California Republicans have ousted their own Senate Minority Leader, Dave Cogdill, (R-Modesto) after he helped craft a deal that would have called for $14.4 billion in tax increases.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Cogdill was one of the four legislative leaders who negotiated the emergency budget deal with the governor. Their compromise budget package, reached after three months of negotiations, contained nearly $16 billion in program cuts, $11 billion in borrowing and $14.4 billion in tax increases. The most contentious debate has been over the proposed tax hikes."
"Republicans selected Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta (Riverside County) as their new Minority leader. Hollingsworth is part of the conservative wing of the Senate Republican caucus and he has been adamantly against raising any taxes."
As Hugh Hewitt pointed out in an earlier blog post, Sen. Abel Maldonado was a key vote:
"Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), has been courted as that third Republican as well as Sen. Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks (Sacramento County). Neither senators, considered to be moderate Republican, participated in ousting of Cogdill nor in electing Hollingsworth.
Maldonado expressed shock as he left Cogdill's capitol office.
"I can't believe, in the middle of the night, we are ousting our leader," Maldonado said."
While Maldonado is shocked, I am pleased to see Republicans acting like .... well, Republicans, in fighting a tax increase! Three Cheers!
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