Posted on 07/16/2005 2:49:30 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was criticized for having a conflict of interest last week after it was revealed he vetoed a bill regulating food supplements while he had a multimillion dollar contract with magazines that profit from the industry.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the governor explained why he felt there was no conflict and said his support for the magazines and nutritional supplements dates to his earliest days as an aspiring body builder.
"This has nothing to do with money," he said in a telephone interview Friday from Los Angeles. "Of course, for me, it was a love for the sport. I always felt that if I could achieve all I could through the sport, there are millions of young kids that can use that sport as a way of building their body and gaining self confidence."
The controversy erupted after the magazines' publisher, American Media Inc., filed a securities disclosure that revealed the lucrative arrangement with Schwarzenegger. He was to be paid at least $1 million a year for five years for acting as a consultant and writing columns for the magazines, which included Flex and Muscle & Fitness.
He ended the financial arrangement on Friday, telling the AP he wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict. He said he will continue writing the columns.
Schwarzenegger came under fire at a time of increased scrutiny on the use of performance-enhancing substances, particularly among young athletes who see them as a way to gain a competitive edge. The governor ended his financial relationship with the magazines the same day three people connected to a San Francisco Bay area laboratory pleaded guilty to distributing illegal steroids.
The problem for Schwarzenegger is over how supplements are defined. When the governor speaks of them, he is talking about commonplace nutritional aides and protein powders that can be bought off the counter at almost any local supermarket.
"When they talk about performance-enhancing supplements, immediately someone thinks performance-enhancing is usually used as with drugs. They put a negative spin on it," he said. "It makes people believe that we are dealing with something dangerous."
The author of the bill he vetoed last year said her legislation attempted to address far different concoctions, some that already are banned by international athletic organizations.
State Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, said the intent of her bill is to regulate the use of potentially harmful dietary supplements that often are advertised as testosterone-boosters and muscle-builders.
A similar bill she introduced this year seeks to ban the sale of specific stimulants and steroid precursors to minors, some of which already are prohibited by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Some of those are advertised in the pages of the muscle magazines that were paying the governor.
Speier said Schwarzenegger was wrong in saying her legislation could have regulated normal vitamins or protein powders because it did not define supplements specifically enough.
"I don't think he ever read the bill," Speier said.
In pushing her bills, Speier has cited numerous ill health effects suffered by minors who have used the supplements, including liver disease, heart problems and acne outbreaks.
Schwarzenegger said he wants to be sure the types of supplements he considers beneficial are not banned. He said he believes strongly in the benefits of nutritional supplements and vowed not to sign any bill that attempts to regulate them too strictly.
"I want to do everything I can to get rid of drugs and steroids and other medications that are being used to enhance your performance," Schwarzenegger said. "But I made it very clear that I would never sign a bill that would not allow food supplements to be sold in the schools even though someone puts a spin on it and says it's a performance-enhancing food supplement.
"Everyone knows that eating is a third of your success in any sport, so I felt like there was no reason to outlaw food supplements. It's something I have lived off and been taking all my life since I was 15 years old and (has) benefited me tremendously and doesn't cause any harm to anything."
He said that stance has "nothing to do with my connection to a fitness magazine. It has to do with me, Arnold."
He dates his use of supplements to his teenage years in Austria. He began using protein supplements when he became convinced that the one meal a week of meat his family provided was insufficient for building a powerful physique.
Schwarzenegger's daily regimen now includes taking numerous supplements, a routine he has passed along to his wife and children.
"Even today, when I eat, I have in my bathroom at the Capitol, I have five or six bottles of food supplements, vitamins C and B12 and B and fish oil pills and all that kind of stuff," he said. "Wherever I am, I have food supplements. That's part of me. I just happen to believe in it very strongly."
who needs 'em?
when ya got beer and chips. :) (/sarcasm)
Speier said Schwarzenegger was wrong in saying her legislation could have regulated normal vitamins or protein powders because it did not define supplements specifically enough.
"I don't think he ever read the bill," Speier said.
In pushing her bills, Speier has cited numerous ill health effects suffered by minors who have used the supplements, including liver disease, heart problems and acne outbreaks.
Schwarzenegger said he wants to be sure the types of supplements he considers beneficial are not banned. He said he believes strongly in the benefits of nutritional supplements and vowed not to sign any bill that attempts to regulate them too strictly.
The government knows better what's best for us. We are just ignorant zombies and smart people like Speier have to tell us what vitamins we are allowed to take.
(/sarcasm)
There is actually some stone left unturned for the states to meddle with? Really?
facts are facts.. :)
Is a governor who owns real estate not allowed to vote on real estate regulations?
If he owns stock, is he not allowed to vote on stock regulations?
Its a non-issue.
Gubs don;t vote, they sign and veto,, and posture.
... and it's a dead issue now, but keep trying. :)
Right. Next it will be argued that a governor has a conflict of interest when a bill defines rules for carbon based life forms, if he has a personal relationship with any carbon based lifeforms.
Agred.
But you get my point.
I hear what you offer as well.
The question is one of appearance of impropriety, more so, as this one developed.
Signing the contract 2 days before being sworn in as Gub, then making no announcement which for aRnie is odd as he loves to hype the heck out of everything, and then having it finally divulged thru SEC process,, ehhh, I guess no rules were broken, maybe technically, however , see the Gub's own statement.
Have a good one. I need to go get wet.
He says a lot when he speaks, and then has a hard time living up to his own utterances and ends up hoisted on his own pittard.
The "announcement" was made months ago in Muscle and Fitness.
He has been an editor of Joe Weider's M&F for many, many years.
I am glad that the government watchdogs finally read the report which M&F readers knew months ago.
They had a change of ownership and he signed a new contract 2 days before he was sworn in.
I see that Arnold has an advanced degree in nutrition and is qualified to make such distinctions for everybody.
Every politician since Nixon has understood that you put your money into a blind trust and accept the paycheck as your sole source of income. That's just how it is in matters involving public trust.
That Arnold think's he's something different just shows how stupid and arrogant he really is.
Not that I think Arnold should be conflicted while in office, but did he not turn down the Governor's salary?
He did, but from what I can tell it was his typical grandstanding. He did it in the name of cutting unnecessary spending, but at the same time his budget has increased the growth in spending by 50%.
Well, I would not expect him to be a genuine conservative. He is the epitome of the moderate republican, one day California will revitalize their conservative side and kick out most of the legislature.
As far as cutting spending, I believe you. Arnie simply let the economy grow California out of bankruptcy, (unless you are still in bankruptcy). He did about as much as I expected, (better than Davis) and maybe he will start the process of breaking the unions stranglehold over the state. (And I am a former teacher, but the union has to go.)
(your arnold quote) that's why arnold is answering the ap's questions! (/s)
democrats need to be asked more questions in public.
democrats need to be asked more questions in public.
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No argument there.
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