Assembly Crime and Punishment

by CalWatchdog Staff | July 12, 2011 9:48 am

Katy Grimes: It’s never surprising when the wrath of the Speaker of the Assembly comes down on a member for failing to support the party in power on a crucial vote. That’s the way of Capitol politics.

What is surprising, is the forms the wrath takes.

In 2008, Assemblywoman Nichole Para, a Democrat, was kicked out of her Capitol office and moved across the street for not supporting the party’s state budget proposal.

In 2007, Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, was relegated to the “Doghouse,” the Capitol’s smallest and least desirable office, for challenging Democratic leaders on prison and public safety issues.

Assemblyman Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, was also relegated to the tiny “doghouse” office – all 391-square-feet – after he failed to vote for any of the 2006 infrastructure bonds.

Ouch. Punishment hurts.

And now, the latest guilty party is Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, (D-La Canada) currently in the crosshairs of his party, and Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles.

“The lone Assembly Democrat who voted against the state budget last month says his party’s leaders are now punishing him for his opposition,” the Los Angeles Times  reported[1].

Portantino said the chamber’s Rules Committee informed him Friday that his office budget had been slashed and his Capitol and district staff could be placed on unpaid leave for more than a month in the fall.

Does anyone really believe that Democrats will place other Democrat staff members on unpaid leave? However, if Portantino were to defect and become a Republican, then I would expect to see such punishment (only when monkeys fly).

Portantino has a staff of 11, divided up between the Capitol and his district office in Pasadena.

The Assembly Rules Committee is led by Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) who has a very large staff of 13, and is divided between three offices located in Berkeley, Oakland and the Capitol. Here’s a look at some of the Capitol staff for Democrat and Republican Assembly members – notice the stark contrast in size of Democrat staff to Republican… it looks as if some trimming could be done throughout the Democrat offices:

 

 

Anthony Portantino – Capitol Office

 

Hager, Trent[2]	Chief of Staff	Email:
Shelton, Diane[3]	Legislative Director	Email:
Tamariz, Michael[4]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Horner, Philip[5]	Legislative Assistant	Email:
Morris-Battle, Michelle[6]	Executive Assistant, Scheduler	Email:

 

Phone: 626-577-9944 Pasadena Office

 

Hines, Julianne[7]	District Director	Email:
Gordon, Wendy[8]	Communications Deputy	Email:
Gasparian, Hovanes[9]	Field Representative	Email:
Hacket, Sr., Bill[10]	Field Representative	Email:
Lopez, Kristi[11]	Field Representative	Email:
Turner, Tanganica[12]	Field Representative	Email:

 

 

 

Charles Calderon – D-Whittier  (Majority Leader) Capitol Office

 

White, Thomas[13]	Chief of Staff	Email:
Paraskevas, Helen[14]	Scheduler	Email:
Anguiano, Carlos[15]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Condit, Chad[16]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Lugo, Vanessa[17]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Ramirez, Ariana[18]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Klein, Leticia[19]	Secretary	Email:

 

Phone: 562-692-5858 City Of Industry Office

 

Villar, Marisela[20]	District Director	Email:
Maes, Alicia[21]	Scheduler	Email:
Hollon, Mike[22]	Senior Field Representative	Email:
Estrada, Humberto[23]	Field Representative	Email:
Rodriguez, Luis[24]	Field Representative	Email:
Shirinian, Lerna[25]	Field Representative	Email:
Aparicio, Vanessa[26]	Secretary	Email:

 

 

 

Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley Phone: 916-319-2014 Capitol Office

 

Griffiths, Diane[27]	Chief of Staff	Email:
Mooney, Liz[28]	Legislative Director	Email:
Kurpies, Joshua[29]	Scheduler	Email:
Trevino, Sandra[30]	Legislative Aide	Email:
Bui, Tony[31]	Legislative Assistant	Email:
Bedard, Michael[32]	Fellow	Email:
Tsiagbe, Akofa[33]	Fellow	Email:

 

Phone: 510-286-1400 Oakland Office

 

Chekal-Bain, Mark[34]	District Director	Email:
Ibrahim, Maha[35]	Senior Field Representative	Email:
Fortini, Frances[36]	Director of Constituent Services	Email:
Grodin, Anne[37]	Field Representative	Email:
Myrick, Jael[38]	Field Representative	Email:
Perez, Dorie[39]	Office Assistant	Email:

 

 

 

And in stark contrast…

 

Chris Norby, R-Fullerton

 

Lanza, Bryan[40]	Chief of Staff	Email:
Martinez, Danny[41]	Legislative Aide, Scheduler	Email:

 

Phone: 714-526-7272 Fulerton Office

 

Whitaker, Bruce[42]	District Director	Email:
Green, Craig[43]	Senior Field Representative	Email:
Kaiser, Carolyn[44]	Field Representative	Email:

 

 

 

Dan Logue, R-Linda

 

Wagner, Cliff[45]	Capitol Director, Communications Director	Email:
Kruckenberg, David[46]	Legislative Director	Email:
Steele, Stephanie[47]	Scheduler	Email:

 

Phone: 530-895-4217 Chico Office

 

Scolaro, Jan[48]	District Director	Email:
Marks, Greg[49]	Field Representative	Email:
Thompson, Steve[50]	Field Representative	Email:

 

 

 

Linda Halderman, R-Clovis/Fresno  

 

Stein, Eric[51]	Chief of Staff	Email:
Winn, Maggie[52]	Legislative Director	Email:
Grooms, Robert[53]	Scheduler	Email:

 

Phone: 559-446-2029 Fresno Office

 

Ayers, Tyler[54]	District Director, Communications Director	Email:
Flad, Janene[55]	Case Worker	Email:

 

 

 

JULY 12, 2011

Source URL: https://calwatchdog.com/2011/07/12/assembly-crime-and-punishment/

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