Convicted Criminal Democrat CA State Senators Rod Wright & Ron Calderon Will Continue To Be Paid

For lawmakers fighting criminal charges, there are times when slinking out of the state Capitol in disgrace is too good a fate. Like when they’re taking voluntary leaves of absence that allow them to continue to pocket their salaries.Rod Wright, a Democrat from Inglewood (but actually Baldwin Hills), started such a leave from the California Senate last week while seeking to have overturned his conviction for voter fraud for living outside his district and lying about it.

Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, has now followed Wright in the walk of shame, choosing over the weekend to take such an indefinite leave rather than face expulsion from the state Senate as he prepares his defense against bribery and corruption charges.

On indefinite leave, Wright and Calderon will continue to receive $95,291 salaries, though not $163 per diem payments.

That’s the law — the Legislature can’t withhold the salaries of individual members. It’s a bad law that should be changed, though Californians should hold their breath waiting for