LAW AND DISORDER

The attorney prosecuting Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge
Diana Hall before the California Commission on Judicial Performance
is calling for Hall’s removal from the bench for laundering
campaign contributions from her former lesbian lover. Attorney
Andrew Blum wrote, “The public can have no confidence in a judge,
hence the judiciary, that is required to know and respect the law
but does neither.” Although Hall admitted to falsifying campaign
contributions – reportedly to hide her sexual orientation – her
attorney countered removal is disproportionate to the offense,
noting that a judge who repeatedly lied about driving drunk was
only censured. The whole commission considers the matter on October
17.

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein joined the chorus of California
lawmakers opposing a bill they contend will weaken the 25-year
moratorium on new oil exploration and development off the coast of
California. The Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act – pushed by
California Congressman Richard Pombo – would extend Florida’s
moratorium until the year 2022, but would not do the same for
California’s. Feinstein’s remarks echoed those made in recent weeks
by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Lois Capps.

A bill proposing a state-run single-payer healthcare system – in
which a state-run organization collects all healthcare fees and
pays out all costs – passed the California Assembly on Monday, and
now awaits approval from the state Senate and the governor. While
the Senate is expected to pass SB 840, the governor has opposed
calls for universal healthcare in the past.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides made a pit
stop in Santa Barbara on Tuesday to discuss what he characterized
as his middle-class agenda. Angelides said he would reduce
excessive profits and executive pay at HMOs and would close tax
loopholes for “multi-multimillionaires.” “There was a time,”
Angelides said, “when people living paycheck-to-paycheck got tax
breaks,” rather than billion-dollar corporations receiving
them.