Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard in his weekly e-mail newsletter asks this rather obvious question…. Leonard served as a California State Senator for many years. We may never hear Senator Perata publicly claim credit for sinking the CTA boss in his confirmation vote for the State Board of Education. But with Republican Senators Denham and Maldonado giving their ‘aye’ votes for the head of the successful union-led effort to sink the 2005 special election reform measures, the only place that Nunez need look for answers is in the office of the President Pro-Tem:
From the Leonard Letter:
***Missing Senators***
The mainstream press has again missed a political story. Governor Schwarzenegger’s appointee to the State Board of Education, Joe Nunez, was on a deadline to be confirmed to that board by the Senate. The vote was scheduled by the Senate leadership with only days to go. Republican Senators had been in opposition to the nominee for months and it should not have been a surprise to the press that the Republicans voted against Nunez’s confirmation. Democrat Senators had been supportive of this teacher/union leader nominated by the Governor. Yet the headlines all say “GOP kills appointment”. The truth is that two Republican Senators crossed over and voted for Nunez. Their two votes combined with all 25 Democrat Senators would have given Nunez the 27 votes he needed, but he lost 25-11. That means that the Democrats actually killed his appointment. The press should be asking Senators Vincent and Calderon if their abstentions were purposeful.