Nuñez caught with hand in jar again

Another of Speaker Fabian Nuñez's legal dodges to squeeze money out of special interests has been uncovered. The LAT's Nancy Vogel and Evan Halper report that companies like AT&T, Verizon and Blue Cross would give to various charities set up with the speaker's name on them. Going that route, the companies could give Nuñez more than the $7,200 allowed as a open political contribution, and they get a tax break. The Times found almost $300,000 worth that benefitted Nuñez, and get this — one of Nuñez's charitable organizations had been suspended from receiving donations for not filing tax returns. Nuñez told the Times he didn't know of the suspension until the paper asked about it, and he insisted that soliciting donations from companies seeking legislative help was "absolutely appropriate."

"It's appropriate to request of corporations to be good corporate citizens, especially if you can put those monies or resources in the hands of the neediest Californians, absolutely," he said.

You have to wonder when the Times will scrutinize Mayor Villaraigosa's methods of raising non-political money from political and civic interests.