Abel Maldonado to replace Garamendi as California lieutenant governor

AP Photo/Paul Sancya
California State Sen. Abel Maldonado speaks at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008.
Nov. 24, 2009 | Kitty Felde | KPCC

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Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his new lieutenant governor last night to the same person he told he was running for governor: NBC host Jay Leno.

State Senator Abel Maldonado will replace John Garamendi, who resigned as lieutenant governor after his election to Congress.

Kitty Felde/KPCC
Congressman, and former lieutenant governor, John Garamendi

CA/Local News

Congressman John Garamendi recalls two drawbacks to the Lt. Governor’s job: he had no vote. And it’s a place where you can do things with persuasion and persuasion and persuasion.

But only up to a point, because Garamendi’s a Democrat.

"I had to work with a Republican governor," he says.

Garamendi says that at the outset, he and Governor Schwarzenegger agreed they’d work together.

"It turns out that he wasn’t interested in working with me and his policies were policies that I found very troublesome for the state of California," Garamendi says. "And it’s proved that way."

Garamendi maintains that the governor failed to lead on issues ranging from the budget crisis to education to health care.

Garamendi’s replacement is a moderate Republican with a reputation for working across party lines.

David
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Let's see: Scumbag Arnold pays back Maldonado for Maldonado's (Republican) vote to make historically high California tax increases. In Maldonado's English speech today he glows about how "Only in America" could a farmworker's son rise this high---and he turns around in Spanish to lament that there aren't enough Latinos in high enough positions in this state with its large Hispanic population---and how "we" will change this---omitting any mention of America's greatness and unique opportunities. Does he think that only Latinos with no pride in/admiration for America and who happen to speak only Spanish are listening to the Spanish portion of his speech/that his Spanish words will not be translated into English? Oh, I forgot---KPCC, NPR, and the rest of the State-influenced, Vainstream media would never delve even that shallowly into this farce of an event.

P.S. Maldonado's family runs farming operations, and he is for driver's licenses for illegal aliens, so that these operations can be further facilitated.

PEOPLE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO VERIFY THESE FACTS YOURSELF.

Cheryl Cornell
2 months, 2 weeks ago

I wonder how long it will be before one bill gil knocks off Arnold?

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