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Noreen Evans
By DEREK MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Democratic State Sen. Noreen Evans’ increasingly bare-knuckles political style is earning her blowback from members of her own party, some of whom nearly derailed two of the senator’s bills that affect fishing interests on the North Coast.
The rift stems from an Aug. 31 email Evans circulated to female members of the Legislature in which the Santa Rosan pointedly criticized an assemblyman for allegedly “hijacking” her legislation and included a link to a story about a 2007 police action at the man’s home.
Evans was further outraged that Assemblyman Roger Hernández, D-West Covina, had hosted what her email referred to as a “Hooters luncheon” at the Capitol, a reference to the restaurant chain that features waitresses dressed in revealing clothes.
“Not only is it demeaning to women on the Capitol grounds, but this is the same Assemblymember that hijacked my maternal health care bill and to whom the speaker is forcing me to give half of the bill,” Evans wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Press Democrat.
Even by Sacramento’s rough-and-tumble standards, Evans’ missive caused a stir, leading to a mini-revolt on the Assembly floor last week when several Democratic lawmakers withheld votes on Evans’ two bills related to salmon and crab fishing.
Only a last-minute intervention by other lawmakers salvaged the bills. But the political fallout could be longer-lasting.
“The email was personal and attacking,” Sonoma State University political scientist David McCuan said. “If you’re going to cast stones within your caucus, you better be prepared for those to come back.”
Neither Evans nor her chief of staff, Tom Roth, responded to several phone calls and emails left over two days this week seeking comment.
Political observers say Evans is playing a risky political game with her bruising style amid speculation that she will enter the race to replace outgoing Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown.
Evans faced withering public criticism earlier this year when she complained about having to give up her taxpayer-funded vehicle and about nearly having her pay docked because of the state’s delayed budget.
McCuan said the public criticism and battles Evans is having with members of her own party could trail her to Sonoma County should she decide to seek Brown’s seat.
“Could she run down and win? Sure. I think she’s a favorite,” McCuan said. “But these things hurt her in that regard, and they don’t go away.”
Mark Bramfitt, who also is a candidate for Brown’s seat, confirmed this week that he has split with Santa Rosa political consultant Terry Price, who for years has worked with Evans.
“He indicated that he had some loyalty to Evans and that she was thinking about a run,” Bramfitt said. “So clearly we had to part ways.”
But Price on Wednesday insisted he does not know if Evans will enter the supervisor’s race. He said Bramfitt had heard those rumors and asked Price whether he would be able to run a campaign against Evans should she decide to run.
“I said I’m not going to run a campaign against Noreen Evans. Are you kidding me? We go back 20 years,” Price said.
The email that sparked the latest controversy involving Evans was sent from her official Senate account to about 25 female legislators, mostly to their private accounts.
In the email, Evans included a post from a Capitol blogger who said Hernández had hosted a “Hooters catered lunch,” which the blog author found ironic because Hernández was the sponsor of a bill dealing with maternity leave rights.
But Yong Eo, Hernández’s press aide, called suggestions that the assemblyman hosted a Hooters luncheon “an unfortunate example of a situation taken out of context and getting blown out of proportion.”
She said that he left the food choices for the potluck to his staff and that, in hindsight, “clearly it was bad judgment on our part to serve Hooters chicken wings that we picked up to go, with ranch sauce.”
She called it “absurd to think that our office would serve a luncheon in the Capitol with staff from the Hooters franchise.”
The blog post also included a link to a news story about a 2007 incident in which West Covina police responded to Hernández’ home for a reported argument between the then-West Covina councilman and his campaign manager.
Hernández, through his staff, declined comment Wednesday on the case. No charges were filed against him related to those events, said a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Evans, chairwoman of the state Legislative Women’s Caucus, has not been shy about criticizing colleagues who she believes have demeaned women. In May, she took such concerns public when she formally demanded an apology from Assemblyman Charles Calderon, D-Whittier, after Calderon referred to the physical appearance and personality of the chief justice of the state Supreme Court.
McCuan said female legislators long have had to battle discrimination in Sacramento.
“Noreen has been consistently front and center battling for women’s issues for a long time now,” he said.
But some of Evans’ colleagues privately lament her approach to tackling these concerns, saying it can be counterproductive to getting things done in what already is a poisonous political atmosphere.
Hernández also declined comment Wednesday on his reaction to Evans’ email, which apparently was forwarded to him. Capitol sources, however, said he was livid and he shared that outrage with other members of the Latino caucus, leading to last week’s drama on the Assembly floor.
Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, said it became “evident pretty quickly” that something was amiss when Evans’ bills came up for a vote.
One of the bills would extend the Salmon Stamp Program. The other would follow recommendations from the Dungeness Crab Task Force to address safety and sustainability concerns in California’s crab fishery.
Huffman said the bills were not controversial, hence everyone’s puzzlement when they appeared to be falling short of the necessary votes for passage.
“Both bills were way off,” Huffman said.
He characterized the problem as “a dispute between some members and the author” and said, “thankfully, it got worked out at the last minute.”
Huffman lamented the practice of lawmakers holding bills hostage for reasons unrelated to the contents of the proposed legislation.
“I think it’s unfortunate when there are votes being cast or withheld for reasons unrelated to the merits of the bill,” he said. “I don’t think it reflects well on the institution.”
Hernández ultimately voted for the fishing bills, according to his staff.
He and Evans also are splitting legislation that would widen insurance coverage for pregnant women.
Evans apparently is not happy with that outcome, writing in her email that the deal was “forced” on her by Assembly Speaker John Pérez, D-Los Angeles, who did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
Both bills passed the Legislature and are now on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.
“We hope that the governor will sign them so that women can receive maternity services as a form of basic coverage,” Hernández’s aide Eo said.
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We HAVE bought and paid for this woman, at the Water Agency…DO NOT deficate on our money! The end is near for you little pawns, only relatives of the inept and corrut will survive.
She’s better not accept that position in the O’Bama administration.
They treat women like scum in his White House.
Of course, it’s the Chicago Way.
And to a guy raised as a Muslim, women are slightly lower than pondscum, so who’s really surprised.
Noreen, get your burka and head for D.C.!
Money Grubber, it was a one time payout. Whick means that CHP screwed up somewhere dealing with the officer and was forced to pay a settlement. Since it is a personnel isue, no one can disclose the particulars of the deal. Please read all the article you quote next time.
For Hernandez to hold up two apparently worthy bills out of apparent spite in this tempest in a teapot was ridiculous.
Our fishing industry deserves better than being held for ransom.
AS A STATE POLITICIAN, SHE IS GUILTY OF ALLOWING THE FOLLOWING KIND OF THING: A MERE STREET COP IN THE CHP GETS $226,195 IN WAGES.
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San Diego Union Tribune
Sept 16, 2011
“The highest-earning California Highway Patrol employee last year wasn’t a commissioner, chief or captain, but an officer stationed in San Diego County who took home $226,195, according to a review by The Watchdog of the state’s 2010 payroll.”
———————
Notice that she never says a word about the criminally excessive wages paid to state police ? The cop in the above example even refuses to answer questions as to how his salary was increased for UN-DISCLOSED reasons.
After my last comment, I had given some thought about it last night and came to a conclusion that maybe it’s not all Noreen’s fault. This could be a medical issue, as I had stated before that “Noreen had put her foot in her mouth so often this year. I imagine she may need to be treated for athlete’s mouth.” HMMMMMM fungus from foot to mouth to brain?
Noreen pissed people off by complaining (whining , crying)about her compensation and perks. If she doesn’t like her compensation, she can step down. There are thousands of others that will happily take her job with her exorbitant compensation package.
And yes, people and the press are very scared of strong independent women – See Sarah Palin, Meg Whitman and Michele Bachmann
I am by no means any fan of Noreen Evans. But I do have to say that Paul Andersen is right on the money with this one- Men STILL are threatened by strong women, especially women in leadership positions. Been there, done that ;)
I think Evans is a dolt, but gender discrimination is alive and well all around us. If a man is opinionated, aggressive, and assertive, he is considered a great leader. A woman with those same qualities is considered a hag or a “b!tch”. Very few males understand this… Why? They’ve never experienced it. Women are expected to be motherly, nurturing, and be in charge of nothing but the household.
And Gram’ah: “attacking a man for being a man” Are you KIDDING ME? If you’re going to excuse offensive inappropriate behavior based on gender, why not give Evans that same free pass? Pathetic…
Paul,
Come now. She is attacking a man for being a man, while trying to include other women in the attack, every woman in the senate, in fact, and exclude other men from being involved. This is obviously gender bias of a virulent form. It’s not just simple bigotry. It suggests an agenda of hate in an elected official.Is this what we want in our leaders and representatives?
As evidenced by the article and its numerous comments, apparently many men still feel threatened by strong women. Wow.
The sad truth is: if the elections were held tomorrow, the PD would endorse Noreen and the voters would reelect her.
Noreen Evans killed a bill that would stop the abusive ADA lawsuits that are a scam to extract thousands from small businesses.
She is the epitome of a bought and paid for politician.
This ‘Witch’-feminist wants a war with men. If she is very unlucky she’ll get her wish.
LOL!!! How many times has Noreen put her foot in her mouth this year. I imagine she will be treated for athlete’s mouth soon!
Martini, I’ll drink to that.
So another angry,bitter old Femi-Nut threw a vindictive temper tantrum cause she didn’t get her way,and then decided to play the Gender Card.
Shocked I tell you…shocked.
Them Hooter wings sure sound good right now.
Good to see someone stand up to the good old boys in Sacramento. Hernández should be ashamed for holding up bills because he was call on his hooters wings.
Keep fighting the entrenched system Noreen!
The photo of Evans and this article sum up the kind of self-important, often-vicious, and clueless legislators that are routinely elected by California voters simply because they place a D by their name. Totally ludicrous.
Anyone who votes for these kind of people deserves the sad consequences of their own stupidity. When will Sonoma County quit hitting itself in the head with a hammer?
Evans is following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Pat Wiggins who also became loopy while in the State Senate
representing Santa Rosa.
Outbursts and angering fellow Senators is not the way of the chamber and certainly not the way to get a bill passed.
It is too bad she can’t have a cigar and a glass of brandy with the other liberals up there and kiss and make up. But that isn’t her way. She would rather fight than submit.
She would make a good bookend on the Board of Stupidvisors setting across from the other loony, Zany. Lets hope that never happens even though it would create good theater.
Isn’t there a reasonable person to run for political office in Santa Rosa who would not be an embarrassment every time they open their mouth? I haven’t seen one in one of the state offices.
Why oh why didn’t we get a good Democrat like Mike Martini ? Even he is disgusted with the Sonoma County voters choices.
Will we ever elect a decent rep ? Ever ?
Taking up where Pat Wiggens left off??
To honor the hard work and dedication of Noreen Evans, I will be eating lunch at Hooter’s today in Anchorage, Alaska.
“One of the bills would extend the Salmon Stamp Program. The other would follow recommendations from the Dungeness Crab Task Force to address safety and sustainability concerns in California’s crab fishery”
Glad to see that they are proposing bills that matter to the people and not to lobbying groups who pay them under the table.
Another career politician that needs to get a real job.
Thank you, Noreen. You can go home now.