[Cross-posted from OC Blog]
Although I rarely contribute to candidates, that doesn’t stop a steady stream of fundraising invites landing in my mail.
Yesterday, I received an invitation to "an Elegant Evening with Assemblyman Anthony Adams and Guest of Honor Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger."
Readers will recall Adams is the San Bernardino County assemblyman who was on of the three Assembly Republicans who provided the votes necessary to inflict a massive tax increase on the people of California.
It’s no surprise to see Arnold as the headliner. It’s like the British throwing a fundraiser for Benedict Arnold.
What is extremely disappointing is to see the name of OC’s Senator Bob Huff at the top of the host committee.
Adams not only provided one of the votes to pass the tax increase, but he’s proud of it…while simultaneously trying to shift the blame by ludicrously alleging he was a pawn in a secret GOP scheme to raise taxes.
All of that does tremendous damage to the Republican Party brand. So why is Sen. Bob Huff trying to help Adams raise money for his re-election. What Huff and other Republican legislators ought to do is shun Adams and endorse his recall – or at the very least, recruit a primary challenger against Adams.
If the payback for undercutting the Republican Party – and damaging taxpayers and the economy — by raising taxes is to have your fellow GOPers raise money for your re-election, what incentive is there for weak sisters like Adams to toe the line, rather than crumple under pressure? This is what happens when they think like incumbents instead of like Republicans.
March 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Senator Huff, please reconsider this course of action.
March 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Alright. As a Democratic visitor I don’t usually get involved in Republican internicine warfare, but this one needs a comment. Not one member or the Republican caucus that I am aware of has stepped forward to say Adams wasn’t being honest about what he said. If Matt knows such a person, I hope he will identify him. The only reason this bothers me is that there are many times when legislators on both sides of the aisle do something like this and I find it hard to believe Adams (or anyone else for that matter) would have cast a controversial vote without at least discussing it with his caucus for several days beforehand. It would be one thing if he had a job lined up, but since he apparently wants to stay in elective office, I would suggest he is telling the truth and as without making an accusation against anyone, I would suggest that one of the biggest problems in politics is the way elected officials dodge accountability by these types of games.
March 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Adams dishonesty began with signing a no tax pledge. He lied to his constituents.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Maybe you can draw the line that tightly, but I can’t think of an elected official who hasn’t backed out of a campaign pledge due to what they thought were changing circumstances where they thought it was necessary. But of course their judgement is something voters are supposed to decide in our system, so it’s not the critics that bother me. What bothers me is that Adams (whom I don’t really know) has a pretty good reputation for being personally honest and Bob Huff (whom I know) has a reputation for being very straightforward. To make it sound like Adams was making up his version of what happened and to imply that Huff was simply sticking up for another incumbent isn’t fair to either person. You may view them as misguided or even feel that Adams broke a pledge, but I think any impartial observer would say that Adams made a tough decision, right or wrong and that Bob Huff who works with him in Sacramento still thinks Adams helps the political causes he believes in.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
It is a bad decision. As my Assemblyman, Anthony just put his hand in my pocket and as of April 1st is TAKING my hard earned dollars.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
The sad thing is many other R’s were going privately to the pledge-breakers (Maldonado, etc.) and asking for budget bennies for their districts. That’s morally akin to being the driver in a liquor-store holdup/shooting instead of being the actual bagman.
Bill Wiese
San Jose CA