State Net Capitol Journal

Political junkies in CALIFORNIA have been treated to what is known as a “Quack-O-Meter” this election season.

Faxed out by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, it measures insurance-industry campaign contributions to three Democratic candidates for state insurance commissioner.

The “meter” is named for former Ins. Comm. Chuck Quackenbush, a Republican who resigned in the wake of a 1999 scandal involving his too-cozy relationship with the industry he was elected to oversee.

Top quacker: Assm. Tom Calderon, whose campaign for the Democratic nomination is almost entirely funded by the insurance industry. He’s battling former Comm. John Garamendi and former Assm. Tom Umberg.