UPDATE 05: 11-01-09 ALLEGED LOVER DENYS IT ALL ...
According to the Sacramento Bee ...
"Barsuglia said in the statement that the ordeal has been 'a professional and personal nightmare. I did nothing whatsoever illegal or unethical with former Assemblyman Duvall or anyone else. What is shocking to me and my family is that anyone would have taken seriously the statements of someone boasting about his alleged exploits or even believed for a moment that they were true'" she said in the statement."
"The statement came shortly following an announcement that the U.S. Attorney's Office would not file charges in connection with the comments. The California Attorney General's Office and the Fair Political Practices Commission also said there was not sufficient evidence to investigate whether any laws were broken by the actions described in the tapes."
"'I am now pleased to be able to say publicly that, the United States Attorney, the FBI, the FPPC and my employer have all carefully examined the facts and found no violation of legal or ethical standards,' she said in the statement, which also says she is looking forward to returning to work".
UPDATE 04: 09-10-09 SHOULDN'T HIS FELLOW ASSEMBLYMAN HAVE TURNED HIM IN TO THE ETHICS COMMITTEE -- HE WAS THE ETHICS COMMITTEE!
The Sacramento Bee is reporting ... "Assemblyman Miller stripped of Ethics Committee spot"
"The legislator who lent an open ear to ex-Assemblyman Mike Duvall's graphic descriptions of sexual trysts has been removed from the Assembly Ethics Committee, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass' office has confirmed."
"Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona, was taken off the committee, which is investigating Duvall's actions. The inquiry stems from a tape of a July Appropriations Committee hearing in which Duvall can be heard bragging to Miller about having sex with two women."
And all it took was a little public outrage to urge the so-called ethics (ha ha) committee to apparently do the right thing.
UPDATE 03: 09-09-09 SHOULDN'T HIS FELLOW ASSEMBLYMAN HAVE TURNED HIM IN TO THE ETHICS COMMITTEE
Did the person who was told of Assemblyman Duvall's sexual escapades with a lobbyist who had business before the committee have a duty to inform the ethics committee? After all, he was a fellow assemblyman who heard this information while sitting in a committee meeting. Should he be investigated? Duvall's confident is reported to be Assemblyman Jeff Miller.
UPDATE 02: 09-09-09 SEMPRA ENERGY RESPONSE
"Sempra Energy today issued the following statement in response to numerous media inquiries regarding taped comments made last July by former California Assemblymember Michael Duvall: Sempra Energy takes very seriously any reports involving the conduct of our employees. We are investigating this matter and the recent media reports that named one of our employees. The employee has denied the speculative media reports. Our investigation will be conducted to ensure not only that our policies on employee conduct are strictly adhered to, but also that our employee is treated fairly." <Source>
What else can they say?
UPDATE 01: 09-09-09 ASSHAT POLITICIAN RESIGNS OFFICE
"Assemblyman Michael Duvall released a statement, 'I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working hard on the very serious problems facing our state. I have come to the conclusion that it would not be fair to my family, my constituents or to my friends on both sides of the aisle to remain in office. Therefore, I have decided to resign my office, effective immediately, so that the Assembly can get back to work.'"
It still does not mitigate the damage that he has done and he should still be thoroughly investigated.
Original blog entry ...
This is the primary question being asked in California as Republican Mike Duvall of Yorba Linda, California, the birthplace of Richard Nixon in conservative Orange County, is removed from the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Commission and the Assembly Rules Committee after the disclosure of a longtime affair with a utility company lobbyist.
I guess family values has been superseded by screwing your constituents.
An apology is not enough …
As reported in the Sacramento Bee, the Assemblyman repeated the mantra so frequently heard from corrupt and/or cheating politicians …
"I made a mistake and I sincerely apologize," Duvall said in a statement on his campaign website. "I deeply regret the comments I made in what I believed to be a private conversation. This is a private matter and I ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved."
Hell no, it’s not a private matter …
There should be a thorough and public investigation to determine whether or not Assemblyman Duvall violated more than his marital vows when he engaged in this illicit affair. His votes should be scrutinized. The female lobbyist should be forced to testify under oath about her professional, as well as extracurricular, activities and their potential impact on the citizens of California.
The SOB is not even faithful to his lover …
“Duvall, a former president of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce, is married with two children. According to R. Scott Moxley of OC Weekly, his paramour, with whom he has frequently been seen at restaurants and even at fund-raising events, is Heidi DeJong Barsuglia, a “hot blonde” 18 years his junior. Barsugla was hired last spring to lobby for a major energy company soon after Duvall became vice-chairman of the Utilities and Commerce Committee.”
“Duvall’s recorded comments reveal, however, that he is even cheating on Barsuglia. ‘She is hot!’ Duvall said of this other woman, who is also a lobbyist. ‘I go, ‘You know about the other one [Barsuglia] but she doesn’t know about you.’” <Source>
Who is her employer …
Why it’s my gas company – Sempra Energy, owner of the Southern California Gas Company to which I pay my gas bills. Wonder what benefits they could have been seeking?
“In April--two months after Duvall became vice chairman of the Utilities & Commerce committee--privately owned California utility giant Sempra Energy hired Barsuglia as one of its top lobbyists, according to Secretary of State records. Barsuglia, who has a law degree and once worked as a speechwriter for Governor Pete Wilson, had previously worked at the California Retailers Association (CRA). During 25 months of work at CRA, she reported that she incurred no reportable lobbying expenses. She joined Sempra after the departure of another lobbyist: David Hayes, who was named deputy director of the Interior Department by President Barack Obama. The San Diego-based utility conglomerate (created in 1998 by Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric) isn't shy about lobbying lawmakers for favorable treatment.” <Source>
Quid pro Quo or Tit for Tat?
This session, they gave Duvall $1,500 in campaign contributions. In May, the assemblyman officially adopted the company's negative view on Assembly Bill 64, which proposes increasing the percentage of electricity the utilities must procure from environmentally sensitive sources.” <Source>
Yeah, right!
“Sempra's 2008-2009 ‘Code of Business Conduct’ states, "We've built [the company's] rich tradition because of the emphasis we place on ethical business conduct and compliance with the laws and regulations that govern our business. We don't compromise on either for the sake of success’"
"’Their relationship is the worst-kept secret in Sacramento,’ a capitol staffer recently told me. ‘He's old and fat. She's hot, blonde and about 20 years younger. He could have never gotten a woman like that before he got this job.'" <Source>
Enough of these lying, cheating, backstabbing politicians …
Assemblyman Duval should either resign or face a recall effort on the basis of his betrayal of the people’s trust. I do not care whether or not he subverted the will of the people in favor of the lobbyist’s employer – the mere appearance of impropriety should be enough of an indictment to support a removal effort.
It should also be noted that Duval, had he been a democrat, he would still have his committee assignments because that is expected behavior in the party who makes no claim on the promotion of morality or family values.
Bottom line …
These are the legislators who are crafting environmental legislation which will use the utilities as a taxing authority to finance the legislator’s grand schemes. This story only serves to prove that politicians on both sides of the aisle are equally corrupt and should be tossed out on their collective (pun intended) asses.
-- steve
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OneCitizenSpeaking: Saying out loud what you may be thinking …
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