April 12, 2010

Buchanan Shows Up!
To Release Violent Criminals

We’ve maybe been too fixated on Absentee Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan’s missed votes on behalf of taxpayers at the expense of focusing on those that she’s bothered to show up for.  Ones like….say….allowing violent criminals to pour back into the East Bay and put our children, our property, and possibly our lives at risk.  Is that what Joan Buchanan campaigned on in 2008?

An article in the Contra Costa Times, “East Bay braces for influx of released prisoners”, mentions among other things for 15th District residents to expect that in addition to increased stress on social welfare programs already stretched the breaking point, that while “legislators promised to keep dangerous felons behind bars,” that “The Associated Press report this week that some violent offenders have been among those released.”

Further, “County leaders acknowledge that many will revert to habits that landed them in prison in the first place.”

Buchanan was the deciding vote in the 41-39 passage of SB 18!

That’s right, while even other Assembly Democrats like Alyson Huber (El Dorado Hills) and Anna Cabellero (Salinas) have the sense to know that allowing violent criminals to move back into our communities is the wrong thing for our children, Joan Buchanan cast the deciding vote on SB 18 that allowed this to happen.

And what’s worse, there were no committee hearings to approve this language. The bill was amended and then voted out of the Assembly the same day with no opportunity for the public or law enforcement to react. Buchanan and her liberal allies waived rules that would have required public scrutiny by forcing the house to wait until the next day to pass it. They rushed it through and the program started having immediate problems when the law took effect in January.  

It’s time to send someone to Sacramento who represents our values and will protect our communities: Mayor Abram Wilson.

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