Governor blames GOP Legislators for his failings. Asm Kevin Jeffries sets the record straight.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger chose to use his weekly Raido Address to take aim at four Republican legislators who did not support his legislation that proportedly contained pention reform. Specifically he said"

"Maybe these Republicans just simply sold out because they got campaign contributions from the state prison guard unions,"

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/18/3111520/gop-foes-kindle-governors-wrath.html#ixzz12jks6OIu


Here is Assebmlyan Jeffries offical statement regarding the Governor's Remarks:

"I have enjoyed working with the Governor, and appreciate that he has finally decided to stand and fight for something – anything - even something he abandoned and apologized for after losing in the 2005 special election, leaving those of us who supported him and his efforts out to hang and dry.  And despite the misrepresentations in his remarks, it was very impressive to see that he was actually able to name six Republicans currently serving in the Assembly.   He has been a very entertaining governor and I wish him well in his renewed acting career"

Assemblyman Jeffries did NOT speak against the bill or vote to block it, even though the Governor was reportedly threatening to come campaign against those who opposed him in their districts.  Reports on the floor were that the Governor caved to a last minute threat from another large union (bargaining unit) that was going to fight and kill the pension reform unless he agreed behind the scenes to exclude them (nearly 100,000 employees) from the reforms.

At that point, he reportedly caved and decided to remove them from the bill. Now he is throwing a temper tantrum because some of the legislators didn’t agree to his last minute half-baked reforms?!   Had the Legislature been allowed to examine and discuss the bills in their entirety before they were voted upon in the legislature (as Assemblyman Jeffries’ ACA 8 would have required), perhaps the discrepancies between public safety employees and other state workers could have been explained and he could have supported the legislation.  But while some reform may be necessary in police and fire pensions, he will not cut them until all the other state employees have had their pensions modified as well.