Welcome to the White House rumor mill, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez.
As President Barack Obama shakes up his Cabinet for a new four-year term, tongues are wagging in Washington, D.C., and one name they're wagging about is Pérez for U.S. labor secretary.
Pérez's name surfaced in an Associated Press report Tuesday that listed him among a handful of candidates to replace Hilda Solis, who resigned last month, reportedly to consider a run for Los Angeles County supervisor.
Pérez, who worked for labor groups for 15 years before coming to the Legislature, scoffed at the possibility of leaving the Assembly for an Obama Cabinet post – but he stopped short of squashing it.
"Look, I'm always flattered if somebody thinks my work is worthy of other consideration, but I'm focused on being speaker for these next two years," he said. "And continuing to build back our economy, and continuing to build on the fiscal discipline that we've created here in California. And getting people back to work."
So he wouldn't take the Cabinet post? The Los Angeles Democrat laughed.
"Let them ask, and I'll give you the answer then."
– Jim Sanders
BILL WATCH
Pasadena Democratic Assemblyman Chris Holden has introduced Assembly Bill 199 to require state-run institutions to buy agricultural products grown, packed or processed in California even if the price is up to 5 percent higher than the lowest out-of-state bid. Schools would have to meet the in-state purchase rule only if the price was not higher than out-of-state competitors.
– Bee Capitol Bureau
WORTH REPEATING
"It's not a burp. It's barely a fart."
GOV. JERRY BROWN, dismissing Texas Gov. Rick Perry's $24,000 radio campaign to lure California businesses to his state
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