Labor Day Report Shows CA Legislators Present But Not Working
"nonvoting" has played a role in the outcome of more than 2/3 of the bills defeated in the California legislature
Accountability
Indictment bittersweet in California
<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p>
<p>Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said the reported indictment was bittersweet for California because the charges apparently have little to do with the energy-market manipulation for which the state is still seeking refunds.</p>
Schwarzenegger rewards employees with higher pay
<p class="source">Associated Press</p>
<p>"For a governor who came to office saying he would cut the government, he seems to have really pumped it up, at least salaries for his inner circle," said Jamie Court, a consumer activist with the Santa Monica-based FTCR. "It doesn't show much respect</p>
Cuts at FPPC May Halt Probes;
<h3>The 30-year-old state ethics watchdog agency, which is looking into the governor's use of campaign funds, is targeted for reductions.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p>
<p>The state agency that polices the flow of money into California political campaigns has been targeted for deep cuts by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, even as the agency is looking into the governors' own use of campaign funds.</p>
Out for the Count
In 2002 and 2003, three of California’s largest newspapers, the Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times, carried articles and editorials raising concerns about the increasingly...
State panel won’t investigate Perata;
<h3>Money paid by college friend questioned</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p>
<p>"It's not surprising that behind closed doors, politicians decided not to fully investigate one of their own," said Doug Heller, an advocate with FTCR. "But closing down this investigation before there's a hearing will not satisfy the public's need to kno</p>
Perata won’t face probe by Senate;
<h3>COMMITTEE SAYS HE FOLLOWED LAW</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p>
<p>FTCR will explore whether to pursue other action, such as filing a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission, and FTCR said the release of the letter late on a Friday appeared designed to limit news coverage.</p>
Ethics probe into finances of Sen. Perata;
<h3>Group writes Burton, alleges wrongdoing</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p>
<p>Jerry Flanagan, an advocate in FTCR's San Francisco office, said: "Certainly there is a lot of evidence here that Perata violated campaign laws that bar elected officials from utilizing their positions to leverage their personal wealth."</p>
Davis signs reform package
<h3>Bills target corporate fraud, with hot line for whistle-blowers.</h3><p class="source">The Sacramento Bee</p>
<p>"This is the answer to the best line of defense to the next Enron and other state scandals," said Jamie Court, executive director of the Santa Monica-based FTCR, sponsor of two of the bills carried by Sen. Martha Escutia D-Whittier.</p>
Senate sends corporate crime bills to governor
<p class="source">Associated Press</p>
<p>"Punishing corporations after the fact doesn't help pensioners who have lost their savings," he said. "With this package of bills, we create the nation's best defense against future fraud.", said Doug Heller, consumer advocate with FTCR.</p>
California News Brief: New CA Dept. of Insurance Brass
<p class="source">Workers Comp Executive</p>
<p>Gary Cohen's appointment to General Counsel to the CA Dept. of Insurance, surprised consumer activist Harvey Rosenfield's Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, which asserts that Cohen helped bail out Southern California Edison during the energy cris</p>
Corporateering: How Corporate Power Steals Your Personal Freedom… And What You Can Do About It
Enron. Tyco. Arthur Andersen. These companies have turned “corporate” into a four-letter word as headline after headline reveals shocking stories of executives stealing money from...