Maldonado Confirmed By Assembly

The Assembly voted today to confirm Senator Abel Maldonado for Lieutenant Governor. The vote tally was 51-17, then it was 54-19, and finally, 53-21. The Sacramento Bee reported that Democratic Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña’s office says she changed her vote to “no” at the end of the session after accidentally casting an “aye” vote.

Saldana spent much of yesterday’s Assembly Rules Committee hearing lecturing Maldonado as if he was an impudent child, questioning his voting record on pay equity for women. And then she voted to allow his nomination to pass from the committee to the Assembly.

In February, the Assembly was unable to secure the 41 votes needed for approval, resulting in Governor Schwarzenegger re-nominating Maldonado. The Senate already voted to confirm Maldonado in February and on April 26th, the will again take up the confirmation.

Maldonado will now fill the remainder of the term begun by Democrat John Garamendi, who vacated the seat after being elected to Congress last November.  Maldonado is also running for Lt. Governor in the GOP primary, but the delay by the Assembly to confirm Maldonado, robbed him of the “incumbent” title, as the Secretary of State has already prepared the November ballot, listing him as “State Senator.”

– Katy Grimes