This week state auditors found little fault in Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez’s expenditures, but I don’t think that we, the people, should let him off the hook so easily. Sure, the money he spent came from donors, but I don’t know why items purchased from Louis Vuitton, Williams Sonoma, and Nordstroms are needed to perform his job. Maybe someone here can tell me. This guy is the Speaker of the Assembly not the President of the United States or the Queen of the UK. And what about these Falconhead boots he’s been buying? Is he trying to one up President Bush in playing cowboy? Those are some expensive shit kickers. Items purchased at Falconhead were used as gifts for dignitaries, public officals, and staff. Who would want these tacky belt buckles and technicolor boots?
We also learned this week that AT&T employees have been urged to support Proposition 93 to extend term limits for you know who… Mr. Self-Service and Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair. Now I understand the pros and cons to term limits. I realize that a state as expansive and complicated as California requires legislators who have experience. I don’t doubt that for a minute, but I voted against this measure precisely because Fabian Nuñez was pushing this. Speaker Nuñez authored legislation that allows AT&T and other phone companies to compete against cable operators for pay television customers. This issue really isn’t relevant to me since I don’t have cable and don’t watch much television to begin with.
While on the subject of highfalutin Fabian Nuñez, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the Clinton campaign discussed bringing this guy in as a co-chair. What were they thinking? How does Fabian Nuñez represent change? Hillary Clinton has been telling us that she has been working for change for 35 years, but Nuñez doesn’t exemplify positive change. He is reminicient of the politics of yesterday. I find it offensive that Clinton and company parades him around in their Latino outreach efforts. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if he had a longer and more prolific record, but he doesn’t.
12 responses so far ↓
1 Michaelr // Feb 3, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Nothing like another superficial, small-minded, and self-serving Mexican-American politician to further dampen the road to political empowerment. It’s obscene that the California Democratic Party continues to tolerate his public behavior, and turns a blind eye to his taxpayer funded abuses. All Fabian Nunez does is further the stereotype that Latino politicians are all flash and no substance. These character issues represent what is ugly about Third World mentalities given a little bit of power.
2 the Kaiser // Feb 3, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I am sure Henry B. Gonzalez would’ve hopped on a plane and flown into Sacramento to give this little shit a physical whoop ass for being so free spending with taxpayer monies. But since Henry isn’t around maybe Gloria Molina can get around to it.
3 Bearguez // Feb 3, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Maybe we should get Nordstrom’s to send Fabian Nunez an application for employment, so he can apply and live out his dream to be a personal shopper. What union funded this loser?
4 Michaelr // Feb 3, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
5 El Cholo // Feb 3, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Get out and vote for Barack Obama! #$%@ all these other self-serving mother&%$#ers!
6 roberto // Feb 3, 2008 at 5:34 pm
First of all, this wasn’t taxpayer money. It was campaign funds that he raised, and as the audit found, was a perfectly legitimate use of those funds. He was meeting with the second highest official in France. Did you expect him to get something at KMart? Is it wrong that he bought his staff and fellow members holiday gifts, just like any other businessman does? And he didn’t buy boots–read the article. None of this was for personal use.
Nunez is the co-author of the first greenhouse gas law in the USA,
7 webmaster // Feb 3, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Roberto, I never suggested that Nuñez used taxpayer money. I said it was campaign/donor money.
As for the boots, why does he need to purchase those for dignitaries/public officals/staff? Most public officials wear suits and dress shoes, not Cowboy costumes. This is state business not the rodeo or charro show.
No, I don’t think that he needs to buy something at KMart either. What’s wrong with purchasing wine from a CA winery as a gift instead of buying wine from France?
And why should public officials be buying each other gifts in the first place? They earn enough and get enough “breaks” and “kickbacks” from their private sector friends. As it is, he makes $130K a year, and his health care interest group employed wife makes over $100K per year as well. A nice “middle class” living, right?
8 Michaelr // Feb 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Of course its taxpayer money, it’s always taxpayer money. Since Fabian Nunez has sold out his office to AT&T, Chevron, and numerous other large Fortune 500 companies, he is obligated to do their bidding, which is always contrary to those constituents who elected him to that office. Have you ever heard of the word “Collusion?” The Friends of Fabian Nunez slush fund who supposedly pay for all his trips abroad is largely AT&T, Chevron, and all those other Fortune 500 companies seeking revisions in the laws to benefit their businesses, largely at the expense of the public. The Los Angeles Times is just scratching the tip of the iceberg of this corrupt public official. What makes this so ugly is that Fabian Nunez flaunts this behavior…publicly.
9 Bearguez // Feb 4, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Since when is Fabian Nunez a businessman? He’s a public civil servant…or rather a corrupt public civil servant. And who is actually the author of that greenhouse gas law…Chevron?
10 webmaster // Feb 4, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I agree Bearguez. Nuñez is not a businessman; he’s a public servant. Or in this case, he’s a self servant. If he wanted gifts, big bonuses, and other perks, he could very well go work in private industry where this stuff is the norm. I have worked for a few state agencies, and we were always careful about purchases that could not be justified or that might be considered “questionable.” And I have also worked in non-profit fundraising, where again, we were so careful about how we spent our donors’ money. He is a state assemblyman, not the CEO of AT&T or Chevron.
11 Pocos pero locos // Feb 23, 2008 at 8:49 am
Otro shameful latino politician,
I have a succseful career with a fortune 100 copmany in a multi-billion dollar industry. In this post-enron world the prevailing expectation: be demure. The corporate environment is NOT onboard with gaudy gifts, expensive wines and clothing….much less a public employee.
Flashy extravagances are best left to cheesy red carpet celebs and music videos.
12 webmaster // Feb 23, 2008 at 9:00 am
Pocos pero locos,
Good observation and experience from the private sector.
I’m glad you are contributing to the blog with your comments.
Leave a Comment