Well, I don’t know where Chuck DeVore was during the second vote on Maldonado’s confirmation. He can answer the question. I do know that he failed to vote again. Here is a photo of the Assembly vote board for the second vote:

Photo courtesy of @KQED_CapNotes

So, Chuck don’t you have some explaining to do?

First, to your Orange County constituents on why you abstained or refused to vote yesterday morning on the confirmation of Republican Abel Maldonado for Lt. Governor? Didn’t you pledge to vote against Maldonado?

Second, where were you during the second session debate and vote? Were you at the In-N-Out Burger instead of voting? Or, in route to a U.S. Senate campaign event?

And, why did you fail to vote again? Were you present in the Assembly Chamber to NOT vote?

Inquiring minds and especially California voters want to know, Chuck.

Finally, do you plan to duck more votes? If so, then perhaps you should just resign now from the California Assembly and save the taxpayers the money it pays you for non-voting.

Update:

John Wildermuth says you have to pick one of the buttons either aye or nay.

Here’s a reminder for the seven Assembly members who didn’t bother to cast a vote Thursday on GOP state Sen. Abel Maldonado’s nomination as lieutenant governor:

The green button on your desk is for “aye” and the red button is for “nay.” But you’ve got to pick one of them. There’s no button in the middle for “both ways.”

The final tally was 35 Assembly members in favor of the nomination and 37 opposed. Since the “no” votes were a plurality, Democrats argue that Maldonado loses and the LG’s office stays vacant.

Not so fast, says GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made the nomination in the first place. Since there weren’t 41 votes against Maldonado, his argument is that since the nomination wasn’t turned down by a majority of the Assembly, Maldonado is the new lieutenant governor.

Both sides have a point, which is great news for attorneys and bad news for the state, which will foot the bill for the inevitable court battle.

One thing’s sure, though. If the Assembly members who took a walk on the nomination vote had decided to do the job they were elected to do, which is make hard decisions, this long-running fight would be a lot closer to being settled.

Instead, they all decided to duck the vote and hope nobody noticed.

GOP Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, the man who would be senator, didn’t cover himself in glory either. He was the lone Republican to take a walk on the Maldonado vote.

For DeVore, the decision also was a political one. The blueprint for his longshot effort to win the GOP U.S. Senate primary is to become the poster boy for California conservatives and snag their votes in June. Right-leaning organizations like the California Republican Assembly and various anti-tax groups, whose support DeVore desperately needs, have been howling for Maldonado’s scalp for supporting the tax hikes in last year’s budget.

On the other hand, it wouldn’t do DeVore’s street cred with the rest of the party any good to be on record as the one Republican to join Assembly Democrats in cutting Maldonado off at the knees. So rather vote his conscience, the party line or a coin flip, DeVore decided not to vote at all.

I thought Chuck DeVore was a “principled” conservative? Maybe he is just a “self-called maverick?”

Or, the likely name is “WIMP.”

Well, I don’t know where Chuck DeVore was during the second vote on Maldonado’s confirmation. He can answer the question. I do know that he failed to vote again. Here is a photo of the Assembly vote board for the second vote:

Photo courtesy of @KQED_CapNotes

So, Chuck don’t you have some explaining to do?

First, to your Orange County constituents on why you abstained or refused to vote yesterday morning on the confirmation of Republican Abel Maldonado for Lt. Governor? Didn’t you pledge to vote against Maldonado?

Second, where were you during the second session debate and vote? Were you at the In-N-Out Burger instead of voting? Or, in route to a U.S. Senate campaign event?

And, why did you fail to vote again? Were you present in the Assembly Chamber to NOT vote?

Inquiring minds and especially California voters want to know, Chuck.

Finally, do you plan to duck more votes? If so, then perhaps you should just resign now from the California Assembly and save the taxpayers the money it pays you for non-voting.