Sen. Diane Feinstein’s husband wins CA rail contract

April 26, 2013

By Katy Grimes

Cagle Cartoon High-Speed Rail

U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein’s husband Richard Blum, won the first phase construction contract for California’s high-speed rail.

I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.

If I didn’t witness the insanity and corruption in politics every day, I wouldn’t have believed this.

“The Perini-Zachary-Parsons bid was the lowest received from the five consortia participating in the bidding process, but “low” is a relative term,” the Laer Pearce, author of Crazifornia wrote. “The firms bid $985,142,530 to build the wildly anticipated first section of high speed rail track that will tie the megopolis of Madera to the global finance center of Fresno. Do the division, and you find that the low bid came in at a mere $35 million per mile.”

“As this fiasco progress, remember that this $35 million per mile represents the best California can do on the section of track the High on Crack Speed Rail Authority selected to go first because it will be the cheapest,” Pearce said.

Read Pearce’s story here. And stop staring dumfounded at the computer screen. Yes, this is true.

91 comments

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  1. larry 62
    larry 62 26 April, 2013, 08:39

    I’m sure the 80 somethings think that they can take it with them when they pass on. Why isn’t there a mandatory retirement age in the U.S. government. I know retirement, and I highly recommend it to Richard and Diane. ha!

    Reply this comment
    • Gigi
      Gigi 11 October, 2017, 21:28

      So glad I will not be alive when the fiasco is “completed”. The Feinstein’s won’t be either.

      Reply this comment
      • Lynn O Bundy, PhD
        Lynn O Bundy, PhD 31 January, 2018, 16:07

        It never will be completed and the concrete overpasses will serve as gravestone markers of the Democrat party in California.

        Reply this comment
        • morris surfer
          morris surfer 16 November, 2018, 10:00

          sadly you are probably right, but as long it is a money maker for some people with a lot of influence it will continue

          Reply this comment
        • JM in San Diego
          JM in San Diego 14 February, 2020, 15:25

          The giant support pillars that will likely go unused already have a derisive nickname. Wags are calling them “Trainhenge.”

          Reply this comment
    • Rowana
      Rowana 15 November, 2018, 05:18

      I think they should have to retire too. There should also be a MAXIMUM AGE for running for federal office…i don’t care if the states want to elect centenarians. Maybe there could be an ADVISORY position that can go to Washington to advise…but not vote on our laws.

      Reply this comment
  2. AB32 Fighter
    AB32 Fighter 26 April, 2013, 09:15

    This just makes me sick

    Reply this comment
  3. us citizen
    us citizen 26 April, 2013, 09:21

    Oh God…….Katy……….you are trying to kill me this morning, aren’t you?!!!

    Reply this comment
  4. loufca
    loufca 26 April, 2013, 09:28

    What happens when you add Sacto to DC = Ultimate corruption.

    Reply this comment
  5. double l
    double l 26 April, 2013, 10:24

    Conflicts of interest are standard operating procedures for the dEMOS.

    Reply this comment
  6. C. Wyatt Hertz
    C. Wyatt Hertz 26 April, 2013, 10:46

    And I imagine Ron Pelosi is going to do the solar, huh?

    Reply this comment
  7. R. Cummings
    R. Cummings 26 April, 2013, 11:16

    It figures that Diane Frankenstein would find some way to make herself richer on the backs of the Californian tax payers. She and all the others need to get out of office and never be allowed back in office. Not even for dog catcher. Term limits for all politicians and no returning after you have served your term. GET OUT AND STAY OUT.

    Reply this comment
    • Eve Bundy
      Eve Bundy 19 March, 2014, 14:37

      No she should be inside the dog pound in one of the kennels for the rest of her natural life and eating dog food

      Reply this comment
    • Bazzazio
      Bazzazio 22 December, 2017, 08:23

      Term limits wrote change ANYTHING. Nothing is going to get rid of the corruption and greed until Citizens United is overruled. PERIOD. It should be every Americans number one priority, because until it’s gone we won’t ever get officials who represent US. Too much dark money is needed to be elected, so every new official enters office beholden to the money men…before starting ask over again.

      Reply this comment
      • Stephen O'Neil
        Stephen O'Neil 18 December, 2020, 11:33

        This has nothing to do with Citizens United. I would agree to that if you agreed to banning all union money.

        Reply this comment
    • Bren
      Bren 19 November, 2018, 19:16

      Yeah, they torched the town of Paradise because it is where the tracks will run for the train. They don’t care about people; they are eaten with greed. Sick people!!

      Reply this comment
      • Neal
        Neal 5 December, 2019, 08:29

        Has your brain melted? The town of Paradise is hundreds of miles from any planned rail line.

        Reply this comment
  8. John Klimkiewicz
    John Klimkiewicz 26 April, 2013, 11:28

    And Florida thinks it has sinkholes…

    Reply this comment
  9. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 26 April, 2013, 12:08

    Hahahah, listen to all you HATERS!!!!! I’m totally ok with her husband getting the contract. The only problem is I never go for the low bid but I understand the need for them to be fiscally responsible. I have friends and neighbors who are private sector business owners that get all kinds of gov’t contracts, it just comes down to who you know and how many laker tics you give them!!!! I see you people only have a problem cause its feinsteins husband!!! Lol, This made my day….Work union,live better!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply this comment
    • Dogs4Pete
      Dogs4Pete 15 January, 2017, 14:03

      I would bet anything that there will be at least 5% overage which will also be thrown into this cesspool. So the unions will strike-slow down, and DiFi’s husband will profit even more…….maybe congress and the t….Rump will defund this disgrace. Our rusty state is so left now, it is nearing the cliff of unretrievable sanity.

      Reply this comment
    • Truthseeker
      Truthseeker 10 March, 2018, 15:03

      You are a self serving idiot

      Reply this comment
    • Tami
      Tami 10 November, 2019, 16:36

      It’s called CORRUPTION, how old are you? Do you pay taxes? Because your comment Is lunacy!

      Reply this comment
  10. @SoquelCreek
    @SoquelCreek 26 April, 2013, 12:25

    Of course, in completely unrelated news …

    LA Times: “Bullet train bid rules altered: Changes allowed Tutor Perini to rank as the top firm despite a low technical score.”
    http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/19/local/la-me-high-speed-bidding-20130419

    But never fear, fellow Californian taxpayers, our government is performing perfectly normally. Crony capitalism at its best.

    Reply this comment
  11. jimmydeeoc
    jimmydeeoc 26 April, 2013, 12:48

    $35 million per mile? If only. 450 miles of track = < $16 B.

    Howabout CalTrans $1 BILLION to add carpool lanes to the 405 over Sepulveda Pass.

    OOOOPS…… I mean $1.1 billion ($100 M in cost overuns)

    and the finish date has been pushed back an entire year.

    Saddest thing: I bet 75% of California voters do not have a clear understanding of the difference between a MILLION and a BILLION.

    Reply this comment
    • DeepWheat
      DeepWheat 17 September, 2013, 10:30

      Nevermind the voters, for God’s sake, don’t tell the politicians in Sacramento what comes after “trillion”…

      Reply this comment
    • SwimmingMom
      SwimmingMom 15 January, 2017, 07:54

      They’re talking about the first leg, which is between Fresno and Madera. These two cities are only 25 or so miles. Fresno, while not the size of LA or San Francisco, is a large city–larger than Sacramento. Madera, however, is quite small.

      Reply this comment
      • Flamingo
        Flamingo 27 November, 2018, 05:39

        I dont know where you hot your facts from but sacramento is a larger city than fresno

        Reply this comment
        • AgntProvacateur
          AgntProvacateur 19 April, 2022, 06:57

          Flamingo….she “hot” her facts correctly. Fresno is larger than Sacramento – 530,073 vs. 508,517 as of when you shot your mouth off.

          Reply this comment
    • db
      db 14 February, 2019, 11:15

      A lot of this money is supplied by the Feds. The reason California is doing this so they can turn them into toll roads.

      Reply this comment
  12. jimmydeeoc
    jimmydeeoc 26 April, 2013, 13:02

    NTHEOC…can you explain what is a “hater”? From my experience it’s an attempt to communicate basic concepts among semi-literates with only a tenuous grasp of the English language.

    Surely you have a deeper lexicon than that.

    Even someone at UrbanDictionary expresses it well:

    “A word that 11-15 year olds use to describe anyone who dares to have a different opinion on a subject, usually something such as a band or a show on television. Even if the person who gives the different opinion explains why they believe so in a calm manner, they obviously must be a hater of it.”

    Reply this comment
  13. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 26 April, 2013, 14:36

    Jimmydeeoc,
    Hater
    1.to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to be unwilling; dislike:
    Sounds a lot like you and your CWD cronies! Should I add ENVY to the list!!!!!!

    Reply this comment
  14. jimmydeeoc
    jimmydeeoc 26 April, 2013, 15:35

    NTHEOC:

    Sounds like you should be back in middle school. What are you doing on these boards? Don’t you have a book report to write or some algebra homework to attend to?

    Reply this comment
  15. jimmydeeoc
    jimmydeeoc 26 April, 2013, 15:43

    NTHEOC—-

    I asked for the noun. You gave me the verb.

    Don’t kids learn to diagram sentences anymore?

    Reply this comment
  16. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 26 April, 2013, 15:53

    Lol!!!! Jimmydeeoc trying to correct me! You got me jimmy,I am just not as smart as you!!!!!!!!!

    Reply this comment
  17. Barb
    Barb 26 April, 2013, 15:55

    Oh brother!

    Reply this comment
  18. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 26 April, 2013, 16:04

    Really jimmy, the CWD is no different than any other HATE GROUP with a website. I like to check it out every now and again to debunk you sovereign citizens and and watch you people spin!!!!!

    Reply this comment
  19. SE
    SE 26 April, 2013, 16:53

    Work union … live better off other people’s sweat. Oh … you didn’t know? Sweating is against union policy.
    Anyone who says, “I never go for the low bid but I understand the need for them to be fiscally responsible” and then follows with, “t just comes down to who you know and how many laker tics you give them” is clearly three things …
    1) Only smart enough to get a union job
    2) Intellectually dishonest enough to get a union job
    3) Doesn’t mind ruining other people’s lives so they can keep their union job.

    Reply this comment
  20. Paul Dugas
    Paul Dugas 26 April, 2013, 19:53

    Did you expect anything less than corruption?

    Reply this comment
  21. Unimpressed
    Unimpressed 26 April, 2013, 20:51

    Katy: you did ZERO original reporting work on this. If you had done anything other than cut and paste, you’d find this is FALSE. Richard Blum has NO financial stake in the main company in question. Read the company’s SEC filing and you’ll not find Blum listed anywhere. And yet, this anecdote has appeared on a handful of right wing blogs over the last few days…and now this site. I have no problem with an honest critique of high speed rail. But this article raises the question of whether you take your opinion journalism seriously. Your press credential should require you to actually practice journalism.

    Managing editor’s note: Businesswire reported that Tutor Perini got the bid: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130417005345/en/Tutor-Perini-Joint-Venture-Selected-985-Million

    And Wikipedia wrote: “In 1997, Perini recapitalized, passing control to a California-based investor group led by Los Angeles-based construction executive Ronald Tutor and investor Richard Blum.” It references a May 23, 2007 Boston Globe story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutor_Perini

    Reply this comment
    • Joe
      Joe 4 April, 2016, 08:57

      You must be kidding right? You really believe he has no stake as an investor in the company? You provided the data that shows he is directly connected. Wake up.

      Reply this comment
  22. Donkey
    Donkey 26 April, 2013, 21:06

    Boy, the demonrats have no shame whatsoever! Obama give Trillions of dollars away to his cronies and now the Senator wants a piece too. What a bunch of thieving crooks we have in government. 🙂

    Reply this comment
  23. Donkey
    Donkey 26 April, 2013, 21:08

    Ntheoc, you sound like a statist crook. 🙂

    Reply this comment
  24. jimmydeeoc
    jimmydeeoc 26 April, 2013, 22:23

    NTHEOC

    “Really jimmy, the CWD is no different than any other HATE GROUP with a website.”

    Ohh no! Now you’ll get CWD in SPLCs crosshairs! Look for Potok on MSNBC Monday. LOL LOL LOL.

    Reply this comment
  25. CalWatchdog
    CalWatchdog Author 27 April, 2013, 08:19

    NTHEOC: We are not haters on this site, esp. by the definition you included. Reporting on government malfeasance is not hate, but journalism.

    Please keep your remarks civil.

    — John Seiler

    Reply this comment
  26. wwhitlock
    wwhitlock 27 April, 2013, 09:41

    NTHEOC, to answer your question. No diagramming is not taught in CA public schools. It’s not on the State test.

    Reply this comment
  27. Bill Gore
    Bill Gore 27 April, 2013, 21:29

    “MR. AND MRS. FIENSTEIN: GIVE UP YOUR CRONY CAPITALIST FORTUNE!”

    “NEVER! YOU’LL HAVE TO PRY THOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OUT OF MY COLD DEAD HANDS!”

    Typical liberal bitter clingers can always use another hundred million….

    Reply this comment
  28. Carole Jacoby
    Carole Jacoby 30 April, 2013, 09:09

    Everyone of us must get on their phones today with our Legislators and raise Holy ……… If we don’t, we deserve what we get.

    Reply this comment
  29. Nicole
    Nicole 30 April, 2013, 10:02

    So many catty little b****es on this page. Grow up, you’re acting like entitled teens.

    Reply this comment
  30. phil
    phil 30 April, 2013, 19:38

    you always get crap from low bids whos the moron who elected this. surly was not the people who are going to ride in this death trap.

    Reply this comment
  31. Rand
    Rand 30 April, 2013, 21:59

    Don’t have a problem with Feinstein’s husband getting awarded the contract??!! A mindless progressive for sure. I take it you’ve never heard of conflict of interest. It happens when you actively campaign for something that will unfairly benefit you or your friends or family members. This one screams conflict of interest. Not only is she benefiting from it, she could easily feed information to her husband that no other bidder could receive. With her clout politically, she could also use her position to pressure the state to award her husband the contract. If I had been in her position where I work, the impropriety of it would be enough to get me fired.

    Reply this comment
    • Terry Rosa
      Terry Rosa 21 May, 2019, 22:11

      They also got the Nation wide contract to remove all the closed Post offices . Nothing but political bullshit . Nancy is pissed because she bought property on the train right of way . The Madera to San Francisco route over the mountains was never been surveyed or approved let alone engineered yet and the cost of tunnels is unimaginable .

      Reply this comment
  32. Patrick Reister
    Patrick Reister 1 May, 2013, 09:05

    I left California 20+ years ago. I can not believe that year after year you keep electing absolute unrepentant crooks. There is truly nothing more to say!

    Reply this comment
    • Missy
      Missy 7 February, 2021, 11:05

      Can you say the word “cheat” rather than “elect”?? We arent voting in this shit! Everyone hates piglosi. Im sure she appointed herself as QUEEN!

      Reply this comment
  33. Bossman
    Bossman 1 May, 2013, 11:27

    The ]people]on this site amuse me! Nicole and NTHEOC, do you actually have an intelligent position on this subject or are you only here to stir the pot? The thought of an elected official thinking they could get away with this is the most frightening aspect of the whole circus act. Maybe “Mr” Feinstein thought that that with all of Diane’s anti gun antics, there would be enough of a smoke screen to cover his a$$. No sane California citizen would buy-off on this. Starting with the lowest bid only assures the highest final cost due to “change orders” and cost increases due to “unforeseen” reasons. I can promise you there is a clause in the contract to keep cash pouring out of our (the taxpayers) pockets for eternity. Diane Feinstein was most likely feeding information to her husband which resulted in “his” bid being the lowest. This is corruption at it’s finest. It’s no real surprise to anyone but what I REALLY want to know is: Is there a single person in Sacramento with enough backbone to fix this problem and back out of this crooked contract??? California is in no position to spend this kind of money. It makes no difference that the feds are going to yank their dollars if we don’t “act now”, California won’t NEED a highspeed rail system when Sacramento drives us all out. [They make it sound like late night infommercials, “act now, before it’s too late”, “but wait, there’s more, turn a blind eye to the corruption and you can help make a few more billionaires in California”. I’m not surprised at seeing the “work union, live better” types chiming in to support it.
    I was born in California and have lived a successful life here, raised a family here and I am only a 5 digit balance away from owning my million dollar (plus) home free and clear. Next year I turn 50 and because of the California politics and obvious lack of intelligent leadership, I will be celebrating my 50th birthday (and all the rest) somewhere OTHER than California.

    Reply this comment
  34. Bossman
    Bossman 1 May, 2013, 14:29

    Since my post was censored, to remove what I can only guess was someone’s perceived notion of an offensive word, let me clarify. The word removed was “troll”. Trolls lurk around blogs that they would not otherwise be interested in simply to “stir the pot” or aggitate the genuine members. They generally don’t contribute to any positive discussion and usually resort to name calling and insults when their flawed reasoning is pointed out to them.

    Reply this comment
  35. s gourley
    s gourley 3 May, 2013, 15:33

    Has the writer, Ms. Grimes, confused CBRE (Blum’s firm) winning a contract to sell off some excess United States Postal Service property with the California High Speed Rail contract? This blog has been taking comments for over a week without correcting this “story.”

    Someone should write a retraction. I would think the publisher of this blog would fact check the story before publishing it. Of course, the blog writer should have checked the facts before writing it.

    Reply this comment
  36. UraFecalLiberal
    UraFecalLiberal 4 May, 2013, 13:08

    Nobody ever seems to mention the real cure: prison for a long time. That’s the reason the Richard and Diane Show keeps coming back; there’s no penalty except some negative publicity. Gimme a break. They can buy off any Progressive/Marxist media outlet today, and she can pose and posture for Leftist Pet Projects That Are Useless But Emotionally Gratifying.

    Question: isn’t this a mass form of mental illness?

    Reply this comment
  37. SkippingDog
    SkippingDog 7 May, 2013, 14:13

    Still no retraction for the false story? What about the touted journalistic ethics of CWD?

    Reply this comment
  38. Jim Lynch
    Jim Lynch 12 May, 2013, 11:51

    I guess the electorate did pass the 6 Billion bond issue to build the darn thing. Now they (politicians) are lined up like lapping dogs to get their share. Anyone who doesn’t think the water tunnels through the Delta won’t happen is a fool. I didn’t think Brown could play the violin, which he will be playing while California burns, burdened with his debt

    Reply this comment
  39. Kim
    Kim 2 October, 2013, 09:08

    I just looked up the names of the owners and board members for Perini and no Blum listed.

    Reply this comment
  40. Eric
    Eric 9 January, 2015, 19:21

    This is a travesty by itself but lets not forget that a real estate company also her husband was just given exclusive listing on 54 properties owned by the United States Postal Service. Those properties are valued at around $19 billion and could give his real estate company a $1.2 billion commision. When will the governmental gravy train be derailed!

    Reply this comment
  41. Ken
    Ken 2 May, 2018, 12:06

    $6,500 per foot? What does one foot total worth of all materials cost, the cement, concrete, rock, pig iron, rail… ?

    Reply this comment
  42. Mike
    Mike 9 June, 2018, 07:35

    Feinstein needs to retire or go to jail. We the people need to demand term limits, nepotism and contract laws that prevent elected officials from steering public funds into the pockets of family members

    Reply this comment
  43. Bowhetstone
    Bowhetstone 5 October, 2018, 13:22

    your tax dollars at work

    are you angry yet?

    Reply this comment
  44. WestWW
    WestWW 20 November, 2018, 10:00

    As we see the low bid is not the actual cost, since these cronyism deals allow cost to substantially increase.

    Reply this comment
  45. Mattie
    Mattie 19 February, 2019, 23:06

    can’t you just see this train flying through the air when the San Andrea Fault goes slipping and sliding… not me. I would want to be up there would you??? stupid is as stupid does… and Feinstein is one of the most stupid right up there with Ocasio-Cortez.

    Reply this comment
  46. dave
    dave 20 February, 2019, 17:15

    The Feds need to go and start taking sections of it to the border to be the new wall. Turned up sideways it will work.

    Reply this comment
  47. DL
    DL 27 February, 2020, 18:44

    I would like to know if Mr Diane R. Blum actually has possession of the $985,142,530 while waiting around for the burocrats to get this project started. Instead of stand around talking about the railway the powers that are dragging there feet on the railway should step it up and building it! Iam getting very tired for hearing about it and voting for it. We have alot of people in need that could use the money now!!!

    Thank you,
    DL Gates

    Reply this comment

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