's moonlighting until last year in a multimillion dollar deal with a bodybuilding magazine and a practice in which some of his top staff members draw paychecks from state taxpayers at the same time they are being paid for campaign activities.
"Never in our history, except when the Southern Pacific Railroad had a grip on this state, have we had a state government so in a stranglehold of money interests," Angelides said. "It's costing us. HMO's are making billions, oil companies are making record profits ... the era of cover up is over when I take office."
Angelides' clean-government tactic could remind voters that Schwarzenegger, who ran as a political outsider during the 2003 recall campaign and vowed to rise above special interests, has since became one of the state's most prolific fundraisers, campaign consultants said. Schwarzenegger has maintained that he does not grant favors in return for campaign contributions.
Angelides also runs the risk of highlighting his own extensive fundraising and deep ties to developers, unions and other special interests. Schwarzenegger's campaign responded by e-mailing reporters a list of questions about Angelides' fundraising.
"Angelides needs to take a look at his campaign and his history of campaigning before he goes out and makes claims about political reforms," said Matt David, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger's campaign. "Angelides has absolutely no leg to stand on; it's hypocrisy."
He said Angelides should explain his past opposition to rules designed to curb pay-to-play politics with state pension funds. As state treasurer, Angelides sits on the boards of the California Public Employees Retirement System and state teachers retirement system.
The Schwarzenegger campaign noted previous news reports that said Angelides, while on the boards, voted for investments that benefited Southern California billionaire Ron Burkle and rule changes that were supported by tech venture capitalist John Doerr. Both have contributed to past Angelides campaigns.
Angelides also should have to answer questions about state contracts awarded to firms that supplied his campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions, David said.
Questions also have been raised about an independent expenditure that supported Angelides' bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. A longtime Angelides patron, Sacramento developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, and his daughter formed a committee that spent $8.7 million to help the treasurer defeat state Controller Steve Westly in the June primary race.
Last week, Angelides announced support for Proposition 89, a November ballot initiative that would provide public financing of political campaigns.
Angelides' latest attack on Schwarzenegger appears to fit with a theme of his campaign that the governor has flip-flopped on key issues since he was elected and that voters can't be sure which way he'll go if re-elected in November.
Since the state government is mostly democrats, and since Arnold replaced a corrupt democrat, I would say Angelides is placing the blame squarely at his party's doorstep.
Amusing how Rats who control virtually everything claim they need the Governor's office to effect reform. Have these pieces of legislation been introduced and voted for, then vetoed by the governor? Nope? Gosh, what a shock.
We've already got socialism here, and its rampant, unfortunately.
They sound good but Where's the beef? - or at least some explanation of these reforms.
Great image. Become a California taxpayer -- Get run over by a train!
It's all about sound bites these days..
Substance and details are nothing more than afterthoughts, so gullible have voters become.
Become a California taxpayer -- Get run over by a train!
--
LOL.. Here I thought the HSR was tabled for an election cycle, and at the rate things are going,, indefinitely, not that that is necessarily a bad thing.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
No wonder Californians are lining up in droves to vote for this guy!
-- Unfortunately for Phil.. those droves of Californians now call another state home. ;-)
Angelides is so questionable, he would get caught in his own reform.
Even the state workers don't like him. He's a loser; total POS.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.