Posted on 02/03/2005 4:36:06 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Embattled Secretary of State Kevin Shelley should not be forced to testify before a legislative panel if he decides to resign his offices, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez said Thursday.
Shelley's appearance before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee was pushed back at least three weeks after independent counsels appointed by both parties said they needed more time to review the case.
The reprieve also means that legislative leaders have more time to negotiate the possible conditions of Shelley's resignation, which has been rumored in the Capitol for weeks.
Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said he did not think Shelley should have to make an appearance if he decides to step down before the hearing convenes.
"I think that if Mr. Shelley were to resign, it would be ridiculous of us to force him into a hearing and get testimony," Nunez said in a press conference in his office. "Particularly when you have other investigations in place - two federal investigations and the attorney general.
"I don't think we want to impede the ability of those investigations."
Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy later said Shelley should testify even if he resigns.
"We'd never impede the other investigations," the Bakersfield Republican said. "The secretary of state is a state job, and the money that is alleged to be misspent is the responsibility of the state, regardless of what Kevin Shelley does, whether he stays or not."
At issue is Shelley's oversight of $46 million in federal Help America Vote Act funds, which a December state audit found his office had managed poorly. The audit also said it didn't properly oversee consultants it hired.
No criminal wrongdoing was found in the audit, but investigators raised questions about HAVA-funded consultants attending partisan events, promoting Shelley at fund-raisers and conducting other duties with little connection to the federal law.
Say . . . this isn't a cover up is it?
Guess I need a new keyboard; that first word should be "Need" :-)
walks like a duck... quack :-}
Did someone say, "duck"?
Those registration drives in the southland were certainly requested by the same folks who are now promoting the silent resignation of their "boy" who did the dirty deed.
What do we have now Norm? At least two and maybe three big Democrat guns in the legislature who benefited from those political/cultural registration "sweeps" in the LA ghettos that the feds prohibited.
Shelley probably won't sing but it would still be fun to have the tortured boundaries of those illegal registration drives plastered on the front page just in time to support the grass roots efforts to redistrict.
This is just perfect! Just let the bozo resign and everything disappears. Good grief!
Well, there are three other investigations going on....I think there are darker days for the Democrats in California...that is why Bustmante is looking for work in Mexico.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/rollingstolen/47972.html
I'm sorry .. I just have not been following this. I was so involved in the Bush election I just didn't have time to follow any state stuff. Now I'm still battling burnout.
But .. I don't like Shelley - and I hope he's exposed for the crook he really is.
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