Free Republic

WASHINGTON - Inland Rep. Joe Baca disputed criticism from a housing advocacy group and another lawmaker that he and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus added to the national housing crisis through overzealous support of programs that enabled unqualified buyers to purchase homes. Baca, D-Rialto, said he has worked to increase responsible homeownership among minorities. He rejected an advocacy group's assertion that the Hispanic caucus was warned about lenders targeting Latino buyers with risky subprime and adjustable rate loans. Baca also denied any link between a $25,000 donation to his own foundation and his decision to co-sponsor housing legislation pushed by the...

Battered by conservative allies who believe he's broken faith with them, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday replaced Cabinet Secretary Terry Tamminen, a Democrat and well-known environmental activist whose appointment two years ago was trumpeted as a show of the Republican governor's bipartisanship. Tamminen, who headed the Santa Monica-based Environment Now foundation when he became one of the governor's first major appointments in November 2003, will hold an advisory job as special assistant to the governor for energy and environmental technologies, Schwarzenegger's office announced late Friday. Fred Aguiar, who now runs the State and Consumer Services Agency, will replace Tamminen as Cabinet...