Minuteman Tim Donnelly testing waters for a 2014 CA. governor bid
November 28, 2012
Minuteman Tim Donnelly testing waters for a 2014 governor bid
A conservative state legislator who is a former member of the anti-illegal immigration Minutemen Project is considering a run for California governor.
Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, shared his plans to open an exploratory committee for a 2014 run in an interview with PolitiChicks.tv, a web video posted to a conservative website.
Donnelly, whose conservative stances and sometimes combative tactics have made him a lightening rod for controversy in the state Legislature, said he decided to consider a run "because there's just, there's nobody out there fighting for us."
"I believe that we as Californians can do heck of a lot better than Jerry Brown or anyone who wants to step into his footsteps, I don't care whether its Kamala Harris or Tony Villaraigosa or Gavin Newsom," he said of the possible Democratic contenders in 2014. "They're all going to push for the same ideas and I think California can do a lot better.'
Donnelly, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2010, attempted to qualify a statewide referendum of a law that allows some undocumented immigrants to attend colleges at lower in-state rates, but failed to collect enough voter signatures to get the measure on the ballot.
He achieved perhaps his greatest notoriety last year when he was detained at Ontario Airport for having a loaded handgun in his carry-on luggage. Donnelly, who said he had forgotten the gun was in his bag, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor gun charges, paid a $2,215 fine and was placed on three years probation.
In the interview, Donnelly also offered a critique of the GOP's 2010 gubernatorial nominee, former EBay executive Meg Whitman, in the interview.
"What I think people rejected with Meg Whitman was she had a 50-page plan and she wasn't listening," he said. "And I think one of the best ways I can build support is travel the state, go from town to town, talk to business leaders, talk to community leaders, talk to individuals at their doorstep, at a rally, what have you, but do a lot of listening and find out what are the greatest concerns. And a lot of time people have solutions that politicians never thought of that will actually work."
Capitol Alert: Minuteman Tim Donnelly testing waters for a 2014 governor bid
Alameda County GOP calls Tim Donnelly's comments about Kashkari racist
Alameda County GOP calls Tim Donnelly's comments about Kashkari racist
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GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Alameda Co GOP denounces as racist Donnelly's statements linking rival Kashkari w/ fundamentalist Islamic law
Alameda Co GOP: "Donnelly and his supporters have used bigotry, racism and outright ignorance to try to win"
The Alameda County Republican Party on Tuesday denounced as racist GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly’s statements linking rival Neel Kashkari with fundamentalist Islamic law.
“I'm sorry to report that Tim Donnelly and his supporters have used bigotry, racism and outright ignorance to try to win the Primary,” said an unsigned post on the group’s Facebook page. “They are trading [in] innuendo and false reporting that Neel Kashkari … endorses Sharia Finance. I am so disgusted by this turn of events by other Republicans.”
The group was reacting to Donnelly’s comments Monday and Tuesday saying Kashkari supports sharia law, the Islam-based code that governs personal and business behavior that has been in the news because celebrities and activists this week protested its imposition in Brunei. An arm of the tiny nation’s government owns the Beverly Hills Hotel, leading demonstrators to protest there because of sharia’s harsh punishments for homosexuality and adultery.
Donnelly said Kashkari condones the strictures ofsharia law because Kashkari in 2008 participated in a U.S. Treasury conference about Islamic finance.
Kashkari, a former Treasury official, called Donnelly's assertion “absurd,” and said the 2008 conference at which he delivered remarks as an assistant Treasury secretary was about expanding free-market principles in Islamic nations. Financial restrictions under Islamic rule include not allowing the charging of interest, and not investing in companies that produce forbidden goods.
Donnelly on Tuesday stood by his remarks, sending a tweet that highlighted news coverage of what he deemed Kashkari’s “submission” to sharia law.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politic...506-story.html