Jeff Stone is a Riverside County Supervisor and Candidate for Senate in the 36th District, where Dennis Hollingsworth is termed out..
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO STOP ABEL MALDONADO
Supervisor Jeff Stone
Confirming Abel Maldonado, Governor Schwarzenegger’s unfortunate choice for Lieutenant Governor, would be a disaster for California taxpayers and an affront to the traditional conservative values that are the foundation of the
Republican Party.
Since his election to the California Assembly in 1998, Mr. Maldonado has made a habit of breaking his promises to taxpayers and turning his back on fellow Republicans—voting with liberal Democrats over and over to raise taxes and encourage more reckless government spending.
Rather than standing up for taxpayers, Abel Maldonado has betrayed us at every opportunity. Now rather than holding him accountable, Governor Schwarzenegger wants to reward him by appointing him Lieutenant Governor— an office vacated by Democrat John Garamendi. In light of Mr. Maldonado’s abysmal record, Governor Schwarzenegger has in effect nominated another big government Democrat—albeit one who still claims to be a Republican.
It should come as no surprise that Mr. Maldonado’s campaign donors include left-leaning liberal labor groups like the Service Employees International Union and the California State Employees Association. In fact, labor unions have given him tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions over the years. No wonder he voted for former governor Gray Davis’ budget that contained a huge raise and enhanced benefits for state workers.
A look at his record shows that Mr. Maldonado is no Republican. In fact, he was the deciding vote in the State Senate that passed last year’s gimmick-filled budget that included the largest state tax increase in the history of the nation. He abandoned his caucus, his no-taxes pledge and his own political party to cast the decisive vote that finalized a $40 billion budget that burdened California taxpayers with $12.8 billion in higher vehicle license fees and temporary sales and personal income tax hikes.
And what did he demand for voting with the Democrats? He pressured lawmakers into voting for a constitutional amendment that would create open primaries in California state elections—a top-two vote getter election measure that would decimate the Republican Party and, according to the Howard Jarvis Association, lead to higher taxes.
Mr. Maldonado’s vision for California is not a pretty picture. He wants more protection for illegal immigrants, more spending, more government, more government-created “make work” jobs, income redistribution, more economy destroying regulations for business and less freedom and liberty for the people of California.
So with all these reasons to reject Mr. Maldonado, why are any Republicans on the sidelines? The choice is a clear and obvious one for conservatives. Let’s hope they make the right one.
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Jeff Stone is a Riverside County Supervisor and a Republican candidate for the 36th State Senate District.