[1453]

Since you guys are all such savvy politicos who uncover the most shocking news, I'm surprised no one has seen this yet:

Carol Midgen was a political boss in CA legislature, who was termed out and now sits on a waste management board collecting 150K+ a year. And now you tax dollars goes toward the lawsuit, on top of the state-issued SUV.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/07/BAAM18JUT2.DTL

The state will pay $335,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman former state Sen. Carole Migden rear-ended after a wild 30-mile drive in Solano County, attorneys in the case said Monday.


Several motorists called 911 after seeing the San Francisco Democrat weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 80 and Highway 12 on May 18, 2007, in her state-issued Toyota Highlander hybrid sport utility vehicle. At one point, Migden sideswiped a guardrail on I-80 near American Canyon Road.

"She's been on the phone and reading a book, doing about 80 miles per hour," one driver said in his 911 call. "She's really scary."

Migden's drive came to an abrupt halt when she rear-ended a 2005 Honda sedan driven by Ellen Butawan, who was slowing for a red signal light at the intersection of Beck Avenue and Highway 12 in Fairfield, the California Highway Patrol said.

Butawan, now 33, who suffered minor injuries, sued the state and Migden in Solano County Superior Court last year. The state has agreed to pay $335,000 to settle the suit, said Steven Gevercer, supervising deputy attorney general.

The state defended Migden because the crash happened while she was acting within the scope of her state employment, Gevercer said.

Migden, 60, lost her seat last year to Democratic rival Mark Leno and is now on the Integrated Waste Management Board. She told officers that she remembered little of her driving spree and suggested that medication she was on for treatment of chronic leukemia might have been to blame.

CHP officials listed Migden's cell phone use as a contributing factor to the crash.

Migden's license was suspended for several months. She pleaded no contest to reckless driving, a misdemeanor, and was fined $710 and given two years of court probation.

 

[jonKranked]

That's not that shocking. Show me a politician acting responsible, then I'll be shocked.

 

[stoney]

Saw this a few days ago. Absolutely shocking. Just because she was in a govt vehicle, she was on govt business. wreckless driving is reckless driving.

political privilledge... total bs.

 

[stevew]

all Ellen Butawan is getting....

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

state-issued Toyota Highlander hybrid sport utility vehicle

Shouldn't the state be issuing US made vehicles ?

 

[FlyinPolack]

Shouldn't the state be issuing US made vehicles ?

Freakin' big time!

 

[Silver]

I believe this is a case of what manimal would refer to as "professional courtesy" by the prosecutor, no?

 

[stoney]

Toyota US is based in LA-area. They contribute WAY more to Cali than the US makers.

 

[jimmydean]

Shouldn't the state be issuing US made vehicles ?

So the tax payers can pay more in repairs?

 

[jonKranked]

Shouldn't the state be issuing US made vehicles ?

Toyota US is based in LA-area. They contribute WAY more to Cali than the US makers.

Yup! Toyota, to the best of my knowledge, makes the majority of the vehicles for the US, IN the US.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota#Toyota_North_America

 

[FlyinPolack]

Toyota US is based in LA-area. They contribute WAY more to Cali than the US makers.

Their $$ goes back to Japan, which does Nothing for Cali in the long run.
If U.S. citizens supported U.S. manufacturing our economy would not be in the horrible state that it is atm.

 

[FlyinPolack]

So the tax payers can pay more in repairs?

I've payed off 2 chevy trucks. Never once using the warranty.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Their $$ goes back to Japan, which does Nothing for Cali in the long run.
If U.S. citizens supported U.S. manufacturing our economy would not be in the horrible state that it is atm.

wow....just...wow....

 

[jimmydean]

I've payed off 2 chevy trucks. Never once using the warranty.

And how much more foreign oil would she burn driving a Chevy truck than a Toyota Hybrid?

<edit> The US auto makers are in the crapper because what they build is ****.

I am happy to see the gov. employees around here drive Prius's and Civic Hybrids rather than crap cars. Drunk or otherwise.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

And how much more foreign oil would she burn driving a Chevy truck than a Toyota Hybrid?

But we have an oil pipeline from Alaska for US oil...duh. [/FlyinPoolack]

 

[Inclag]

Their $$ goes back to Japan, which does Nothing for Cali in the long run.
If U.S. citizens supported U.S. manufacturing our economy would not be in the horrible state that it is atm.

Wait, so let me get this straight here.

If U.S. citizens supported U.S. manufacturing our economy would not be in the horrible state that it is atm.

Now riddle me this. Where are these vehicle manufactured?

 

[jimmydean]

Now riddle me this. Where are these vehicle manufactured?

Everyone knows Toyota imports Japanese workers to build them, too. Toyota has a corporate policy against employing Americans.

 

[stoney]

Their $$ goes back to Japan, which does Nothing for Cali in the long run.
If U.S. citizens supported U.S. manufacturing our economy would not be in the horrible state that it is atm.

Umm... I personally know five people working for Toyota in the LA area. They all get paid VERY generously, and in return pump that income back into the local economy in LA (which is in the US).

Also, the majority of "US" trucks are not made in the US. They might be assembled here, but are not made here.

Why don't you go ahead and add a location to your profile. I want to see if my assumptions about your location are true based on your ignorance of basic economics.

 

[jimmydean]

I want to see if my assumptions about your location are true based on your ignorance of basic economics.

I thought he was an Econ major?

I still laugh when I think about a friend of mine that was fired from a Dodge dealership because he revealed to the customer that his trucks parts were being shipped from overseas and that's why there was a delay.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I thought he was an Econ major?

I still laugh when I think about a friend of mine that was fired from a Dodge dealership because he revealed to the customer that his trucks parts were being shipped from overseas and that's why there was a delay.

"Two weeks."

 

[1453]

I am happy to see the gov. employees around here drive Prius's and Civic Hybrids rather than crap cars. Drunk or otherwise.

so you have no problem with .gov employees driving while high so long as they drive hybrids?

 

[jimmydean]

so you have no problem with .gov employees driving while high so long as they drive hybrids?

They could do worse.

 

[JohnE]

Everyone knows Toyota imports Japanese workers to build them, too. Toyota has a corporate policy against employing Americans.

And, the peopel they do employ aren't allowed to spend any of their pay in the US, or on US products. Its a widely known conspiracy...

 

[drkenan]

There was a billboard here in town for the longest time that said "386,000 - Kilometers to the moon; U.S. jobs created by Toyota."

 

[jimmydean]

There was a billboard here in town for the longest time that said "386,000 - Kilometers to the moon; U.S. jobs created by Toyota."

It is technically a US job, but it's given to an undocumented Japanese immigrant.

 

[Silver]

The other big question is why is the state getting sued and paying out more than 300K for minor injuries?

Seriously, what kind of minor injuries are worth that much? Crazy...

 

[Straya]

"Two weeks."