What about Bob?

Last night FlashReport posted this item saying State Senator Bob Dutton (R, Riverside, San Bernardino) will be the next Senate Republican Leader.

“This is great news as Dutton is a solid conservative who will provide strong leadership for his caucus,” FlashReport’s Jon Fleischman wrote.

I’m always fascinated when I see a term like “solid conservative” attached to a California legislator–even a Republican one. This is because Dutton, like many of his GOP colleagues, is a darling of the state’s public employee unions.

According to campaign finance reports filed with the California Secretary of State (you can read some of them here, here, here and here), since 2005 Dutton has taken at least (I might have missed some) $21,450 from unions and associations representing state employees. Here’s a brief rundown:

* California Association of Highway Patrolmen: $3,550
* Faculty Assocation of California Community Colleges: $1,500
* California Professional Firefighters: $6,300
* Peace Officer Research Association of California: $1,800
* San Bernardino Conty Firefighters State PAC Fund: $4,300
* San Bernardino County Safety Employee’s Benefit Association: $2,650
* California Teacher’s Association: $100
* California Dept. of Forestry Firefighters Association: $1,250

You should keep these figures in mind then next time Dutton says something about pension reform, which is a key provision of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s agenda that he outlined in yesterday’s State of the State Address.

-Anthony Pignataro

PHOTO COURTESY SEN. DUTTON’S WEBSITE (http://cssrc.us/web/31/)