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Schwarzenegger whacks Pérez over Maldonado delays

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It is safe to say Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is more than a tad peeved at Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez’s handling of Sen. Abel Maldonado’s still-pending confirmation as lieutenant governor.

Answering a reporter’s question at a media event on the east side of the Capitol Tuesday afternoon, the governor complained extensively of Pérez (D-Los Angeles) promising “five times at least” to hold a confirmation vote for Maldonado (R-Santa Maria).

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Here are some of the governor’s remarks:

“I have no idea what Speaker Pérez is doing with confirmation hearings. I think we all are somewhat frustrated because he has been, now, promising me five times -- at least -- that he is putting him up for confirmation. It really started way before Easter vacation, when he said, ‘OK, this Monday I will put him up.’ Then it was, ‘Yeah, I can’t do it on Monday, I will do it on Thursday.’ And then it was, ‘I will do it on Monday but as soon as we come back from Easter vacation.’ Then it was the Thursday after that. Now it’s the Monday. So, I mean, I have no idea. I don’t know why he’s not getting it done. I don’t know why he’s confused about it or what is going on and with his leadership. I cannot answer that because I do not work upstairs. I just hope that he gets it done as quickly as possible.”

No confirmation vote has been scheduled yet. There is wide speculation that Democratic lawmakers are waiting until at least April 22, in order to consolidate a potential runoff election to replace Maldonado with the fall general election, when a larger voter turnout would, Democrats believe, give them a better shot at winning the GOP-held Senate seat.

[UPDATED 4:44p.m. Shannon Murphy, a Pérez spokeswoman, responded to the governor’s comments in an e-mail. “Like most Californians, the speaker is focused on jobs reform and recovery. All jobs, not just one that was cooked-up in a backroom deal,” she wrote.]

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento

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