Killjoy

The Chron does the math and questions how legislators spent nearly $700,000 on jukets and stuff without justifying how these expenses are related to their jobs. Yawn. Oh, sorry. Does it make me a bad watch dog if I just don't get my pantaloons in a bunch over such revelations?

By they way, $700k divided by 120 legislators is a little under $6000 a piece Of course, some spend more than others.

Lawmakers declared that all of the spending was reasonably related to legislative, governmental or political purposes, as mandated by state law. But because there is no requirement that legislators provide any details explaining how the spending was job-related, taxpayers and voters have no way of judging for themselves if the expenses were appropriate.

So? And why are taxpayers and voters two separate categories? If taxpayers don't vote it's their own damn fault, so whatever. And tax dollars aren't paying for this anyway, so that sort of side implication is a bit misplaced too.

So what did some of our local guys do that's worth us bending over to pick up throwing stones?

San Ramon Assemblyman Guy Houston, for example, spent $125 in campaign money at a jet ski rental shop on Maui, justifying the expense in public reports only as candidate travel.

Fremont Assemblyman Alberto Torrico used $185 in donor money for a round of golf in Napa, while Orange County Assemblyman Todd Spitzer used $139 in contributor money to buy a wedding gift for one of his campaign aides - also without detailed explanations.

Oooh, awful, isn't it. Call me crazy, but maybe the people with the right to be angry are donors who forked over cash to help their candidates win, rather than cush up their lives in office?

Either way, I just can't seem to care that much. Do you? Do you think a round of golf makes a legislator decide he owes it to whomever to vote for everything, say, CMA or trial attorneys, etc, supports? Against what it hates? I think it's a bit more complex than that.