Free Republic

Tongue-lash, arm-twist and back-stab, sure, but no other California lawmaker has done this decade what Assemblyman Juan Arambula did last year – dump his own party. Arambula left the Democratic Party to become the state's first legislator not aligned with a major party since Audie Bock in 2000. His June 2009 defection has resounded far beyond his Central Valley district, echoing Field Poll findings that fewer than two of every 10 voters approve of the Legislature's performance. Explaining his decision, Arambula raises the same allegations of legislative game-playing and special-interest influence that critics have leveled for years. "You have to...

A California assemblyman has split from the Democratic Party as both houses of the Legislature head toward a contentious vote this week on a plan to bridge the state's $24 billion budget gap. Juan Arambula confirmed today that he has re-registered as an independent. Formerly a moderate within the Democratic caucus, Arambula is scheduled to be termed out next year from his Central Valley district, which encompasses portions of Fresno and Tulare counties. It is not immediately clear how Arambula's decision will affect the coming budget vote, which includes more than a dozen bills that will require a two-thirds majority...