Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver are no doubt glowing today over the front page Los Angeles Times story
about the Schwarzenegger re-election campaign picking up endorsements
of Democratic Hollywood moguls Steven Spielberg, Jeffey Katzenberg and
Haim Saban. Then there’s the story buried deeper in the paper
that should make Sargent Shriver shiver. One of the Governor’s team
announced Schwarzenegger would be vetoing a package of bills to
regulate the 500 professional conservators that handle the $1.5 billion
in assets of seniors. The reforms followed a four part LA Times investigation
showing how conservators neglected their charges, kept them from family
members and overcharged. Schwarzengger’s staff told state bar officials
the $750 per year licen sing fee was just too much. Schwarzenegger
promised he would care as much about the seniors as the Spielbergs. But
while the Gov’s been pushing hard for tax breaks for filmakers who shoot in the state,
he could care less about seniors whose financial affairs are in the
hands of unregulated strangers. The coup for Arnold is that the
Dreamworks endorsement could open the flood gates for more Democratic
donors. It’s a money game. And the only way it will stop is if
California voters approve Proposition 89’s public financing overhaul at the ballot in November. Of course, Arnold is opposed.