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CRP Chairman Ron Nehring Issues Statement Concerning Senate Pro Tem Don Perata's Hypocrisy

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What Is The Definition Of Hypocrisy? See Don Perata...

California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring today issued the following statement concerning Senate Pro Tem Don Perata's hypocritical attacks on Senator Jeff Denham: 

"Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata has a credibility problem. Perata, the powerful Oakland politician who has financed and organized the recall against Senator Jeff Denham, has made false claims and distortions of Denham's record the centerpiece of the recall campaign.

"There's only one problem with that strategy: Don Perata continues to be under investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission for misuse of campaign funds.  He is also the subject of an ongoing FBI public corruption investigation.   It's no wonder his local newspaper, the East Bay Express, has recently dubbed Perata ‘Hypocrite of the Year.'

"Californians still have many questions concerning Senator Perata's ethics, it's time he starts giving some answers."

ONGOING: FBI Public Corruption Probe Of Perata

"Perata has been the official target of a public corruption probe since early November 2004. The FBI, the US Attorney's Office, and a federal grand jury have been investigating whether the state senate president pro tem took bribes or kickbacks from friends and campaign donors in exchange for his help, according to sources and public records."  (Robert Gammon, "Perata Probe Heats Up?," East Bay Express, 12/26/2007)

Perata: Hypocrite Of The Year

"It's early, but Don Perata has the inside track to winning our Hypocrite of the Year Award. The state senate boss' campaign to recall Senator Jeff Denham is harshly criticizing the Central Valley politician for living large off of campaign contributions. But as readers of this site know, there is no one in state politics, not even Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who can compete with The Don when it comes to living the high life off of his best donors. Perata spent more than $1 million of campaign cash on living large expenditures in the past decade, a fact for which he is now under investigation by the state Fair Political Practices Commission." (Robert Gammon, "Perata: Hypocrite Of The Year," 92510: The East Bay Express Blog, 4/7/08)

Money Raised To Help Oakland Schoolchildren Likely Was Spent On Crab, Wine, And Football For A Bunch Of Rich People

"The same month as the Raiders party, Perata transferred the remaining $32,668 from the Three Rs into his main Senate account and paid for the luxury box.  In other words, money raised to help Oakland schoolchildren likely was spent on crab, wine, and football for a bunch of rich people.

• An intensive analysis of campaign finance records by this paper shows that California's most powerful Democratic politician has a long history of living large on money raised by his various campaigns.  Over the past ten years, Perata has spent more than $1 million of campaign cash on parties and high-end lifestyle expenditures. 
  • Dining: His restaurant tab totals at least $119,517 over the past ten years, and includes at least 62 meals with bills in excess of $500.
  • Golf: He has spent a total of at least $121,746 on the past four events, including gifts. 

• Hotels: Perata has spent a total of $7,883 on posh lodging near his homes, his hotel tab for the past ten years is at least $68,503.
• Perata also uses money from his campaign to shower gifts on his donors friends, colleagues, lobbyists, and staffers. He shops at Macy's and Nordstrom or buys expensive luggage, monogrammed pens, and upscale office supplies." (Robert Gammon, "Living Large," East Bay Express, 5/23/07)

Perata Living Large

"The East Bay Express pored over hundreds of pages of expense reports for Senate leader Don Perata, and discovered the Oakland Democrat's campaigns have spent more than $1 million on parties and ‘high-end lifestyle expenditures.' The spending includes frequent visits to posh restaurants - at least $119,000 over ten years on meals - and stays at luxury hotels worth $68,503." (Robert Salladay, "Perata Living Large, Los Angeles Times Political Muscle, 5/23/07)

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