Posted on 01/12/2005 8:57:46 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO -- Assemblywoman Nicole Parra on Tuesday gave beleaguered Secretary of State Kevin Shelley two more days to decide whether to testify voluntarily before her audit committee about his handling of federal election funds.
At the conclusion of a committee hearing late Monday night, Parra said she would seek a subpoena if Shelley had not agreed by noon Tuesday to appear before the committee's next hearing.
Tuesday afternoon, she released an exchange of letters between herself and Shelley in which the secretary of state asked for more time to consult with his attorneys before responding.
"As you might imagine, your request that I appear has raised concerns with my legal counsel given the number of investigations now pending," Shelley wrote.
In addition to accusations involving the federal funds, the Democratic secretary of state is a subject in an FBI criminal probe of contributors to his campaign who also received state funds authorized in a bill by Shelley when he was an assemblyman.
Parra gave him until 10 a.m. Thursday. If he does not agree by then to appear, she will seek a subpoena from the legislature's Joint Rules Committee, she said.
She told reporters later that she thinks the extra time "does not hurt the process."
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 3.
Parra's committee is conducting hearings on a scathing state auditor's report that concluded Shelley mismanaged millions of dollars in federal funds earmarked for electronic voting machines and voter education. Some people employed with the money participated in partisan Democratic Party events, which may have been illegal, the report said.
Parra has been under sharp criticism from Republicans who said the hearing process looked like a whitewash by Democratic leaders -- in sharp contrast to their aggressive investigation of wrongdoing by former Republican Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush a few years ago. Quackenbush resigned in disgrace.
But on Tuesday, the GOP vice chairman of Parra's committee said he felt granting Shelley's request for more time was not unreasonable.
"This is the first step in what has the potential of being a very lengthy process," said Sen. Chuck Poochigian, R-Fresno. "And getting it right and well-ordered in the beginning is important. It remains to be seen how we proceed from here."
Shelley had no comment on the time extension, said a spokeswoman.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/12013885p-12884337c.html
By Kevin Yamamura, Sacramento Bee
Despite facing a subpoena threat with a Tuesday deadline, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley did not agree to testify before a state legislative committee investigating whether he mishandled $81 million in federal election funds. The FBI is investigating political contributions given to Shelley by donors whose San Francisco community center received state money that Shelley once helped secure. Meanwhile, the state Personnel Board is examining complaints that Shelley's office is a hostile work environment.
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Shelley given more time to decide on testimony
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/12/BAGMSAON991.DTL
By Christian Berthelsen, San Francisco Chronicle
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley was granted more time Tuesday to decide whether he will testify before a legislative committee investigating his handling of federal voting act funds. The chairwoman of the state panel leading the inquiry had originally said she would seek to compel Shelley's appearance with a legislative subpoena if he did not agree by noon Tuesday to voluntarily appear.
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Deadline Set for Shelley to Decide If He Will Testify in Funds Probe
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-shelley12jan12,1,5982528.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california
The secretary of state tells legislators he wants to cooperate but needs time to talk to a lawyer
By Tim Reiterman, Los Angeles Times
The head of a legislative committee investigating California's handling of federal election funds gave Secretary of State Kevin Shelley a two-day extension Tuesday to decide whether he will testify voluntarily. Assemblywoman Nicole Parra (D-Hanford) told Shelley she would seek a subpoena if he does not agree by 10 a.m. Thursday to testify before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which she leads. After Shelley failed to appear at a committee hearing Monday, Parra gave him a deadline of noon Tuesday to agree to testify.
Apparently, the auditor, who, the Governator borrowed from Floriduh in her reports to the legislative group investigating Smelly Gate left no doubt that Smelly is criminal posing as our SOS.
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