Top elected officials in California who leave office in January could be eligible for lifetime pension benefits based on a salary they had earned for only about four weeks. The oddity would apply to Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, for example, if he loses to Republican Steve Poizner in his current campaign to become insurance commissioner. Claude Parrish, currently a Board of Equalization member, also could benefit from the pension sweetener if he is defeated in the Nov. 7 election for state treasurer, state records show. --snip-- The potential windfall stems from a little-known provision in state law coupled with...