Assemblywoman Linda Halderman was already in the "doghouse" less than two weeks after the new legislative year began.
Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez chose the 43-year-old Fresno Republican and medical surgeon to replace GOP colleague Beth Gaines of Roseville in the shoebox-size Capitol office known as the doghouse.
Halderman declined substantive comment Friday but said with a smile that the office suits her fine and offers a nice view.
Though not always used as punishment, the cramped fifth-floor office earned its moniker because Assembly speakers have tended to assign it to lawmakers who have angered them.
Pérez's office did not comment on why Halderman got the 391-square-foot office. (For the record, it's 135 square feet smaller than the next smallest Assembly office and about 300 square feet smaller than the norm.)
Pérez spokesman John Vigna said only that speakers shift member office assignments every year.
Halderman is known as one of the most conservative lawmakers in an Assembly dominated by liberal Democrats.
Privately, colleagues say that Halderman also raised eyebrows last year by joining in a failed behind-the-scenes effort to prod Connie Conway of Tulare to step down as Assembly GOP leader. Halderman characterized such reports Friday as rumors.
>BALLOT WATCH
The fight over unions using members' dues to fund political spending is heating up. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, donated $300,000 this month to the committee opposing the so-called "paycheck protection" measure on the November ballot, according to reports filed Friday with the secretary of state.
WORTH REPEATING
"I don't think it's in anyone's interest for California to go the way of Greece."
TENCH COXE, managing partner of Palo Alto-based Sutter Hill Ventures, explaining why he was one of three Silicon Valley businessmen who each contributed $25,000 to the group California Pension Reform late last year
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