PD Editorial: Sacramento's deplorable double standard

When a federal grand jury indicted state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, a week ago, his colleagues demanded his resignation.

The charges "strike at the very heart of what it means to be a public official," Senate President Darrell Steinberg said on behalf of his caucus. If Calderon doesn't resign or take a leave of absence, Steinberg said, "the Senate will seek to suspend him."

Tough words - and an appropriate request.

Calderon is innocent until proven guilty, but the charges against him involve political corruption - abuse of the public trust. Holding office is a privilege, not a right, and Calderon can't legislate effectively with constituents justifiably questioning whether he's acting in their interest or simply trying to line his own pockets.

So where were Steinberg and his fellow Democrats a month ago when another senator was convicted of a felony?

The second senator is Rod Wright, an Inglewood Democrat. He was convicted in January of perjury and voter fraud for lying about his residence when he ran for the state Senate. Wright is awaiting sentencing, which will trigger his expulsion from the Legislature.

His colleagues could expel him now. Instead, Steinberg said any such action should wait until sentencing, citing "ambiguity" in the law.

After his sentencing was postponed from March until May, Wright requested and was granted a leave of absence.

If there is ambiguity in the state's residency laws for legislative candidates - and it is a subject worthy of discussion - Steinberg and his colleagues ought to amend the law.

By finding their own ambiguities - Steinberg's spokesman said Wright isn't "technically convicted yet" because he asked for a new trial - legislators strongly suggest a double standard and feeds public cynicism about them.

On Thursday, Democrats fended off a GOP resolution to oust Wright. Monday is Steinberg's deadline for Calderon to quit or take leave. In this case, he should take a leave because of the cost to taxpayers if he quits.

Calderon is term limited this year, and if he resigns before the March 7 filing deadline for the regular ballot, a special election to fill his seat for the final months of his term would be held in addition to the regular election for the next term.

In December, we endorsed the idea of allowing the governor to fill legislative vacancies by appointment, as he now does with most judicial and county supervisorial vacancies.

That idea has other supporters, including Steinberg, who introduced SCA 16, a constitutional amendment that would empower the governor to fill legislative vacancies.

California had 13 special legislative elections last year. There have been 27 over the past four years, and voter turnout was less than 20 percent in 15 of them. Each of these elections costs $1 million or more.

A constitutional amendment requires legislative and voter approval. If legislative Democrats can't bring themselves to ask a convicted felon to resign, maybe they'll at least ask voters if they would like to save the cost of a special election.