Lieu Votes with GOP -- Steinberg Says Nothing

State Senate President Darrell Steinberg has pressured the indicted Ron Calderon (D-Bell) to resign, yet says nothing to convicted felon Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood). This double-standard is disgraceful. Because of Calderon and Wright’s tarnished records, they should both be expelled.

State Senator Lieu
Voted with GOP
To Move to Expel Wright

Three Republican state senators, Joel Anderson (Alpine), Stephen Knight (Palmdale) and recently elected Andy Vidak (Hanford), submitted a resolution to expel Wright. Only one Democrat joined them: State Senator Ted Lieu (Torrance).

Thank you, Senator Lieu. Shame on every other senator who voted otherwise.

Daily Breeze reporters have documented rising allegations of corruption in a local school district (Centinela Valley). Analysts reported on growing financial liabilities (or lack thereof) in key cities (Torrance), and editorials have condemned the unwholesome shenanigans of city managers in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach).

Now The Daily Breeze, and every voter, should pressure the California state senate, including Senate President Steinberg, to hold every senator accountable.

State Senate President Darrell Steinberg:
Still Says Nothing About Wright

Lieu Votes With GOP on Wright Expulsion

I have to write this.

This is good news for everyone who lives in State Senate district 26 - so far.

State Senator Ted Lieu voted with the state senate Republican minority to move for Roderick Wright's expulsion.

Lieu Voted to Expel Wright

Finally, the legislators are listening.

The story came out today in the LA Times.

Here's one quote:

A resolution by three Republican Senators to expel Wright was referred by Democrats to committee, where it is expected to languish until a trial judge acts May 16 on a request by Wright to overturn the jury verdict.

Then:

The Senate voted 21 to 13 largely along party lines to shelve the resolution. Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) voted against the referral.

Finally, political pressures on our representatives is paying off.

Milton Friedman always shared: "It's nice to get the right people in office. It's best to get the wrong people to do the right things."

With Lieu's decision to vote to expel convicted felon Roderick Wright, one has to wonder if his chances of making the Top Two after the June 3 primary for the 33rd Congressional District will improve or fail.

At least we can rest in the knowledge that as more people hold their legislators accountable, there will be more pressure on the state senate to expel members whose records are tarnished, who have been indicted or convicted of serious crimes.

Ted Lieu Comes to Redondo Beach Pharmacy

Everyone!

State Senator Ted Lieu will be at:

Odette Leonelli, Pharmacist - Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, 310 371-7541

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2860 Artesia Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA 90278

--------------
He will be there today -- 2-28 - at 5pm

 Voters need to confront him and demand to know:

1. Why he says nothing about convicted felon state senator Roderick Wright
2. Why Lieu tried to triple our car tax.

3. Why he cares about tanning salons and pets instead of human taxpayers.
Please read and share the following:

http://www.lagopclubs.com/4/post/2014/02/democrats-support-south-bay-convicted-felon-state-senator-taxpayers-deserve-better.html

http://tedlieuwatch.blogspot.com/2014/02/lieu-stil-silent-on-roderick-wright.html

Thank you for your time!

Sustainable Sea Food with Ted Lieu -- Really?

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/439245050132721664

Before arriving at Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy in Redondo Beach, State Senator Ted Lieu was dining on sea food at an event promoting environmentalism in sea food consumption:

W/ LA Councilmember @mikebonin at LA Food Policy Council's Sustainable Seafood Solutions event. pic.twitter.com/IBmzC1cOcs

One of the comments request to know why Lieu was promoting sustainability regarding sea food, yet at the same time he had voted against legislation which would ban using shark fins for ethnic delicacies.

Lieu shared with me that he voted against the legislation when I spoke with him at a Humane Animals convention in Studio City last year. The article reporting on his vote informed us that Lieu voted against the bill because of his concerns that Chinese ethnic cuisine would suffer.

While it is commendable that Lieu voted against that one bill, it still became law. He also supported legislation which has protected puppies, bears, and abandoned ships.

But nothing on school choice.

Nothing on easing the tax burden in the state of California.

Nothing which will make life easier for the two-legged creatures, the human beings, in our state.

Senator Lieu wants to investigate means of production and distribution of sustainable sea food.

What about promoting a state economic and political environment which sustains freedom and prosperity for all Californians?

Lieu at the Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, Feb 28

Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy:
Redondo Beach, CA

Odette Leonelli, the head  Pharmacist of Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, hosted State Senator Ted Lieu at her pharmacy last Friday.

Mark Tilford of Redondo Beach had sent out a flyer informing everyone in the are that State Senator Lieu would be in the area.

I wanted to make sure that I got there, so that I could confront him about State Senator Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), a legislator who has been convicted of eight felony counts, including voter fraud and perjury.

I got to the pharmacy a few minutes early, just in time to see the pharmacist, Ms. Leonelli.

Then Sen. Lieu showed up. He just waved at me, then entered the pharmacy.

I tried to take a few pictures of the state senator with some of the staff, but sometimes Ms. Leonelli tried to block my view.

I understand that she was uncomfortable, and wanted to make a good impression, but every constituent has the right to meet and greet and confront his or her legislator regarding key issues.

She had welcomed many of her patients to meet with the state senator, too. To the back corner of the store, she provided a few chairs and some pastries. A man with a camera began taking pictures. Then more people showed up.

Ms. Leonelli started talking about all the costs she was incurring because of a group of pharmacy benefit managers, like intermediaries, otherwise called PBMs, I mentioned right away the potential problems caused by Obamacare.

Right away, Ms. L cut me off:

"We are not here to discuss the Affordable Care Act."

I find it fascinating that individuals want to discuss bringing in more red tape and regulations instead of finding ways to get the government out of health care. The more government intervention which our legislators and voters permit into any system, the more compelled our legislators will be to bring in more government.

She was vehement that I did not bring up anything controversial, it seems.

Still,; the more that she described all the rules and red tape that she had to deal with in order to serve her customers, the more I felt for her plight. Now more than ever, individual medical professionals face greater pains to provide a direct and warm service to local customers. A letter in the Daily Breeze lamented the closing local pharmacies in the region, including a  historical fixture in San Pedro area was closing after 125 years!

Along with Sen. Lieu, the pharmacist  also had a lawyer, an elderly gentleman from a law firm in San Anselmo.

I was kind of surprised that that an attorney from the Bay Area was speaking with a pharmacist and her customers here in Redondo Beach.

As I was questioning Senator Lieu, Dr. Leonelli interrupted me a second time, rebutting:

"We are not here to discuss politics".

"Leonelli didn't want to talk politics
with me, a politician. . ."

Then I countered:

"But we are. You have here State Senator Lieu. . ."

She quickly changed the subject again.

The discussion at length spoke about the gouging practices of pharmacy benefit managers. I asked the lawyer and also Sen. Lieu to share what they would do to stop the gouging which the pharmacies face.

Leonelli, Sen. Lieu, and the attorney were all dead-set on the notion that more rules and regulations would stop the pricing out of local pharmacies.

Many people in the store spoke very highly of Dr. Leonelli, that she provided excellent customer service, that she would take the time and trouble to contact individual doctors and make sure that her patients were getting the best care.

Yet because she does not have the time or money to work with the insurance companies directly to get the proper funding for her patients and the medications, she and all other individual pharmacies must work through the PBMs, and these firms receive the monies from the insurance companies, yet reimburse the pharmacies pennies on the dollar for the medications which they provide.

Leonelli is going broke providing for her customers, and she gets only one-third, at most, reimbursed for the costs of providing her customers the drugs that they need.

I really feel for her. I do not believe, though, that more regulations are going to do any good. I tried to make this point a number of times, but I was interrupted by either Ms. L, or one of the customers, who was dead set on more regulations.

The attorney present at the Pharmacy, Lynn Carman, made frequent allusions between the PBMs and the Pacific Railroad in California during the late 1800s.

Currently, there are six PBMs operating in California, and I have read about the slow demise of independent Pharmacies. Yet just as the Pacific Railroad lost its monopoly hold over the transportation system in California, so to these PBMs can lose the supposed stronghold on independent pharmacies.

I also asked the lawyer and then the state senator if any medical professionals had shared their views on the subject. They did not know. I certainly was not thrilled with the idea that Senator Lieu would sit down with a group of lawyers to come up with legislation.

At the end of the presentation, I pressed state senator Lieu about Roderick Wright:

"Lieu voted to move a resolution to expel me?
Uh Oh!"

"Senator Lieu, there is a convicted felon in the state senate, Roderick Wright, and your silence on this is unacceptable."

All while I was trying to address the state senator in front of everyone in the Pharmacy, Ms. Leonelli tried to interrupt me by handing my some pastries (I had taken a few already).

She then told me that I had no right to be discussing such issues in her pharmacy.

I reminded her that I have a first Amendment right to speak to my state senator.

Lieu then shared with me that he voted with the Republicans to expel Wright.

I was actually very glad to hear this.

I then shook his hand, then pressed him to get other Democrats to vote the same way.

Later on, I spoke with the state senator outside of the pharmacy, and I pressed him on Ron Calderon, and the state senator told me that Calderon would announce on Monday (3-3-2014) what he was going to do.

It was an interesting evening, to say the least. I am beginning to believe that if individual voters work together and pressure their state senators, like Lieu, we will start seeing them make the right decisions and cast the right votes. I am also aware, though, that state senator Lieu is running for Congress, and would very much like for the issue regarding his silence on Wright to be silenced as a campaign issue.

Lieu Still Silent on Roderick Wright

Today (February 10, 2014), State Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) was racking up all the endorsements which he has received from California Democratic Party officials.


"I'm sorry. . .are you waiting for me to say something?"

He also has said nothing -- not one thing -- about the current status of convicted felon state senate colleague Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) who is still "serving" in Sacramento, even though prior examples of convicted felon legislators resigned their seats, or at least a committee moved to expel the member from the chamber.

At this point, other candidates for the 33rd Congressional District should also consider demanding that Lieu show some independence and leadership, and demand that he move for the expulsion of Roderick Wright from the state senate.

Lieu's silence on this issue is deafening, demeaning, and demoralizing to say the least.

His Sacramento office released the information earlier today that  Lieu has issued no press release on this matter. There is no excuse. Three Republican state senators, the independent candidate running for California Secretary of State, and

For a legislator who cared about abandoned ships, domestic pets, the welfare of bears and adolescents in tanning salons, who wanted to end the cruel practical joke of
swatting, one wonders why he would to also move to maintain the integrity of California's state senate?

Lieu wants to represent the Santa Monica Bay in Congress. Why should voters trust him with higher office when he refuses to maintain the integrity of his office or the chamber in which he currently serves?

Contact State Senator Ted Lieu, and tell him to join the chorus of legislators, newspapers, and voters in his district to demand the resignation or expulsion of convicted felon Roderick Wright.

"Please, Ted, don't say anything!"

State Sen. Ted Lieu is Wrong to say Nothing about Wright

Last month, a Los Angeles jury found State Senator Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) guilty of eight counts of felony voter fraud and perjury.

In 2010, LA prosecutors had sought an indictment against Wright because he did not live at the address listed on his voter registration. State law requires that every state legislator live in the district that he/she represents. Because of the false address on his registration, he committed perjury and voted fraudulently in five elections.

Residency requirements are a serious matter in California, specifically Los Angeles politics. An LA City Councilman faced similar charges, and the LA County District Attorney investigated residency accusations against a Hermosa Beach city councilmember.


So, Wright has been found in the wrong, declared guilty of voter fraud by a jury of his peers, and awaits sentencing. Wright's legal team has vowed to file an appeal, yet Wright at this time remains a convicted felon.

To add insult to indictment and conviction, Wright attempted to introduce a bill which would reduce non-violent felonies to misdemeanors, two days after he was convicted of eight felony counts himself! Even though the convicted state senator claimed that he did not introduce the bill to save himself the humiliation of being barred from pursuing elected office in the past, the legislation would have indeed softened the blow of his eight felony counts to misdemeanors. Wright's outrageous move did not escape State Senate President Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), and Wright pulled his bill. "Wrong author, wrong time," shared Steinberg's spokesman.

Of course, Steinberg's disapproval does not mean that the Democratic Supermajority will not consider the bill at a later time. What's more disturbing, Steinberg has done nothing to have convicted felon Steinberg expelled from the state senate. As of now, only three Republican lawmakers have called on the upper chamber to move for Wright's expulsion, as well as independent candidate for Secretary  of State David Schnurr. While Steinberg has asserted that since an appeal will render a final determination, the state senate will wait before proceeding. The state senate President has even justified leaving Wright on committee assignments.

State Sen. Lieu Stays Mum About Wright:
That's Just Wrong!

Is this the proper precedent for handling felonious legislators?

In 1994, state senator Frank Hill (R-Whittier) was convicted of non-violent felonies (soliciting a bribe from an undercover agent). Hill stopped voting on bills and stepped down from his committee assignments after his conviction. After that, the state senate government committee voted 4-0 to expel him after the guilty verdict. Why is the state senate stalling this time?

The San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Daily News (whose owner includes the Daily Breeze), and the Inland Empire’s Press-Enterprise Editorial Boards have all called for Wright’s resignation or expulsion from the state senate.

And who has not? State senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who has recently announced his candidacy for the Congressional seat opened up following Congressman Henry Waxman’s decision to retire from Congress. Senator Lieu has a remarkable legislative record for protecting bears from hunting dogs, preventing adolescents from using tanning salons, and microchipping pets. He attempted triple the state’s licensing fee, has sided with public sector unions, even voted against the state senate bill which would expedite the termination of teachers guilt of moral turpitude against their students.

And now Lieu has said nothing about his convicted felon colleague Roderick Wright. After contacting his Sacramento office, Lieu’s office has confirmed that he issued no press released.

Lieu is wrong to say nothing about Wright, and he should the right the wrong of his silence by joining the editorial boards of statewide newspapers and the Republicans in his caucus to demand that Senator Wright resign from office or move to expel him through committee resolution.

Contact State Senator Lieu’s office, and tell him to stop being silent. Demand that he demand the resignation or expulsion of convicted felon Roderick Wright from the California State Senate.

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 4061
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Fax: (916) 651-4928

District Office
2512 Artesia Blvd., #320
Redondo Beach, CA 90278-3279
Phone: (310) 318-6994
Fax: (310) 318-6733