Campaign money and mud is flying
Good morning. On behalf of The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board, welcome to The Take, your opinion-politics newsletter. Please sign up for it here.
We focus on mud: Darrell Steinberg’s bonehead move and Angelique Ashby’s airbrushed résumé. And money: Scott Jones’ fundraisers and Ami Bera’s father. And on mobile home mansions. Let us know what you think of Garrison Keillor’s column.
Take that
Money makes the world of politics go round.
As Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders stirred up the townfolk, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was at the El Dorado Hills home of Scott Hanson helping Republican Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones raise money for his congressional race against Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove. Jones’ host committee included several Republicans: Reps. Tom McClintock and Doug LaMalfa, Sens. Jim Nielsen and Ted Gaines and Assemblywoman Beth Gaines.
A day earlier, Jones played off his pro-gun stand by holding a fundraiser at Just Guns on Auburn Boulevard.
A sorrowful Bera, meanwhile, stopped by The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board to repeat his statement that he had no idea that his father, Babulal Bera, laundered $268,000 in campaign funds to help the younger Bera’s campaigns in 2010 and 2012.
“I can’t hide,” he said, getting credit for answering questions, though he loses credit for not keeping a closer watch on his fundraising.
“This is not easy,” Bera said, haltingly. Obviously pained and troubled, he said he worries his father, who is 83, could face prison when he is sentenced in August. He also said that in his father’s apparent zeal to make sure the son’s campaign was adequately financed, Babulal “clearly committed a crime.”
Take a number: $1.012 million
On May 12, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León lifted the Senate’s self-imposed fundraising ban, saying he needed to protect Sen. Jim Beall, who is being challenged by a fellow Democrat, Assemblywoman Nora Campos, for a San Jose-based Senate seat.
One spigot opened. Since May 12, donors and independent campaigns have spent no less than $1.012 million to re-elect Beall. The largest sum – $500,000 – came from de León’s friend and ally, billionaire Tom Steyer.
Another spigot got clogged. Campos has received $24,900 since May 12.
Our take
Editorial: Last-minute dirt gets flung in Sacramento’s race for mayor between Darrell Steinberg and Angelique Ashby.
Editorial: Forget the graduation rules; try using common sense, instead of shutting out kids such as merit scholar Nyree Holmes from their graduation ceremonies.
Mark Bonini and Sue Burrell: In praise of Sen. Mark Leno and a rare consensus on juvenile detention.
Rhea Suh: The world must not lose momentum on climate change progress.
Their take
The L.A. News Group praises Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, for bills that sought to grant public employees greater choice and transparency, until unions stepped in.
The L.A. Times says party loyalty is no excuse. Donald Trump is manifestly unqualified, and Republicans need to stand up and say as much.
The Raleigh News & Observer lauds University of North Carolina. UNC President Margaret Spellings made the right choice not to enforce HB2.
The Chicago Tribune describes the mess in Illinois’ Legislature. At least, Sacramento isn’t Springfield.
Syndicates’ take
Garrison Keillor: What wasn’t said on our Memorial Day. (Let us know what you think of Keillor’s new column by emailing dmorain@sacbee.com.)
E.J. Dionne Jr.: Is the GOP losing its religion?
Dana Milbank: A one-man Lloyd’s of London.
Thomas L. Friedman: Politicians and the lies that matter.
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Transgender locker-room scenario isn’t worth the worry.
And finally
The other day, The L.A. Times echoed the call for an end to the sweet tax deal for mobile home mansions. Here’s Shawn Hubler’s breakdown of the issue from last week. And our Sunday call for reform on a whole bunch of tax issues, including this one.
This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 5:31 AM with the headline "Campaign money and mud is flying."