Under the cloud of a criminal investigation and facing certain impeachment, Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush resigned Wednesday, one day before he was to testify under oath on his role in a widening political corruption scandal.
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Republicans, who had increasingly isolated themselves from Quackenbush during the past month, said the evidence against him became so overwhelming that they had no choice but to desert him.
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Quackenbush's harshest critic, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R- Northridge), who had issued the first call for his impeachment weeks ago, accused the commissioner of "betraying the most fundamental principles of the Republican Party."
"He's an example of the frailties of politicians when they lose sight of their official duties in pursuit of that siren song of self-interest," said McClintock.
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Dan Dunmoyer, a powerful insurance industry lobbyist who helped recruit Quackenbush to run for the statewide office in 1996, attended the Insurance Committee's brief meeting, but turned aside a reporter's request for an interview.
Later, Dunmoyer, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, distributed a statement that said he would have no comment "due to the ongoing investigation." The industry contributed more than $8.6 million to Quackenbush's campaigns, according to the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.
Paiging ScottinSacto... paiging ScottinSacto... You still lurking on FR???
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")