Blog posting #600: Migden crosses the line

Wow -- Post #600! Anyway -- on to the verbal bashing of a remarkable idiot. . .

Senator Carole Migden’s casting a vote in the Assembly for her own bill is unconscionable and tantamount to voter fraud. Assemblyman Guy Houston was elected to cast votes on behalf of his assembly district (which includes a portion of my city). Houston, and only Houston, has the right, duty and authority to cast votes on behalf of the citizens within the 15th Assembly District. Ghost voting should not be allowed in any way, shape or form in the legislature. If a member fails to cast a vote, they must be held accountable for failing to cast a vote by their electorate.

Migden’s attempt to brush off the issue as a case of “mistaken desk identity” is pathetic. Her transgression should be punishable by criminal charges. Migden has no authority to usurp the representation of the more than 450,000 people of the 15th Assembly District by stealing Guy Houston’s vote. Even if "ghost voting" is common in the Assembly chambers, the public must demand that Attorney General Lockyer find a way to prosecute this particular case of voter fraud, specifically because Migden is of another legislative body.

SFGate.com

Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, was lobbying for one of her bills on the Assembly floor when the roll was called Thursday. The vote on SB484, which would require the disclosure of carcinogens in cosmetics, was extremely close. Near the end of the roll call, with the outcome in the balance, Migden abruptly punched the electronic "yes" button on the desk of Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-Livermore -- an opponent of the bill. Fortunately, one of Houston's Republican colleagues saw Migden's slick move. Houston was able to change his vote to "no" before the outcome was decided and Migden has since apologized to him. Still, she has absolutely no business touching a voting button on the Assembly floor -- under any circumstances.

Background: "I've checked around with the graybeards who have been around here awhile ... this is unprecedented," Houston said, adding, "It would be funny if it wasn't so serious." An unamused Assembly GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has called for the Democratic leadership to take steps to make sure such a move never happens again.

Upshot: A public sanction against Migden is warranted. "Ghost voting" has no place in the California Legislature. The importance of SB484 -- which we supported -- does not justify underhanded tactics. One possibility would be to ban Migden from the Assembly floor for a certain period. The question is whether Democratic leaders, who control both houses, will have the courage to take action against one of their own.

Quote: “It was a mistake which I made in the midst of a tumultuous, fast-paced legislative battle. It was immediately corrected and I then apologized to all concerned.”

-- Migden, adding that she thought she was pushing the voting button of Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate, a supporter of SB484. Sorry, senator, your excuse won’t fly. It’s wrong for a visiting senator to push the voting button of any Assembly member.