February 2010 Archives

From Schwarzenegger's office:

"The California Constitution is clear: the Legislature must confirm or reject my nominee for Lieutenant Governor within 90 days. Refusal to make a decision results in the nominee taking office. I believe the public good is not served by continued paralysis and protracted litigation because the Assembly Democrats cannot produce a simple majority to make a decision.

"Therefore, in an effort to avoid wasting time and energy on litigation that should be spent passing a jobs package that will get Californians back to work, I intend to withdraw and resubmit the nomination of Abel Maldonado for Lieutenant Governor back to the legislature and ask the Assembly to take the vote again until a majority decision is reached, one way or another.

"I believe Senator Abel Maldonado is most qualified to be Lieutenant Governor and I am proud to re-nominate him. I urge the Assembly to set aside partisan bickering and act swiftly and decisively on his nomination."

Most Inland Empire senators and assembly members voted to confirm Sen. Abel Maldonado, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick for the vacant lieutenant governor's seat, but Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Ontario, cast a "no" vote in the Assembly on Thursday.

In a statement Friday, Torres said she voted against confirming Maldonado, a Santa Maria Republican who is typically seen as a moderate, because of "self-serving, backroom deals that Senator Maldonado has cut with the governor over the last few years." Torres did not give any details about such deals. Torres spokesman Gustavo Arroyo said he could not reach Torres for clarification Friday afternoon. 

The Assembly voted 37-36 in favor of the confirmation, but 41 votes are needed.

Local Assembly Republicans Anthony Adams, Bill Emmerson, Paul Cook and Curt Hagman voted for the confirmation. Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter, D-Rialto, is on sick leave and was not present for Thursday's vote.

On the Senate side, Sens. Bob Huff, R-Walnut, and Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, voted to confirm Maldonado. Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Montclair, was present but did not vote. The Senate confirmed Maldonado 26-7 with six senators not voting.

Schwarzenegger's office has said Maldonado should be confirmed because the Assembly, with it's 37-36 vote, neither confirmed nor refused to confirm Maldonado. "Based on the votes taken today, Senator Abel Maldonado will be sworn in as the next Lieutenant Governor," Schwarzenegger said Thursday.

Assembly Democrats, though, have said Maldonado would have to receive 41 votes to be confirmed, queuing up a possible constitutional fight between the Assembly and the governor.