The Republican and Democratic leaders of the state Senate on Monday said a law that ensnared a legislator on perjury and voter-fraud charges is ambiguous and might need to be changed. Sen. Roderick Wright is awaiting sentencing in May after he was convicted last month of lying about his true residence, which a Los Angeles County jury determined was outside his Senate district. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, said in separate comments to reporters that current state law is so ambiguous that other lawmakers also could be in violation of a requirement that they live in the district they represent while running for office.
“One DA (district attorney) prosecutes, another DA doesn’t,” Steinberg said.
For instance, Sacramento County prosecutors said last month they will not pursue charges against state Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, despite reports by The Sacramento Bee that he appeared to be living outside his district. Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, received the Senate’s permission to move outside his district after he was elected.
Full Article: Senate’s Republican, Democratic leaders agree district boundary law is ambiguous, needs review (2/24/14 9:26 pm).