Arnold’s contempt for
Californians may soon have an official sanction. Today Sacramento
Superior Court Judge Judy Hersher ordered the Gov and top officials to
appear in court August 17th to explain why they should not be held in
contempt of court for willfully violating an order requiring
implementation of safe hospital staffing rules.
Following state attorneys’ defense of the Gov’s defiance, Hersher said
"you have left me no option but to set a hearing" on whether Arnold and
his deputies should be held in contempt of court.
Arnold has an affirmative obligation to uphold state patient safety
laws despite the objections of his campaign contributors from the
hospital industry. Between his decision to shrug off these legal duties
and the recent "Muscle-gate" revelations about secret contracts Arnold
signed with magazine publishers, the Gov himself is making the case for
misconduct in office.
Today FTCR called upon legislative leaders
to investigate specific conflicts of interest created by Arnold’s other
private business relationships and enumerated the dozens of bills that
Arnold’s business partners have lobbied on. The only outstanding
question is whether Democratic legislative leaders have the political
will to carry out the people’s will and thoroughly investigate Arnold’s
conflicts and contempt.
