This morning I did something I don’t do often, I played “Capitol Press Corps reporter” for a few minutes. Senate and Assembly Republicans held a press conference in the offices of the Senate Republican Leader, Dave Cogdill, to discuss the need to move forward with the need to build new prison beds before the 3-Judge Panel invariably sets a inmate cap for state prisons, resulting in an early release of convicted criminals.
In addition to Senator Cogdill and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (who chimed in with his glee over the triumph of the Fresno State Bulldogs), also speaking at the presser were Senator George Runner and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, the “lead members” for their respective caucuses on this important issue.
Also on hand were Senators Aanested and Cox and Assemblyman Benoit could devote a lot of megabytes to this topic, but I will cut to the chase. Last year the legislature passed a multi-billion dollar prison bond package because of an urgent need to build prison beds (so urgent, I might add, that the process where voters approve the bonds was skipped entirely). Well, guess what? Not one bond has been issued, nor one bed built. Apparently Attorney General Jerry Brown has produced a list of “fixes” needed in order to issue the bonds. Funny that it has taken him so long…
Which begs the unanswered question from today’s presser – why don’t AG Brown and legislative Democrats seem motivated to get these bonds out there, and prison space built?
Not to be the cynic, but perhaps these liberals actually salivate at the idea of non-violent criminals being released early from their incarceration?