When former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez was termed out of office recently, lawmakers made sure he wouldn't have to "run" for anything ever again – they bought him a $5,100 bicycle.
Forty-nine Assembly members chipped in $100 apiece for the going-away gift to the Los Angeles Democrat. The only lawmaker to contribute more was a Republican, Mike Duvall of Yorba Linda, who gave $200, records show.
Two lawmakers who angered Núñez during his stint as speaker, and quickly were ordered into the Assembly's "doghouse" – a tiny fifth-floor office – did not contribute to the gift.
The two, Democrat Juan Arambula of Fresno and Republican Todd Spitzer of Orange, were among 30 Assembly members who did not help buy the bicycle presented to Núñez on Oct. 29.
Núñez, now a partner in Mercury Public Affairs, reported getting the bike on statements of economic interest that outgoing lawmakers filed recently with the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Other disclosures included:
• With gasoline prices near $4 a gallon, Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi, R-Lodi, dug deep to buy Chevron stock. The state required Nakanishi only to disclose that he spent between $10,000 and $100,000 on Sept. 18. Gas prices subsequently plummeted but have crept up recently.
• Spitzer, an attorney, supplemented his $116,208 salary as a lame-duck legislator in 2008 by drawing a salary of more than $100,000 from Santa Ana law firm Adorno, Yoss, Alvarado & Smith. He also won a motorcycle valued at more than $10,000 in a Habitat for Humanity drawing.
• Assemblyman Lloyd Levine disclosed his marriage to KCRA-TV anchor Edie Lambert – as well as her six-figure salary. The Van Nuys Democrat also reported that a Las Vegas nonprofit group, Hayden Scholarship Foundation, picked up his $8,000 tab for speaking to gambling executives about intrastate legalization of poker at a world conference Oct. 27-31.
• Where to go after leaving the Legislature? Disneyland, of course. Outgoing Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata reported receiving $276 in Disneyland tickets on Nov. 30, the final day of last year's legislative session.
Call Jim Sanders, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5538.
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