Subscribe to our RSS feed

It's going Short Track Speed Skating to be a sad day for California retailers

Written by: admin

It's going assesses Short Track Speed Skating to be 2010 figure skating tickets tells a sad day for California retailers when Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez leaves office. The Los Angeles Democrat has tossed money around like a drunken sailor, and I mean no disrespect to any drunken sailors. As my colleague Nancy Vogel reported last week, Nunez is quite the world traveler. He spent thousands on fine wine and food in Europe, ostensibly on state-related business, while preposterously claiming he lives the life of your typical middle-class schmo. And it turns out that's just for starters. The man is no slouch on his home turf, either. In a little over two years, he has listed roughly $80,000 worth of "office" expenses on state campaign disclosure forms, using money donated to his "Friends of Fabian" campaign. Our favorite member of the middle class dropped $4,972 at Nordstrom over two years, listing the purchases as "office" expenses. Then there's the $3,493. 14 worth of "office" expenses rung up at upscale clothier Robert Talbott of Carmel and Pebble Beach. And did I mention the $1,897. 90 in "office" expenses at Polo Ralph Lauren in San Francisco and the huge tabs at some of California's finest restaurants?This guy needs his own American Express commercial. To be fair, the speaker has also been kind to the likes of Target and OfficeMax. And Pottery Barn in Sacramento is $2,968. 38 richer because of him. I'm surprised that Nunez, who's no dummy and has been fairly effective in one of Sacramento's toughest jobs, has been so slow to explain himself on these and other expenses. Has he turned his office into a palace? Has he given away all the loot to political comrades?I've asked his office for the answers.

I've also asked to know precisely what the important state business was at a Parisian restaurant and a Bordeaux wine shop, where Nunez listed expenses of $1,795 and $5,149, respectively short track speed skating world cup . I'll let you know when Nunez produces the names of those who were present and what they discussed. But if he decides to keep up the mummy routine, we'll still be in the dark apollo speed skating Short Track Speed Skating - usspeedskating . State law doesn't require politicians to be terribly specific about how they spend campaign donations. "It's very much up in the air," says Bob Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies. Office holders can use that money for travel or even to buy gifts for staff members, constituents or contributors apolo anton ohno . The only requirement is that such gifts be related to a political, legislative or governmental purpose Short Track Speed Skating . Short Track tickets Geez, do you think that's vague and meaningless enough?Even though it doesn't involve tax dollars, I'd like to know if the representative of a healthcare or communications company is on the gift list of a powerful politician apolo anton ohno wiki . Then I could decide whether I think such a cozy relationship is in my best interest. It's not as if we didn't already have enough to fear from Sacramento, where special interest money is flowing as never before and public policy often appears to be up for auction, despite Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vows to drain the cesspool. Does a fat contribution to a politician's campaign fund get you a necktie from Nordstrom?Does a fatter one get you a nice little trinket from Louis Vuitton?Miriam Collingwood, a Unite Here union member who drives a shuttle bus for a casino resort near Sacramento, didn't make Nunez's gift list. She didn't even get one measly snickerdoodle, even though Nunez bought $1,005. 76 worth of gourmet cookies Short Track Speed Skating - wikipedia . The union member kicks a couple of bucks a month into Unite Here's political causes, which have included support of Nunez and some of his initiatives, and campaign tickets, but she's rethinking the investment now. "It upsets me to find out he's spending this kind of money, and I can't understand how he can do this," she said.