Can California Democrats Clean Their Own Sacramento Pigsty? Will Doug Kriegel Replace Matt Dababneh

- by Dorothy Reik,
President, Progressive Democrats if the Santa Monica Mountains

"You even spelled my name wrong!" Matt Dababneh’s voice echoed from my cell phone speaker as a crowd of Democrats gathered around while we waited to check into our hotel for the E-Board meeting. They were listening to Matt raging about one of my diatribes, one that called him out. I can’t even remember what he had done because his litany of bad votes and crooked donors are both so long.

How he got my number I don’t know. From Eli Broad? Yes, the evil emperor of charter schools who wants 50% of LA schools privatized is a big donor, as are pay day lenders, oil companies, big pharma, big liquor (which helps explain why we haven’t legalized pot yet), debt collectors, and on and on. Right now he is pushing a bill, AB 2806, to weaken inspection of charter schools! Get the connection? Here’s another one-- Dababneh signed on to a letter asking that oil companies be exempt from AB 32! This is too easy and too sad!

But wait! There is hope! Here comes intrepid reporter Doug Kriegel to the rescue. He has jumped into the race for Assembly District 45, disgusted as we all are at Matt’s F rating from the Courage Campaign: where he resides in the Hall of Shame:

Assemblyman Matt Dababneh is failing his constituents with the 36th most progressive voting record in the Assembly (Courage Score = 56), despite his district’s clear preference for progressive policies. He voted against AB 1017, which instituted policies to help secure equal pay for women, and AB 67, which would require double-time pay for workers on Thanksgiving Day-- an important step to better compensate workers who are forced to miss time with their families as more stores stay open.

Assemblyman Dababneh was also absent for a vote on SB 7, a bill that improves water conservation and consumer protections for renters and commercial tenants. Do you think his absence had anything to do with the $57,430.18 he received from an independent expenditure that is largely backed by the California real estate and construction/development industry?

Assemblyman Dababneh also did not support two important healthcare bills-- SB 260, which would have expanded Medi-Cal managed care protections, and AB 533, which would have protected healthcare recipients from unexpected out-of-network bills. He also received financial backing from the medical industry.

Assemblyman Dababneh did not support AB 1352 (Preventing Unintended Deportations), and SB 308 (Debtor Protections).

Doug Kriegel, on the other hand, favors Jerry Brown’s whole climate bill, especially the part Dababneh voted against. Doug was the last Sacramento bureau chief that any Los Angeles station had in the Capital. He saw how the system works to benefit special interests instead of the voters. Doug did the only five part series ever done about lobbyists’ power and influence and the huge amount of money that special interests contribute to creeps like Matt. Doug is calling upon Matt, as the chair of the Banking Committee, to return all the campaign contributions has gotten from financial institutions so he can eliminate any conflicts of interests-- but hopefully this won’t be necessary when Doug defeats Matt and Matt returns to private life-- no doubt as a lobbyist!

If Doug’s sister hadn’t had a car emergency forcing him to go rescue her instead of coming to the meeting he very well might have gotten the DP/SFV endorsement last night! Matt didn’t get it-- that was for sure! You can read more about Doug on his website. Spread the word! We only have 32 days left! If you'd like to contribute to her campaign, you can do it here on a special Blue America page for the best state legislative candidates running for seats around the country: