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CA-Sen: Profile in Courage Chuck DeVore Explains Why He Failed to Vote During Abel Maldonado Confirmation
California Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado
I have previously posted about California Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore failing to vote yesterday TWICE in the Abel Madonado, Lt. Governor confirmation vote.
Photo courtesy of @KQED_CapNotes
Now, after much discussion on Twitter and the Blogospher comes the laughable explanation from Chuck DeVore.
“One year ago, I resigned as Assembly Minority Whip because I would not support the budget deal that led to the failed Proposition 1A — which would have been the largest state tax increase in American history. Senator Maldonado, by contrast, played a decisive role in putting 1A before the people. I won’t reward bad behavior with high office. It is in that spirit that I abstained from this vote.”
So why not just vote no on Maldo? As Chuck D explains in a Twitter exchange Friday with Fresno Bee reporter EJ Schultz, “The Assembly GOP Caucus decided to support Maldonado. Voting ‘no’ would be more a slap at them than the nominee.”
Continues Chuck D: “As you know, an abstention has the same net result as a “no.”
Well, Chuck, if the “failing to vote” is the same as an abstention which is the same as voting no, why didn’t you just vote no?
Or were you afraid of the Republican donors who you are smoozing in your U.S. Senate race might just object to YOU being the only Republican Assemblyman to vote against the Republican Governor’s appointee, Abel Maldonado, who also turns out to be a Republican?
I mean, hey, if you don’t like Abel or have some deep feelings why he should not be confirmed then, by all means, man up and explain it in a speech on the Assembly floor. You were there on the floor for the morning vote but were a “no show” in the second and afternoon vote. I guess you figured why bother.
Or, Just vote NO and keep your mouth shut if you are worried about your fellow Republican colleagues or the donors.
That is what a “principled conservative” would do, now wouldn’t he?
But, guess what Chuck?
You will get another chance to “fail to vote” for Abel Maldonado.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said today that he plans to withdraw the nomination of Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado for lieutenant governor, then re-nominate the Santa Maria Republican for the post.
The move will reset the 90-day window the Legislature has to confirm or reject the governor’s pick. In case you missed it, Maldonado failed to make it out of the Assembly yesterday, setting off a debate over what constitutes a rejection under the state constitution.
A third chance to represent your constituents, Chuck.
Such a deal.
Don’t blow it.
Technorati Tags: Abel_Maldonado, Chuck_DeVore
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Updated: CA-Sen: Profile in Courage Chuck DeVore Fails to Vote During Abel Maldonado Confirmation
California Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore tweeting about In-N-Out Burgers instead of voting?
Apparently Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, representing an Orange County District was present in the Assembly Chamber during one of two votes yesterday on the “failed?”confirmation of fellow Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado who was appointed to the vacant Lt. Governorship. But, DeVore failed to vote yes or no.
Why? I mean DeVore was present in the Assembly Chamber and he had pledged to vote against Maldonado, right?Maybe this tweet from Jon Fleischman explains DeVore’s non-vote:
Whatever that means? Chuck do you mean you will not vote because you disagree with a fellow Republican because of a budget vote, a series of votes or why? And, then, if you are opposed to his confirmation why not have the intestinal fortitude to vote against him. Don’t your Orange Count constituents who voted you into office at least deserve their Assemblyman vote on the issue?After the first vote, there was a reconsideration vote later yesterday afternoon, Chuck DeVore was either not present or present and failed to vote again. There is every indication that Assemblyman DeVore had left Sacramento in route to a campaign event for his United States Senate candidacy. The evidence that DeVore was absent from the Assembly floor was from his own tweet:
Note the approximate time of 1:40 PM of the above tweets. And, then there is the tweet from @CapitolWeekly which implies that Chuck DeVore was extolling the virtues of an “animal style” hamburger at In-N-Out Burger in Petaluma:
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.â€
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.”
Technorati Tags: Chuck_DeVore, Abel_Maldonado
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CA-Sen: Profile in Courage Chuck DeVore Fails to Vote During Abel Maldonado Confirmation
California Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore tweeting about In-N-Out Burgers instead of voting?
Apparently Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, representing an Orange County District was present in the Assembly Chamber during one of two votes yesterday on the “failed?”confirmation of fellow Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado who was appointed to the vacant Lt. Governorship. But, DeVore failed to vote yes or no.
Why? I mean DeVore was present in the Assembly Chamber and he had pledged to vote against Maldonado, right?Maybe this tweet from Jon Fleischman explains DeVore’s non-vote:
Whatever that means? Chuck do you mean you will not vote because you disagree with a fellow Republican because of a budget vote, a series of votes or why? And, then, if you are opposed to his confirmation why not have the intestinal fortitude to vote against him. Don’t your Orange Count constituents who voted you into office at least deserve their Assemblyman vote on the issue?After the first vote, there was a reconsideration vote later yesterday afternoon, Chuck DeVore was either not present or present and failed to vote again. There is every indication that Assemblyman DeVore had left Sacramento in route to a campaign event for his United States Senate candidacy. The evidence that DeVore was absent from the Assembly floor was from his own tweet:
Note the approximate time of 1:40 PM of the above tweets. And, then there is the tweet from @CapitolWeekly which implies that Chuck DeVore was extolling the virtues of an “animal style” hamburger at In-N-Out Burger in Petaluma:
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.
Technorati Tags: Chuck_DeVore, Abel_Maldonado