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California: Rosario Marin

March 19, 2009 - 09:05 am
NEWS FEED: Capitol Basement

Slow thaw

 

"A state panel Wednesday moved toward releasing $500 million for school, road and housing projects after it froze bond funds in December due to the budget stalemate," writes Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.

"The state's Pooled Money Investment Board agreed to release the money as soon as April if State Treasurer Bill Lockyer can sell $4 billion in bonds this month.

"The board halted funding in December for thousands of public works projects because the state could not access credit markets as lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger kept the state budget in limbo.

"The state Department of Finance will set criteria for determining which projects will receive the first $500 million in bond funds, possibly focusing on health and safety projects or those in jeopardy of losing federal funding.

Read More at Capitol Basement >
There have been 48 comments posted in response to this story.

March 6, 2009 - 03:00 am
NEWS FEED: Los Angeles Times

Schwarzenegger cabinet member resigns after accepting speaking fees

By Michael Rothfeld

Reporting from Sacramento -- A member of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's cabinet resigned Thursday after questions about income she received for giving speeches to private companies, including some that were doing business with her agency.

In a letter to the governor resigning her $175,000 a year position, Rosario Marin, head of the State and Consumer Services Agency, said she had "decided to pursue other opportunities."

The resignation came after The Times inquired about her outside income, which included thousands of dollars in fees for speeches to pharmaceutical companies within months of her agency's push last year to reduce oversight of prescription drugs.

State law bars officials from accepting speaking fees except in certain situations, such as when the income is related to the speaker's "bona fide" business, trade or profession.

Read More at Los Angeles Times >
There have been 34 comments posted in response to this story.

March 2, 2009 - 01:39 pm
NEWS FEED: Sacramento Bee

Top Schwarzenegger officials billed state for free trips

By Shane Goldmacher

The Los Angeles Times reported over the weekend that several top members of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration charged taxpayers thousands in airfare, hotel and meal costs with little oversight.

From the Times:

When Cruz works there, he goes by plane. He has charged taxpayers for his flights and for hotel bills of up to $382 a night on regular trips between his Orange County home and Sacramento, records show

Carrie Lopez, director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, charged taxpayers to fly from Sacramento, where she works, to Los Angeles, where she lives, to attend a Justin Timberlake concert with her daughter. She listed the trip on her expense report as a meeting with the energy company that paid for the concert tickets.

Read More at Sacramento Bee >
There have been 36 comments posted in response to this story.

March 1, 2009 - 05:19 pm
NEWS FEED: Calitics

"We have to all share the burden"

By David Dayen

This was the frequent mantra of Arnold Schwarzenegger during the budget crisis, as he set out to fill the shortfall with a combination of taxes and cuts so that everyone has to sacrifice.  We've already seen how the tax increases were tilted toward the poor and the middle class, with more of the burden falling on them.  Now Michael Rothfield at the LA Times has discovered that the sacrifice has not extended to Arnold's cabinet officials:
John Cruz, the appointments secretary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lives hundreds of miles from the state Capitol, where his staff scrutinizes candidates for California's many boards and commissions.

Read More at Calitics >
There have been 36 comments posted in response to this story.

March 1, 2009 - 03:00 am
NEWS FEED: Los Angeles Times

California paid for top officials' free rides

By Michael Rothfeld

Reporting from Sacramento -- John Cruz, the appointments secretary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lives hundreds of miles from the state Capitol, where his staff scrutinizes candidates for California's many boards and commissions.

When Cruz works there, he goes by plane. He has charged taxpayers for his flights and for hotel bills of up to $382 a night on regular trips between his Orange County home and Sacramento, records show.

Carrie Lopez, director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, charged taxpayers to fly from Sacramento, where she works, to Los Angeles, where she lives, to attend a Justin Timberlake concert with her daughter. She listed the trip on her expense report as a meeting with the energy company that paid for the concert tickets.

Read More at Los Angeles Times >
There have been 36 comments posted in response to this story.

Tue, 09/02/2008 - 16:01

Marin still expects to speak at convention

By Ben van der Meer, PolitickerCA.com Senior Reporter

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Former U.S. Senate candidate Rosario Marin said she still believes she'll have a speaking role at the Republican National Convention, but she's not sure if she'll speak Wednesday or Thursday.

Marin, a member of the California delegation to the convention, said her speech will focus on the need for ongoing government reform to fit with a theme that presumptive Republican presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain has embraced.

Read More >
There have been 34 comments posted in response to this story.
Tue, 09/02/2008 - 14:24

No California speakers at convention's second night

By Ben van der Meer, PolitickerCA.com Senior Reporter

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The second night of the Republican National Convention will not include any speakers from California.

Former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, who heads the state's consumer services agency, was bumped from her speaking spot as a result of the shuffling that took place when Monday's session was shortened and simplified.

A list of Tuesday's speakers released by the Republican National Convention includes President Bush via satellite, former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

There have been 41 comments posted in response to this story.
Tue, 09/02/2008 - 07:35

CA GOP returns to normal convention events

By Ben van der Meer, PolitickerCA.com Senior Reporter

 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - After a day of donations for hurricane relief and subdued party boosting, the California delegation to the Republican National Convention will get back into business with a normal schedule of activities Tuesday.

On the docket today are a brunch at the Lafayette Club on Lake Minnetonka, and a late-night event at the Nicollet Island Pavilion featuring former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Read More >
There have been 41 comments posted in response to this story.
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 21:33

RNC announces two additional Californian speakers for St. Paul

By Politicker Staff

The Republican National Convention announced an additional round of speakers today -- including two Californians -- for next week's convention in St. Paul.

U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) is scheduled to speak on Monday and State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) on Wednesday.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Rosario Marin (R), California Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency, were previously announced as speakers for Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

There have been 43 comments posted in response to this story.
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 21:45

Schwarzenegger, Marin, Fiorina, Whitman on GOP convention speaker lineup

By Ben van der Meer, PolitickerCA.com Senior Reporter

Prominent California residents will play a large speaking role at the Republican National Convention in two weeks.

A schedule for the Sept. 1 through 4 event in St. Paul, Minn., shows Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with a prime-time speech on the convention's first night, which has a theme of "Service."

Two well-known former CEOs of high-tech companies, Carly Fiorina of Hewlett-Packard and Meg Whitman of EBay, will speak on Sept. 3, when the theme is "Prosperity."

There have been 39 comments posted in response to this story.