Consumer Watchdog
Providing an effective voice for American consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics. Non-partisan.
Articles by Consumer Watchdog
Secret audits rip insurance firms
San Francisco Examiner Insurance companies repeatedly low-balled claims and misled victims after the Northridge earthquake, confidential audits released Monday show, but Insurance…
Jun 12, 2000Court Nixes Some Lawsuits vs. HMOs
Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court waded into the patients' rights debate Monday, shutting down one legal avenue for people…
Jun 12, 2000Documents Refute Quackenbush’s Alibi
Insurance Company Examinations, Released by Senate, Give Devastating Account of Rampant Violations By Insurers After the Northridge Quake
Jun 12, 2000Resign — Now. Quackenbush is unfit for his office
Tribune EditorialSan Diego Union Tribune State Insurance Commissioner Charles Quackenbush has shown himself to be unfit to continue in his post. He…
Jun 10, 2000Quackenbush’s Conduct Invites Impeachment
Chronicle EditorialSan Francisco Chronicle THE WAVE of condemning revelations of state Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush's conduct grows taller by the day. Penalty…
Jun 9, 2000Quackenbush Exit Time
Times EditorialLos Angeles Times The message was clear to state Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush late Thursday: Quit or face impeachment proceedings in…
Jun 9, 2000Insurance Czar’s Aide Under Fire
Testimony on mystery checks at Quackenbush foundationSan Francisco Chronicle Suggestions of criminal wrongdoing surfaced for the first time at an Assembly Insurance…
Jun 9, 2000Checks were forged, minutes falsified, Assembly panel told
Quackenbush fund linked to possible crimesAssociated Press Board members of a nonprofit fund created by Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush described possible criminal…
Jun 9, 2000Quackenbush Critic Talks Impeachment
Investigation: Committee's first public mention of possibility comes from the commissioner's own partyLos Angeles Times The senior Republican on the state Assembly…
Jun 8, 2000PR Firm’s Funding Scheme for Quackenbush
Memo spelled out plan to polish his imageSan Francisco Chronicle Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush's mounting troubles may stem from a public relations…
Jun 8, 2000Special Foundations Shortchange The Public
Among the most unregulated billion-dollar industries in California are the charitable foundations formed in the 1990s, when the state's largest not-for-profit HMOs…
Jun 2, 2000Quackenbush investigators issue 20 more subpoenas
Insurance officials called to testify next week; request by commissioner for access to related files was deniedAssociated Press Lawmakers investigating Insurance Commissioner…
Jun 2, 2000Ballot Item Proposed To Restrain Special Interests
Citizens Group Seeks Votes In Irvine, Five Other Cities Next Fall. Critics Say The Proposal Is Misguided And Would Be Ineffective.Los Angeles…
Jun 2, 2000Petition to throttle campaign donations
Ballot measure would leave tricky question of political gifts to votersSan Francisco Examiner A consumers advocacy group says it has gathered enough…
Jun 1, 2000Contribution-limit vote sought in Vista
San Diego Union Tribune Voters may decide whether to restrict campaign contributions and other financial benefits to government officials here if an…
Jun 1, 2000Oaks Project Volunteers Submit 15,000 Signatures to Place Anti-Political Kickback Initiative on San Francisco Ballot
Unprecedented All-Volunteer Drive Simultaneously Completes Signature Drives in Five Other California Cities to Clean-Up Politics
Jun 1, 2000