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California legislators report gifts received in 2012

March 4, 2013
Sam Blakeslee

Sam Blakeslee

California lawmakers disclosed trips, sports tickets, meals and other perks they received in 2012 in a report released Saturday. [LATimes]

In August, legislators killed a measure by former Sen. Sam Blakeslee that would have prevented companies that hire lobbyists from providing lawmakers and their families with tickets to amusement parks, racetracks and professional sporting events, as well as rounds of golf, spa treatments and gift cards.

The bill passed the state Senate but died in the Assembly. Blakeslee said the gifts reported are not needed for lawmakers to do their jobs.

“I think the public is fed up with these overly cozy relationships between powerful moneyed interests and legislators,” Blakeslee told the LA Times. “The public expects better.”

One of the top gift recipients, Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles), received $17,800 in gifts including $5,830 in travel expenses for an education trip to South Korea, concert and sports tickets, nine gifts of cigars, and a $100 crystal duck from the California Retailers Assn.

Former state Sen. Michael Rubio (D-Shafter), who resigned last month to work for the Chevron Corp., received more than $8,500 in travel expenses from the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy, which is financed by companies including Chevron.

The Legislature and governor regulate matters such as gambling, horse racing, and consumer issues in California.

 


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As far as I know, we here on the Central Coast have done a decent job of electing senators and representatives that are not subject to overt bribes. (I don’t know much about our new state Senator so that may no longer be correct.)


But what can we do about the ones elected by big city pols that get votes by catering to a few specific issues valued by voters in their districts and then vote the way their campaign contributors tell them on every other issue? Sacramento is just like DC in that way — just less power involved.


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Just another example of just whom is in charge and it isn’t us. Conservatives and Liberals…Democrats and Republicans need to fight this kind of corruption together. This is why the people in power work so hard at dividing us. The admission of these gifts alone would have doomed political careers twenty years ago but today if you’re of the correct mind set and political party no one says butt kiss.


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What about Libertarians? There are other political parties out here, you know.


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I thought I covered them with Conservatives and Liberals…if not I stand corrected.


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…didn’t even come close!


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Okay Okay…insert Libertarians into my OP….jeeeze lol


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Welcome to our oligarchy. If you have money you will be represented by our politicians. What is interesting is that the media has convinced the masses that only the republicans play this game.


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thank you. that is the truth. greed and corruption have no party affiliations.


and i would like to point out today’s article about the 7 year old that was rescued as a result of a group effort. no mention of party affilaiation, just a super-ordinate goal and people getting together to do it.


it’s rare to read commentaries that don’t turn into name calling by the 3rd comment. something has sure divided us.


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Well I’m sure if you asked a majority of lawmakers, they would say they work hard and deserve this. Ah yes, narcissism at it’s best.


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check their homes to see if there is new wall paper


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Better to check for off shore bank accounts.


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I guess Rubio left representing Shafter as he could not Shaft the public enough.


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institute a lottery graft no no i meant draft to elect our representatives; wouldn’t be any worse


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I think that most of the politicians are playing quite a joke on us dummies who keep electing them.


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