Attorney General Jerry Brown has done it again: He has misused and abused the authority of his office as California’s top cop.
Is anyone surprised?
It’s clear since day one that Brown views the AG office as a bully pulpit for promoting his political views, not serving the people.
His misdeeds aren’t limited to clandestinely taping phone calls with reporters; Brown has also abused his powers by issuing inaccurate and misleading Title and Summaries for statewide ballot measures, including one that I authored for the 2010 election cycle.
And as most people know, Brown has raised the ire of Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog.org and author of Proposition 103, the landmark measure protecting insurance consumers that voters approved in 1988.
Rosenfield says Brown caved to pressure from a powerful insurance company – and campaign donor – when he reworked the summary of a ballot measure to omit mention that it could boost premiums for thousands of drivers.
Brown has mostly escaped bad press in the past, but his latest transgression (let’s remember it was this type of activity that brought down a presidency) will create negative consequences for his 2010 bid for governor. Not only does the average voter understand the severity of Brown’s actions, the media must feel scorned.
I mean, talk about biting the hand that feeds you: Brown has been a media darling for years. We’ll see if the press corps continues to Heart Jerry Brown.