Gifts Flow, as Does the Access, CA governor's staff gets around limits LAT

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Costigan's team are among many key Schwarzenegger administration officials routinely enjoying corporate largess from special interests seeking to influence state decisions.

A Times review of thousands of lobbying reports filed since the recall election found that large corporations and business groups, many with strong ties to the administration, account for virtually all of the tickets to sporting events, dinners and receptions handed out to Schwarzenegger aides.

While the practice of taking tickets and meals has been common among legislators and their staffs for years, Gov. Gray Davis had a written policy directing his appointees not to accept gifts from groups lobbying the administration because of concern that gift-givers would expect something in return.
...........
Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's press secretary, defended the gifts with arguments that suggested the governor's aides do benefit: Such family excursions provide needed relief for overworked state officials, she said, and bonds between children can translate into political alliances.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lobby7nov07,0,7940218.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[saigon68]

1. Bribery

unbecoming

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Cronyism, actually.

The children bonding thing is the key. It's exactly how it's done in my city. You go to the same church with your local officials and before you know it, you've got the city's approval to do something to your property that infringes on your neighbor's property rights.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. His wife should turn him in.

Hey Ahnold. How about remaking your commando movies? Here's the beginning of the plot:

Chickenhawks again take us to war over oil. Soldiers with steroid induced muscles march in to destroy the enemy, but they get picked off one by one. Suddenly, the solution seems simple. Blow up the villages with short range missiles.

I still haven't figured out the ending. Tune in later.

[Straight Shooter]

4. needed relief for overworked state officials?

Bullshit. I'm overworked, too. Where the hell is my relief?

There they go again, spouting their Damage Control excuses.

[kikiek]

5. Geez if they don't owant their job I'm betting there's a few unemployed wh

do. Funny when it is us we should be happy to have a job with low pay and no benefits. When it is them they deserve all the percs good access can buy.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. It's HARD WORK being a repuke

[MsMagnificent]

6. Really. Oh my. I'm so surprised. That can't be right

/sarcasm

[VegasWolf]

7. Arnold fro pres, then we can have cronyism on a national

level. Wait a minute, I forgot Halliburton, sorry!

[jrthin]

8. California dems who

voted for this prick should really hang their heads in shame.

[Elidor]

10. Do Californians remember Ah-nuld's campaign?

He said he was NOT beholden to the special interests. God, this POS is as wretched as they come.

[AndyTiedye]

11. Time for TOTAL RECALL 2

We don't have to wait until 2006 to get even.

[Christiana]

12. It kills me that Arnie is so popular.

It's like Californians are all star struck. Do they not read the news and realize what he's doing to our state? He doesn't care about US, he doesn't even know US -- we need to get a real person (not a freaking actor) who understands the needs of average Californians.