Politically Correct With Koula Gianulias

Prisoners Free

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:19:51 GMT

“Violent criminals will be out on the street”…”no one will be watching”…”sex offenders will run wild”….”prisons will unlock the gates today.” These are the types of statements frustrating the Department of Corrections right now. True, today kicks off a controversial plan to release an estimated 6,500 inmates up to six weeks early to save California about a half billion dollars. But no one will actually be released today (believe me, I tried to get an interview with the first inmate out the door). Turns out, it will take months for inmates to earn enough credit to get out early. They score points by completing educational, vocational or rehab programs. Plus, their risk level will be reviewed before they’re turned loose, according to Corrections Secretary Matt Cate. He also insists violent criminals and sex offenders are NOT eligible for this program. But that’s not enough to ease the fears of critics. There may be a lot of false information out there….”spin” as we like to call it in the media….but the fact is thousands of convicts will get out early, and they’ll no longer be supervised on parole. We wanted to know the types of crimes they’ve been convicted of, but the Department of Corrections didn’t hand out a list today (on their web site, they simply list crimes that do NOT qualify for early release). So click here for the list compiled by Assemblyman Ted Lieu to see which crimes may qualify for early release. And let us know what you think of the plan.

Secret Gifts?

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:42:10 GMT

View letters issued to politicians who didn't declare gifts (42-page .pdf file)

Fancy dinners at Ella’s…$250 Kings tickets….a $1,000 tab for meals and spa treatments at a Pebble Beach resort….and free concert tickets to Billy Joel and George Strait are just a few examples of lavish gifts given to California legislators. Some of you might be surprised they’re even allowed to accept these gifts from lobbyists, but that’s just part of the story. According to the Fair Political Practices Commission, legislators failed to report all the gifts listed above. The FPPC uncovered thousands of dollars worth of gifts by cross checking the expense reports that lobbyists are required to file. Now they’re calling out 40 Senators and Assembly Members for failing to report them, and threatening them with a fine up to $5,000 per violation if they broke gift-limit rules. CBS 13 filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get our hands on these letters…and we’ve posted them below so you can see who failed to report, and the gifts they were given. Stay tuned to find out if any legislators are found in violation and end up paying a fine.

Goodbye Gov: Final State of the State

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:48:52 GMT

When I interviewed Governor Schwarzenegger a few months ago, I asked him if he ever wakes up in the morning and regrets taking this job. He said no way…he loves serving the people of California. But I wonder if he’ll struggle to sleep tonight. It’s the eve of his final State of the State address, and California is a mess. After he approved painful cuts and taxes to close a $60 billion-dollar gap in the last year, he now faces a $21 billion-dollar deficit. So this will be a critical and challenging speech. A political expert I was chatting with the other day says it’s all about his legacy. He’ll have to deliver an optimistic message that includes reforms he can actually accomplish in his final year. Should be interesting to see what he says. Of course he’ll have some help. He’s hired accomplished Republican speechwriter Landon Parvin who wrote for Reagan and the Bushes.

UCD Student Comedian

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:24:59 GMT

As a UC Davis graduate, I love any chance to get back to campus. But I was especially excited about my story on Kevin Wu. Before meeting him, I watched his You Tube clips in the newsroom and laughed out loud. He’s so popular that he was labeled a “Top You Tuber” and companies started paying to advertise on his video clips. So Kevin’s now making enough money to pay for college….and he’s also donating thousands of dollars to charity. To watch his videos click on http://www.kevjumba.com/ and for more information on Kevin’s comedy event at UCD Wednesday night to raise awareness about Hepatitis B, go to http://www.willyoubhere.com/.

Link to full story on CBS13.com: http://cbs13.com/local/ucd.youtube.2.1274765.html

Governor Heckled

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:21:07 GMT

If you haven't seen the video, check it out below. It makes President Obama's "YOU LIED!!" attack seem subtle. On Wednesday, Governor Schwarzenegger dropped by a democratic fundraiser in San Francisco to say hi to Willie Brown, and ended up getting booed and yelled at. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco can be heard shouting "kiss my gay a**" and other choice words I can't include in this blog. Ammiano's refusing to say sorry...do you think he crossed the line? Or, did the Governor have it coming for crashing the Dems party? Post your comments below.

Education Cuts: Reality Sets In

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:45:09 GMT

oday I found myself asking the same questions over and over again, because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You might cut all sports? You mean football too? Really, all the athletics programs?" The spokeswoman for Elk Grove Schools patiently confirmed the dire details for me. The district has to slash another $40 million dollars from next year's budget because of state education cuts. Hard to imagine schools losing libraries, new text books and saying goodbye to another 250 teachers. But the thought of these students losing all sports programs really struck me. So many students are motivated to stay in school because of sports...and the games are a big part of American high school culture. As one sad student put it: "There goes our spirit. There goes everything." Let's hope they put their heads together and figure out a way to save those programs. The district will host a total of 8 parent meetings to talk it out and come up with solutions.

Bribes and Favors

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:33:51 GMT

As I sat down to read the 46-page federal indictment linking local Congressman John Doolittle to lobbyist Jack Abramoff…I thought I’d need some caffeine to get through it. But sadly there are so many juicy details about alleged corruption between a lawmaker and lobbyist that I decided to share it with all of you. Check out pages 14 to 27. Gifts include concert tickets to Faith Hill…posh dinners….even a cushy job for Doolittle’s wife allegedly set up by Abramoff: “I don’t want her to have to do too much, though, since she has responsibilities at home as a mother and wife.” She was allegedly paid more than $90,000 for that “job” at a non-profit. At this point, Doolittle has not been indicted. But after chatting with Roseville residents today, they want the investigation to continue even though he no longer represents them.

Federal Indictment (.pdf)
Exhibit List (.pdf)

State Parks Stay Open 9/25/09

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:05:47 GMT

Watch my video blog to find out how much money the Governor and Department of Parks managed to find to avoid shutting down state parks. Also…hope you’ve noticed our segment on CBS 13 called “On The Money”…we need your questions and ideas! Click here for details.

Another Sex Scandal...

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:16:40 GMT

By now you've probably heard the "spanky" jokes and seen the clever cartoons in the papers poking fun at the family-values Republican given a gold star by conservative groups. Assemblyman Mike Duvall's scandal was shocking - since he was caught on tape crudely bragging about sex with a lobbyist - but not surprising. He's just the latest lawmaker taking a tumble that will inevitably destroy his career and family life. Covering the story at the Capitol was an unusual experience for me. There was something in the air....nervous energy...maybe a mix of guilt and fear? I know legislators and staffers were busier than usual that week as they tried to push bills through before their looming deadline. But some lawmakers looked more preoccupied than usual....their spokespeople seemed to be sweating . Friendly hallway hellos were far and few between as soon as someone my CBS 13 microphone. And no one really wanted to "sound off" on the scandal. Were they trying to be polite? Too busy? Reluctant to turn on a friend? Or do others have skeletons they want to keep in the closet? As one political insider put it, the Duvall incident just scratches the surface. I've received a number of emails, text messages and calls from contacts who claim Duvall's not the only one, and there's a lot more to this story.

Outrageous Overtime? 09/08/09

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:30:51 GMT

Imagine making more than your boss in OT…I wish! According to an audit, seven employees with the California Department of Corrections took home more than Corrections Secretary Matt Cate, who earns $225,000/year. The seven sergeants and lieutenants made $1 million in one year – just in overtime pay – combined. That was the most extreme example, but an estimated 8,000 correctional officers earned $20,000 in overtime per year, also according to the audit. The report will undoubtedly add to the corrections controversy that’s been brewing all summer at the Capitol. Legislators are trying to figure out how to cut and reform corrections spending, since California spends $50,000 per prisoner…a minimum of $80,000 grand if the inmate is ill. The out-of-state average is $30,000. On the flip side, the Department of Corrections was slashed more than any agency in the last round of cuts. And if you’ve every talked to a correctional officer, you know how risky their jobs can be. There’s also a major concern about safety and security if officers are working so much overtime. Tonight at 6 we’re covering the story…asking Corrections why spending increased 32% over a 3-year period, when the inmate population decreased by 1%.