GO SIMON
Posted on 09/20/2002 2:43:44 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:41:01 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Oldeconomybuyer -- How are things in lenexa. I miss the BBQ badly at all the great places around KC!
Thanks for watching all the activities we have going on out here!
calgov2002:
 California Laws for Sale calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register |
The FReepers made the 5:30 news here in Sac. On KRCR channel 3. Was great to see...From http://www.pe.com/localnews/statenews/stories/PE_STATE_0921_cancelfundraiser.4148cb2c.html
Fund-raiser canceled in face of criticism09/21/2002
LOS ANGELES - Gov. Gray Davis on Friday canceled a controversial fund-raiser scheduled to take place with bullet train advocates a day after he authorized a vote on a $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond.
"We've always had a strict line between discussing policy and our finance events ... under the circumstances, the governor didn't think it was appropriate," Davis campaign Press Secretary Roger Salazar said less than two hours before the fund-raiser was supposed to begin.
The fund-raiser was planned at the Santa Clara home of Rod Diridon, the Davis-appointed chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority.
On Thursday, Davis signed legislation putting a bond measure on the November 2004 ballot that would authorize the state to sell $9.95 billion in bonds to build 400 miles of high-speed rail tracks between the Bay Area and Southern California.
The High Speed Rail Authority advocates the bullet train, and in e-mails inviting potential donors to the event, Diridon wrote that Davis "has been a strong supporter of high speed ground transportation and incorporated that message in his first campaign and in this re-election effort."
AP photo Mark Zappa of Gilroy, Calif., holds signs in front of the home of Rod Diridon in Santa Clara. Gov. Gray Davis canceled a controversial fund-raiser scheduled to take place at Diridon's home.
The governor would be attending the fund-raiser, Diridon wrote, "specifically to visit with you who will build, operate and maintain the system throughout the nation and especially here in California."
Davis has come in for increasing criticism over his aggressive fund-raising, with critics including Republican opponent Bill Simon alleging that political donations influence his decisions as governor.
Davis aides vigorously refute that. They insisted Friday that they did not authorize Diridon's e-mail and had planned the fund-raiser as a general event, not one geared toward builders or advocates of high-speed rail.
"There was no problem with the event in itself. It was a general fund-raising event. But given the way it was communicated to a smaller segment of invitees, we just don't think that's appropriate," Salazar said.
He said the campaign would not be accepting money from the fund-raiser and would return any checks sent before Friday.
As for Diridon, Salazar said, "He's been talked to, believe me."
Diridon, a longtime Democratic fund-raiser, said that he called the governor's staff and offered to cancel the event after Friday's Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle carried stories about it.
"I didn't want the governor to be embarrassed and I didn't want the people attending to be embarrassed," he said.
He called the timing of the event coincidental and said the fund-raiser was scheduled long before the bill signing and that advocates of the high-speed train were only one of many groups invited.
Simon had wasted no time in attacking Davis over the matter, going on the offensive at a Friday morning press conference in Santa Monica and making plans to go to the fund-raiser himself to criticize the governor and possibly confront him.
Even after Davis canceled the event, Simon went to Diridon's home and set up a podium outside the closed door. The GOP nominee told reporters that Davis' tactics were "corrupt."
"Davis seeks to exploit the power of his signature to further his campaign contributions," Simon said.
"The reason he didn't come here today is because he didn't want to answer your questions," he added.
Simon called for an investigation of Davis' fund-raising.
Democratic Attorney General Bill Lockyer has agreed to "review" some news articles about Davis' money raising but has said he sees no sign of criminality.
Simon is getting after it !
Go Simon!
(If they are NOT, they should be made HONORARY FReepers.)Can we add "FReepers make AP wire photo!" to the title of this thread, and move it to BREAKING NEWS?
News for the week of June 10, 2002-- snip --
Mark Zappa, a Gilroy resident and member of the Silicon Valley Taxpayers' Association who was recently elected to the county's Republican Central Committee, said he felt "shocked" when he heard Gage supported the bill and said the county supervisor betrayed the people who helped him get elected...
Yeah-- with a different set of circumstances (like no discovery)...
California doesn't have any money-- it's going to borrow half, and take the matching Federal money-- the bullet could go to our heads. *^*
Gee at over Twenty MILLION bucks a mile for simple track, (which by the way there is already a train easement with tracks in place now so land purchase and grading is not a cost), ya think Ole Gray is planning to pork his offshore accounts a bit for retirement? That leaves a few paltry hundred million or so to buy some train stations and some trains left over. I figure about 100 million should do nicely to actualy pay for the construction and 9980 million for grays and his buddies pockets. Not bad pay for the governer who bankrupted the most prosperious state in the union in one whole term.
Did not get the names of the FReepers there, but Simon sounded very strong during the media interview.The folks pictured may NOT be FReepers - yet! - by the LETTER of the law (in the sense that they have not registered to post here), but they are DEFINITELY FReepers in SPIRIT!
And, they (we!) are helping to force our message into the mainstream media, where it belongs, from http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/4121164.htm:
Posted on Sat, Sep. 21, 2002
Staffers cancel event at Santa Clara home of high-speed rail booster
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
SANTA CLARA - Gov. Gray Davis canceled a $50,000 fund-raiser Friday after critics questioned its timing -- one day after he signed a bill to put a $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond measure on the 2004 ballot.
Rod Diridon, whom Davis' appointed chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority, planned to host the event at his Santa Clara home.
But after news reports surfaced Friday morning about the fund-raiser, the governor's campaign staff abruptly canceled it and said they will not accept any checks that might have come from it.
The controversy arose because Diridon sent out an e-mail to high-speed rail supporters and others encouraging them to attend the event and noting that the governor would be there "specifically to visit with you who will build, operate and maintain the system throughout the nation and especially here in California."
Diridon stood at Davis' side Thursday as he signed the bill. It places a measure on the November 2004 ballot that, if approved by voters, would enable the state to sell bonds to finance a high-speed rail line between Southern California and the Bay Area.
Davis campaign spokesman Roger Salazar said the governor and his campaign staff were not informed about the e-mail ahead of time and thought it was to be a general fund-raiser.
"To have it billed as a high-speed transportation event was never presented to us," Salazar said. "We have a very clear rule in our campaign which separates politics from policy. This comes pretty close to the line."
GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon Jr. wasted no time in blasting the governor over the latest fund-raising controversy. Simon flew to Northern California on Friday afternoon and held a news conference in front of Diridon's home. As he stood at a portable lectern set up by his campaign workers, supporters gathered behind him holding up Davis "For Sale" signs.
"Unfortunately and sadly, we now have the latest chapter in Gov. Davis' auctioning off of public policy and tax dollars to the highest bidder," Simon said. "Yet another administration appointee is organizing fund-raising events at the very same time that the governor is acting on legislation affecting hundreds of companies with business before this state.
"I find this behavior to be reprehensible and outrageous," Simon said.
Diridon, who sat in his home as the media circus ensued outside, said the fund-raiser and bill signing were never planned to coincide and that it was merely a coincidence.
"There was an unfortunate juxtaposition of dates that gives the appearance of impropriety, and even the appearance of impropriety is unacceptable," Diridon said. He said he called the governor's campaign staff about 10 a.m. Friday and offered to cancel the fund-raiser. They called him back at 2 p.m. and did so.
Diridon, who has known the governor for nearly 30 years, said he first contacted Davis in February and offered to host a fund-raiser. But both were busy, and they had trouble setting a date. Finally in mid-August, the campaign gave him four or five possible dates, and he picked the one that best fit his calendar, Diridon said.
He added that he didn't learn about the bill signing until the day before it was to happen. He said he sent out messages to transportation advocates because he has spent much of his political career focused on transportation.
Simon questioned why Diridon sent an e-mail stating that the governor's campaign staff needed to know by Wednesday who planned to attend the fund-raiser.
"Why did Gray Davis and his campaign staff want a list of contributors one day before the governor signed the bill?" Simon asked. He called for an investigation by the attorney general's office and called for a release of all documents related to the fund-raiser and the high-speed rail authority.
Salazar said that it is common practice to want to find out who will attend an event 24 hours before it occurs for planning purposes.
That's hillarious! Brevity (and simplicity) is the soul of wit. LOL.
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