http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/calgov2002/ en-us Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:11:59 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1582785/posts The allegations against former Enron Corp. chairman Kenneth Lay and others involved in corporate scandals, such as WorldCom, generally revolve about creative accounting - hiding liabilities, inflating revenues and assets, etc. One specific charge in the Enron trial now under way in Houston, for example, is that it cooked the books one year to add a penny to the company's per-share earnings and thus meet Wall Street analysts' expectations. What's striking about the allegedly illegal corporate accounting is its similarity to the gimmicks that California politicians have employed in two state budget crises over the past 15 years. --snip-- Here's... Sac Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1582785/posts#comment Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:11:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346696/posts Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, who has resigned effective March 1, will not appear Tuesday before a legislative committee investigating his handling of millions in federal voting funds. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee opted not to seek Shelley's testimony, but retains the right to request his presence at a future hearing, said Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, a Hanford Democrat who chairs the committee. "We want to build a foundation before we even discuss calling Shelley forward," Parra said. Tuesday's hearing will focus largely on what Shelley's office is doing to correct problems cited in a state audit, which portrayed his agency... Sac Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346696/posts#comment Sat, 19 Feb 2005 16:16:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345571/posts WASHINGTON – Thursday's much-touted meeting between Gov. Schwarzenegger and California's congressional delegation to map strategy for getting more money from Washington did not get off to a good start. Partisan sniping occupied much of the day, as did complaints that Schwarzenegger upstaged the strategy meeting by later appearing with Common Cause officials to announce the group's support for his controversial redistricting plan. "In California and around the country we have a broken system where elected officials are choosing the voters they want to represent instead of the other way around," said Common Cause president Chellie Pingree in an afternoon appearance... San Diego Union -Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345571/posts#comment Fri, 18 Feb 2005 00:00:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1344448/posts A mortgage company accused by hundreds of customers of fraudulent sales tactics financed a weekend at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu for the leader of the state Assembly and four other Democratic lawmakers. Officials of the lending company, Ameriquest, last weekend joined others from telecommunications giant SBC, nursing home operators and a liquor merchant at a Hawaiian fundraiser for the state Democratic Party, according to the office of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles). Nuñez "said we've got an opportunity to spend some time with folks from these different industries and have some fun, and so I said, 'Sure,' "... LA Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1344448/posts#comment Wed, 16 Feb 2005 16:44:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1343678/posts Sacramento -- State Senate Democratic leader Don Perata and his Republican counterpart are quietly and urgently pushing a bill that critics say would torpedo a major investigation by election regulators into at least one sitting legislator's campaign finances. The bill, SB25, would make it harder for investigators to prove that a politician may have manipulated contributions to avoid new campaign donation limits. It would lessen the Fair Political Practices Commission's ability to use as evidence letters from political donors to candidates that accompany contribution checks. The so-called "transmittal letters" are said to make up a significant portion of the evidence... SFGate.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1343678/posts#comment Tue, 15 Feb 2005 16:46:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1340669/posts SAN DIEGO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a stop in San Diego today to push his plans to reform California's $171 billion pension system. Flanked by two armored cars along San Diego Bay, Schwarzenegger said California's retirement plan is "bleeding our state dry." The governor proposed revamping the California Public Employees Retirement System in his State of the State address last month. He wants to change from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan for new employees – a switch that must be approved by the state Legislature. Under that plan, state workers would contribute to an investment account... San Diego Union -Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1340669/posts#comment Thu, 10 Feb 2005 23:57:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339929/posts SACRAMENTO (AP) - A coalition of labor unions, education groups and health care advocates have established an umbrella political organization to help direct Democratic opposition to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his package of measures expected in a special election this fall. Calling themselves "Seriously, Saving California," the newly formed group would also support alternative initiatives that organizations allied with the state's Democratic Party are sponsoring, said John Hein, a former official with the California Teachers Association who is helping organize the committee. Hein, now a director of a national education advocacy group, said Wednesday the political committee is so new... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339929/posts#comment Thu, 10 Feb 2005 01:50:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339785/posts SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The campaign committee that spent $35 million last year backing California's novel $3 billion stem cell initiative plans to use its considerable fund-raising prowess to fight a federal bill seeking to ban all forms of human cloning. Robert Klein II, the wealthy Palo Alto housing developer who chaired the campaign, said the organization intends to raise $1 million to fight Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, and his anti-cloning allies in the Senate. A Brownback spokesman declined comment. Brownback is sponsoring legislation that would ban the cloning of human embryos for any reason, including medical research. Such a... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339785/posts#comment Wed, 9 Feb 2005 22:19:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339555/posts KEVIN Shelley's swift, infamous slide from public office has ended. But his resignation doesn't mean that the soon-to-be-former California secretary of state should be allowed to walk away from the accusations that undermined his credibility. There are too many of them and at least eight investigations at the local, state and federal levels. They are serious and the consequences too important to let him off the public hook just because he finally did the right thing. They must be resolved before Shelley can fade into the next phase of his life. Shelley, 49, said Friday when announcing his resignation that... Oakland Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339555/posts#comment Wed, 9 Feb 2005 18:00:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339493/posts SACRAMENTO — For $100,000, you can sit at the head table with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, hobnob at a reception beforehand and pose for pictures with the Republican governor. --snip-- Billed as "An Evening with Governor Schwarzenegger," invitations to four upcoming events were handed out Tuesday to lobbyists and business interests in Sacramento. They showed that proximity to the Republican governor comes in four varieties: $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000. --snip-- "What's so frightening about it is this is Gray Davis revisited," said state Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough). Davis, whom Schwarzenegger ousted in the 2003 recall election, was derided for his... LA Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339493/posts#comment Wed, 9 Feb 2005 16:53:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338667/posts Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez's office Monday left in doubt whether a legislative panel will resume hearings on Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's use of millions of dollars in federal voting funds now that he has resigned. On Friday, after the embattled Democrat quit effective March 1, Núñez indicated that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee would proceed with hearings once Assembly and Senate leaders agreed on parameters. But on Monday, the speaker's office said it was uncertain whether the panel - which met only once - will convene again. "The speaker is in the process of consulting with the independent counsel... Sac Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338667/posts#comment Tue, 8 Feb 2005 17:14:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338268/posts SACRAMENTO (AP) - With state Senate hearings scheduled to analyze a struggling procurement program, a Sacramento-based auto dealer accused the Department of General Services Monday of improperly awarding a $21 million police car contract. An attorney representing Downtown Ford, which is filing a formal protest, said state officials violated their own bid policies in giving the contract last month to a rival dealer after Downtown Ford won an initial auction to sell the state up to 1,000 police cars. The protest comes as lawmakers and other officials are paying more attention to the state's "strategic sourcing" program, which has delivered... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338268/posts#comment Tue, 8 Feb 2005 02:29:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338235/posts SOMETHING VERY ODD is happening up Sacramento way, and it concerns our own Governator, the Arnold himself. Arnold was finally forced by campaign laws to fess up to how much money he has been raising recently. Now, we have all been vaguely aware of the pile of sawbucks that our anointed leader has raised. But the hard, cold reality of it burst onto the scene this week. Are you sitting down for this? You really should be, so I will wait. OK, here we go. Last year the big Moneynator raised $33 million. Sadly, he is now destitute, that impressive... SF Examiner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1338235/posts#comment Tue, 8 Feb 2005 01:21:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1337336/posts Senate leader Don Perata, whose business dealings are the subject of an FBI public corruptions probe, has set up a legal defense fund headed by Howard Janssen, a former assistant district attorney for Alameda County. The fund committee sent letters to 200 friends and supporters this week asking for donations. The Senate president pro tem is following the model established by former President Clinton by seeking support only from people who do not have any pressing legislative interest, spokesman Jason Kinney said. The fund "allows elected officials to focus on doing the people's work without being distracted by the unfortunate... Contra Costa Tmes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1337336/posts#comment Sun, 6 Feb 2005 20:34:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336875/posts Potential Replacements - Shelley's job a political plum Mid-term appointment gives governor a rare chance to put a Republican in office Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is said to be eyeing a list of former Republican lawmakers and at least one member of his Cabinet as he considers filling the now-vacant secretary of state's position. The resignation of Kevin Shelley represents a rare opportunity for Schwarzenegger to appoint another Republican to statewide office. Any appointee could be rejected by a majority of either the Senate and Assembly, which are controlled by Democrats. The governor said in a statement that he... San Francisco Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336875/posts#comment Sat, 5 Feb 2005 23:01:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336758/posts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may deride critics as ``girlie men,'' ``stooges'' and ``losers.'' But California's celebrity governor says it's all in good fun, a way to inject a healthy dose of Hollywood into the dreary world of politics and ensure that no one views him as a ``boring'' politician. ``That's what gets you headlines,'' Schwarzenegger told the Mercury News editorial board Friday. ``This is what makes people pay attention to you. This is not to be offending anyone. This is not belittling to anyone. I mean, I have respect for all those guys, even if they have a different opinion.'' Democrats... Mercury News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336758/posts#comment Sat, 5 Feb 2005 18:52:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336756/posts Doris Matsui will not debate her opponents in the congressional race to replace her late husband despite saying last week she intended to do so. The decision by the Democratic front-runner sparked criticism Friday among her opponents, several of whom have been calling for public debates leading up to the March 8 special election to replace the late Rep. Robert Matsui. Nick Papas, a spokesman for Doris Matsui, said there are too many candidates - 12 in all - to have a useful forum on the issues. Instead, Matsui plans to hold a series of town hall meetings throughout the... Sac Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336756/posts#comment Sat, 5 Feb 2005 18:46:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336502/posts Big Five, Big Mistake by Senator Tom McClintock Date: February 3, 2005 Publication Type: Column Print Version Of all the factors contributing to California’s fiscal woes, one of the most fundamental and pervasive is the collapse of the constitutional process by which the state budget is developed in the first place. Ever since the Magna Carta, it has been a settled principle of governance that the authority that requests funds should not be the same one that approves them. This is the heart of our separation of powers, and the most important single mechanism to check the excesses and abuses... State Senator Tom McClintock http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336502/posts#comment Sat, 5 Feb 2005 06:18:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336331/posts SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The state has scrapped plans to reopen a private prison in Bakersfield, a week after a state senator called for an investigation into the deal. California Department of Corrections officials announced the sudden reversal Thursday, saying a dip in the inmate population made the prison unnecessary. CDC officials closed three minimum-security private prisons in December 2003, saying the number of prisoners had dropped significantly. By the end of last year, prison officials concluded the population was again rising. A decision was made to work on no-bid contracts with two firms to reopen the Mesa Verde Community... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336331/posts#comment Sat, 5 Feb 2005 00:59:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335948/posts Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration this week abruptly canceled a no-bid contract it was set to award to a private prison company that employs two former high-ranking state corrections officials. After pursuing a deal with the company for several months, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections said the department decided Wednesday that it was no longer interested in finalizing a $5.7 million contract that would have reopened the Mesa Verde Community Corrections Facility in Bakersfield. The contract would have been with a Massachusetts-based company called CiviGenics, which recently hired two retired Department of Corrections officials. The company... SFGate.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335948/posts#comment Fri, 4 Feb 2005 16:36:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335945/posts Democratic lawmakers will oppose Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to borrow $2 billion in transportation funds to balance the state budget, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez said Thursday. Highway and transit projects would be delayed if the governor gets his way, and Nuñez, D-Los Angeles, called that an unacceptable burden on the middle class. "We've got to deal with the issue of folks spending more time on the roads and highways than at home with their families, and if we're going to be a first-class state we've got to make sure we keep up to speed with the improvement of our roads... LA Daily News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335945/posts#comment Fri, 4 Feb 2005 16:33:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335448/posts SACRAMENTO (AP) - Embattled Secretary of State Kevin Shelley should not be forced to testify before a legislative panel if he decides to resign his offices, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez said Thursday. Shelley's appearance before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee was pushed back at least three weeks after independent counsels appointed by both parties said they needed more time to review the case. The reprieve also means that legislative leaders have more time to negotiate the possible conditions of Shelley's resignation, which has been rumored in the Capitol for weeks. Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said he did not think Shelley should... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335448/posts#comment Fri, 4 Feb 2005 00:36:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1334813/posts SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Democratic officials from five states launched a nationwide campaign Wednesday to fight Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites)'s plan to privatize California's public pension systems. California Treasurer Phil Angelides, who is leading the effort, called the Republican governor's proposal a major assault on the movement to reform corporate America following a wave of scandals. Angelides said Schwarzenegger's plan "is part of a concerted effort to break apart the powerful voices of public pension funds that have stood up for ordinary investors in corporate boardrooms." The attack came hours before President Bush (news - web sites) was... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1334813/posts#comment Thu, 3 Feb 2005 05:07:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1333899/posts SACRAMENTO (AP) - State transportation officials faced intense questioning Tuesday over their proposal to replace the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with a structure that is less spectacular but presumably less expensive than the badly over-budget project currenty planned. Will Kempton, director of the California Department of Transportation, attempted to persuade skeptical lawmakers to scrap the approved design - a so-called single-tower suspension bridge - and instead complete the two-mile span with a towerless concrete skyway. "We need to get a seismically safe bridge built as soon as possible," Kempton told lawmakers at the Senate Transportation Committee... Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1333899/posts#comment Wed, 2 Feb 2005 01:48:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1333896/posts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has set box office records and bodybuilding records. Now he has a campaign fund-raising record. The Republican governor pulled in $28.8 million from campaign donors last year, more than twice as much as former Gov. Gray Davis collected in his first year in office. Davis, the Democrat whom Schwarzenegger ousted in the 2003 recall election, still holds the single-year mark with a $29.1 million haul in 2002. Schwarzenegger didn't do it for his own possible re-election campaign in 2006 - those accounts had less than $700,000 in them at the end of 2004. Most of the cash... Sac Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1333896/posts#comment Wed, 2 Feb 2005 01:45:19 GMT