Free Republic

SACRAMENTO (AP) - State lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have to move quickly if they want to put together a multibillion dollar plan this year to pay for transportation, flood control and other public works projects, the Senate leader said Monday. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata said support for a deal could dry up or splinter into promotions for individual lawmakers' pet projects if an agreement isn't reached in the next few weeks. "We've got to go like hell; we've got to treat it like a 100-yard dash," the Oakland Democrat said in a conference call with reporters. He...

SACRAMENTO -- With the FBI and a federal grand jury reportedly investigating him, incoming Democratic state Senate leader Don Perata of Oakland almost certainly faces a coup attempt by a Southern California senator who narrowly lost that leadership post to him, sources said Thursday. The ouster attempt might even be staged by another lawmaker as a new, post-election upper house begins work next month, numerous Capitol sources said on the condition their names not be used. Removal of Perata from the post of president pro tem -- the second-most- powerful elected job after the governor -- would leave the Bay...