CA: Allegations fly in race for controller

McClintock accuses Westly of 'insider trading' at eBay; the former executive says his opponent 'has no clue.'

State controller candidate Steve Westly sold more than $14 million in eBay stock shortly before the company announced layoffs in one of its divisions and Westly left the popular online auction firm.

Tom McClintock is the foremost spokesman in California on conservative fiscal policy and state government waste. Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee wrote in 1992 that Tom McClintock has "consistently been one of the very few legislators who's been right about what California is experiencing." In May 1993, Tim Ferguson of the Wall Street Journal observed, "Mr. McClintock remains about the only man in California who has consistently projected correctly the magnitude of the budget crises of the 1990's." The Orange County Register said, "Former Assemblyman Tom McClintock has consistently been among the most accurate forecasters of the effects of state tax and spending policies."

McClintock was first elected to the California Legislature in 1982 at the age of 26. Within two years, he became Assembly Republican Whip, a leadership position he held for five years.

In 1987 he jointly authored the Mello-Condit-McClintock Tax Rebate Act, which returned $1.1 billion of tax over-collections to the taxpayers of California. In 1992, he authored California's current lethal injection death penalty law.

In 1992, McClintock received the Republican nomination for U.S. Congress, losing the general election, although running 12 points ahead of the Republican top-of-ticket. In 1994, he overwhelmingly received the Republican nomination for California State Controller, losing the general election by one and a half points. In 1996, he was overwhelmingly returned to the state Assembly from the 38th Assembly District. For a period of four years, beginning in 1978, McClintock wrote a newspaper column, which he syndicated nationally in 1980. From 1980-82, McClintock served as Chief of Staff to Senator Ed Davis. Senator McClintock is also a recognized expert in parliamentary law

From 1992-1994, McClintock served as Director of the Center for the California Taxpayer, a project of the National Tax Limitation Foundation.

In 1995, McClintock was named Director of Economic and Regulatory Affairs for the Claremont Institute's Golden State Center for Policy Studies, a position he held until his return to the Assembly. In that capacity McClintock wrote and lectured extensively on state fiscal policy, privatization, bureaucratic reform and governmental streamlining. His commentaries on California public policy have appeared in every major newspaper in California.

Senator McClintock returned to the Assembly in 1996 where he was the driving force in the Legislature to abolish the car tax in California. In 1997, he co-authored the San Fernando Valley Secession bill. In 2000 Senator Tom McClintock was elected to the California State Senate.

Tom McClintock has been active in Republican politics since 1972. From 1973-1974, he served as president of the California Student Republican Organization; from 1979 to 1981 as Republican County Chairman for Ventura County; and from 1985 to 1992 as Resolutions Chairman for the California Republican party.

In 1984, McClintock was named one of five outstanding young Californians by the California Jaycees and received the civilian Medal of Merit from the Ventura County Peace Officers Association for rescuing an elderly man from a condominium fire in 1984. He has been honored by numerous taxpayer associations around the state for his leadership on state budget issues.

Senator McClintock is vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Banking, Commerce and International Trade Committee, the Environmental Quality Committee, the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and the Constitutional Amendments Committee.

Tom McClintock and his wife, Lori, have two children, Justin (9) and Shannah (11).

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