Thank goodness Democrats aren't vindictive

Sacramento Bee: Oracle prober loses post

Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson on Tuesday stripped the committee chairmanship from the crusading legislator who probed the Davis administration's computer software deal with Oracle Corp. -- just as his audit panel was about to investigate Davis' handling of veterans affairs.

Wesson, D-Culver City, booted Assemblyman Dean Florez, D-Shafter, from the Joint Legislative Audit Committee on Tuesday afternoon. Wesson spokesman Richard Zeiger said the move was "an internal management issue" involving Democrats that Wesson would not comment on further.

But Florez said Wesson told him he was kicked off the committee because he missed key procedural votes Monday evening on a bill that would regulate "greenhouse gas" emissions from passenger vehicles.

Florez suspects otherwise.

"The real reason is we pushed too hard on Oracle," he said. "I think it's somewhat of a payback."

So much for whistleblower protections and the like. Then again, legislatures across the country, and at the Federal level, routinely make themselves exempt from the laws, rules, and regulations they impose on the rest of us.

And, damnit, don't embarass a governor running for re-election! He does well enough alone.