Appointments For Sale

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Dec 14, 2005 - 01:00 PM

Appointments For Sale

by Carmen Balber

Recently Governor Schwarzenegger was forced to ask for the resignation of Brent Wilkes, a campaign contributor he appointed to two state boards, after media reports of Wilkes' involvement in the bribery scandal surrounding Congressman "Duke" Cunningham. Nonetheless, Arnold has refused to return Wilkes' $73,600 in donations. Why? That precedent would cost him over $1 million in campaign contributions he's accepted from other donors he's appointed to high office.

Wilkes comes in at a lowly #7 on Arnold's "Appointments For Sale" list:

1) Greenlaw Grupe, Jr., California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, $250,000 from The Grupe Co.

2) Donald Fisher, State Board of Education, $223,500 from Fisher, wife and son

3) Ed Reno, Boating and Waterways Commission, $185,000 from Allergan (Reno is Allergan's National Dir. of State Government Affairs)

4) Douglas Barnhart, Del Mar Fair Board and the Race Track Leasing Commission, $113,600 from Barnhart and wife

5) Richard Riordan, former Secretary of Education, $92,400 from Riordan and wife

6) Kelly Burt, Del Mar Fair Board, $80,000

7) Brent Wilkes, Del Mar Fair Board and Race Track Leasing Commission, $73,600 from Wilkes, wife and Wilkes' company

8) A.G. Kawamura, Food & Agriculture Secretary, $21,200

9) Fredrick Ruiz, California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and University of California Regents, $10,000

If Arnold wants to keep the million plus these donors paid for their positions, then he should at least require his other donor appointees to resign.

ArnoldWatch is a project of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization. FTCR does not endorse or oppose candidates.