They argue that it was launched due to criticism of the policies of Democratic colleagues while the Speaker of the Congressional Speaker’s office says lawmakers are moving around on a daily basis.
Some California Republican state lawmakers spoke out after being excluded from major committee positions among the democratic vast majority of state legislatures.
“I was removed from the CA State Assembly’s Budget Committee by the Democratic Chair, because he and (Government) Gavin Newsom didn’t like exposing wasted spending and taxpayer fund damage in the first two hearings we conducted.
Demaio, a district covering the large strips of northern and northern San Diego County, claims that his removal is “unacceptable retaliation.”
Democrat California Senator Robert Rivas removed Demaio from the Budget Committee on February 28, according to a memo obtained by the Epoch Times.
Other Republicans removed from the committee include Covid-19 Congressional members Bill Essayley, Alexandra Macedo of Tulea, David Tangipa of Fresno and Joe Patterson of Rocklin.
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In the memo, Rivas did not provide the reasons behind his decision to reshuffle assembly members. The removal of Demaio was part of a larger remodel, which removed four other Republicans from their respective committees. Members of the Democratic Congress have also been rebuilt.
Rivas spokesman Nick Miller told the Epoch Times on March 4 that moving lawmakers is a routine task for the Speaker of the Council to meet changing needs within Congress.
“The speakers routinely address the needs of the committee throughout the year, and his goal is to ensure that members are always working effectively and play an optimal role in delivering to Californians,” Miller said in an email.
“We’re spending a total of $9.5 billion in funding this year to cover undocumented Medi-Cal individuals,” Guadalupe D. Manriquez, program budget manager for the California Department of Treasury, said at the hearing. Of that, $8.4 billion will come out of the General Fund, she said.
Before his expulsion from the committee, Demaio said his office had been warned by Democrats to stop pursuing such questions.
Lawmakers said that due to his removal, he will no longer be able to tap on budget committee staff to investigate where taxpayer funds go, and that he will need to hire third-party investigators and researchers to identify waste, fraud and abuse in the state.
Meanwhile, the essays have been removed from the Congressional Election Commission.
Additionally, Macedo has been removed from the Budget Committee and Budget Subcommittee for Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy and Transport and has been appointed to the Election Commission. Tangipa has been removed from the Insurance and Utilities Commissions, while Patterson has been removed from the Health Commission.
At the same time, Modesto Rep. Juan Alanis, who is also a Republican, has been appointed to the state budget committee and the budget subcommittee on the climate crisis, resources, energy and transportation.
Republican Congressman Greg Wallis was also appointed to the state administration’s budget subcommittee, while Republican Congressman Laurie Davis was appointed to the Agency Committee.
Democrat Mia Bonta has been appointed to the Congressional Economic Development, Growth and Family Impact Committee.
