Fabian Nunez Under Fire

He better not be the Democrat nominee for governor in 2010...because I will NOT vote for him! Can you say "hypocrite"?

*courtesy of http://www.tspntv.com/state/assembly-speak...nder-fire.html*

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez came under fire Friday after a report showed that the lawmaker - who has long fashioned himself as a champion of the poor - has used thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to make lavish purchases. According to the San Jose Mercury News, trips to Europe, expensive dinners, extravagant hotel stays and $2,500 worth of gifts from luxury retailer Louis Vuitton in Paris have created a swirl of questions about the Los Angeles Democrat who, aside from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is arguably the Capitol's most powerful elected official.

Núñez took the brunt of the criticism Friday - though no one suggested he had done anything illegal - but government watchdogs also questioned what they consider to be lax campaign expenditure rules that allow lawmakers to use their campaign funds in ways that many would characterize as only loosely related to state business. Some continue to call for tighter regulations, but they also are aware that lawmakers are not likely to embrace the idea and that, even if they did, there always seems to be a loophole. A spokeswoman for Núñez said his expenditures were entirely legal. Núñez told the Times his travel is "not only justified but necessary for the decisions I need to make on a daily basis." Critics, however, said the expenditures are questionable, in part because they were made possible by large donations from special interests with business in front of the Legislature - including $290,000 from health insurers, just as the Legislature is considering health care reform. California law requires that campaign fund expenditures be reasonably related to a political, legislative or governmental purpose. A San Jose Mercury news story