Dan Schnur, who led the state Fair Political Practices Commission before current chairwoman Ann Ravel, says she is steering the agency away from the aggressive stance he and his predecessor took. Both Schnur and former chair Ross Johnson are Republicans who were appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Ravel "seems to have decided that the interests of the political attorneys and lobbyists should take priority over those of the voters," Schnur said.
Phillip Ung, policy advocate for California Common Cause, agreed that Ravel has been less strict than Schnur on those she regulates.
Ung said Common Cause also had a "a real champion" in Roman Porter, the commission's former executive director, who left over differences with Ravel.
Ravel said the commission cannot afford a new executive director because of the large payout Porter received for unused vacation time. Ravel said she had to take away staff perks such as cellphones and reimbursed parking. With only $12,000 more than rent and existing salaries for the rest of the fiscal year, Ravel said, "we are barely squeaking by."
Porter said the budgetary problems cannot be blamed solely on his departure because the commission "has been historically underfunded for the responsibility that it has."
– California Watch
CAPITOL WATCH
State Finance Director Ana Matosantos did not enter a plea Monday during initial court proceedings in her drunken driving case. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Curtis M. Fiorini continued the case until Feb. 29 for arraignment.
– Jim Sanders
WORTH REPEATING
"Just because the super- committee failed does not mean that this Congress should."
REP. DORIS MATSUI, D-Sacramento, commenting on the collapse of the 12-member panel's efforts to cut federal deficits by $1.2 trillion
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