Posted on 01/20/2007 9:40:41 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO — Four senior aides to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were paid nearly a quarter-million dollars in bonuses for political work they performed during the governor's race — money that came from insurers, oil companies, real estate developers and other private interests that contributed to the governor's campaign.
Chief of staff Susan Kennedy received a $100,000 bonus as a reward for the time she devoted to Schwarzenegger's reelection bid, the governor's office said Friday. With that bonus, Kennedy has collected $323,500 in campaign and taxpayer money in her year as Schwarzenegger's top aide.
Schwarzenegger paid his communications director, Adam Mendelsohn, a bonus of $75,000 for his work on the campaign — on top of his taxpayer-financed salary of $123,000. Separately, Mendelsohn earned $13,000 last year in campaign salary, bringing his total pay to $211,000.
Daniel Zingale, chief of staff to first lady Maria Shriver, received a $25,000 campaign bonus, supplementing his state salary of $123,000. And Clay Russell, the governor's personal assistant, was rewarded with a $48,000 bonus. That sum, coupled with a separate $20,000 campaign salary Russell received, boosted his compensation by 80%.
... In each case, the aides who got bonuses are those who spend the most time with the governor and first lady, or are personal favorites.
Kennedy and Mendelsohn are two of a small number of aides welcome to see the governor without an appointment. Russell is constantly at Schwarzenegger's side. Zingale is gaining influence, having recently been named a special advisor to the governor in addition to his role as Shriver's confidant.
Julie Soderlund, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger, said that all four deserved the money, having put in considerable campaign work on their own time. Now that the campaign is over, no Schwarzenegger aide will be paid anything beyond a straight government salary, Soderlund said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I guess it all depends on what the definition of "Corruption" IS.
I suspect some GOP donors on the list are happy with this and some may not be which seems to raise a question of why some benefit and others likely may not. OH well, that's politics these days.
One man's gored ox is roasting over another's BBQ pit.
Let's eat. There's plenty in the public feeding trough.
we're about to leave the state!!! We've lived here for over 65 years,and the state is just getting more and more corrupt. the question is, where do you go anymore that ISN'T corrupt!!
If these people really did double dip, the Times would not keep it quiet.
Poor California. All that will be left soon, are the illegal immigrant gangs.Its a good thing we have Bank of America and Wells Fargo to give them loans to buy homes to prop up the housing market. General Vallejo MUST be turning over in his grave.
pa·tron·age -- the distribution of jobs and favors on a political basis, as to those who have supported one's party or political campaign.
No mention of any leaves of absence being taken in the article that I can see..
In a sense, it's the old 'appearance of impropriety' issue, something that has long since been kicked to the curb in today's version of politics.
I guess to some folks who were GOP donors, they may not mind that their donations were co-mingled and used to pay democrat staff members, while others may not relish that thought of actually compensating folks that are committed to work against their interests.
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The last couple paragraphs also may be of note.
"No matter how they are paid, each of the governor's aides can be trusted to act in the public interest", said Soderlund, the governor's spokeswoman.
"Ultimately, each of these individuals is working for the governor's vision and on behalf of the governor," she said.
People wonder why it appears as if they no longer have a voice in government, this is why.
Government bureaucrats are ostensibly there to do the people's business. But now, they are getting paid by corporate interests. When a citizen goes to these people, and his interests conflict with the business interests,whose interests do you think will win out? The citizen or the business with deep pockets with a track record of 'donating' to the bureacracy? How does this kind of behavior protect our rights as citizens and preserve our republic? How can this NOT be seen as corruption and harmful to the people of the state of California?
Government bureaucrats are ostensibly there to do the people's business. But now, they are getting paid by corporate interests. When a citizen goes to these people, and his interests conflict with the business interests,whose interests do you think will win out? The citizen or the business with deep pockets with a track record of 'donating' to the bureacracy?
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sounds like a Third Way thing, government and major corporate interests take control of pretty much everything, working "hand in hand" for the common good..
It takes slick folks ( and ruthless ones) to sell things like that.. or folks with high Q factors, aka folks like clinton and cronies and schwarzenkenndys.. Progressives tho they try to portray themselves as centrists and populists. The truth is they are social democrats, or more plainly, socialists .. period.
The article makes no mention of all that you have assumed to be at play here.
The 'patronage' you talk about in post 29 refers to jobs of power or authority. This article is about the Governor's staff. Huge difference between the two.
Its disingenuous to imply the governors staff has no power or authority.
No, but apparently you did.
Tammany Hall was a method set up by a small group of wealthy and powerful men who supplied money to a select few and set them up in positions of real power (Police Captains and Chiefs, Judges, Directors of the Water Commission, Harbor Commission, and other select offices and positions of trust, people who had decision making roles and power over key aspects of government operation.
Its disingenuous to imply the governors staff has no power or authority.
No it is not. It is realistic. They have no authority or power to make decisions, cast votes, sign or veto legislation, which is what "Power or Authority" means.
money that came from ... the governor's campaign.
I believe the article is purposefully written to imply impropriety, thus it inserts some of the many contributors to the campaign. Some have fallen for this manipulative trick, yourself included. Cutting out the inflammatory rhetoric, the bottom line is campaign funds were used and that my friend is legal.
In all seriousness, if the Times thought this was illegal, it would have been far harder on him and more direct in stating such. Unless you have an answer to that observation, your position is w/o merit.
Wow... personal chefs do pretty well working on the taxpayer dime.
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