The guy that wants to repalce LaMalfa > Rexroad.com

Sam Wakim is the only other announced candidate than Jim Nielsen for the Assembly seat to replace Doug LaMalfa. The article below was in the Sacramento Bee today.

I will never support him for other reasons. This will just add to the list.
Schwarzenegger appointee resigns amid 'hate speech' flap
Shane Goldmacher - Bee Capitol Bureau
Last Updated 5:29 pm PDT Thursday, August 16, 2007

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An appointee of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly candidate resigned abruptly Thursday after coming under fire from Democrats for posting an image of a faux illegal-immigrant drivers license that Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata called "hate speech."

Sam Wakim appointed by the governor to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board last November, posted the faux license on his personal Web site operated under the pseudonym 'Abu David' in 2005.

"I think it's appalling for someone who's supposed to represent the public as a board member of a public agency to be engaging in hate speech," Perata said in a statement. "Mr. Wakim's web postings clearly cross the boundaries of acceptable public discourse."

Wakim tendered his resignation to the Schwarzenegger administration on Thursday afternoon after The Bee made inquiries about the nominee's Internet postings.

"I just decided that I am running for office and preparing for this confirmation hearing has taken up a lot of my time," Wakim said of his abrupt resignation. "I just decided earlier today that enough's enough."

Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's communications director, said the administration was "not aware of the images" before The Bee's inquiry.

Asked if the governor's office requested Wakim's resignation, Mendelsohn said, "I can't comment on personnel matters."

The posted license features a caricature-like photo of a Latino with an oversized sombrero, with 'Mexifornia' replacing 'California' on the license and "MUCHO" listed under sex (instead of male or female). Wakim did not create the image, which has floated around the Internet on various Web sites.

Wakim plans to continue his 2008 bid to replace Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville, for which he has raised more than $230,000, including $100,000 of his own money. "I needed to focus my energies and my time and on fundraising and traveling around the district and hearing everyone's concerns about state government," he said.

Earlier on Thursday Wakim, who was facing a confirmation hearing in the Senate Rules Committee next week, had said, "I am confident that I am going to get a fair hearing."

A Yreka dentist, Wakim is a local GOP activist and chair of the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee. He served as county chairman for Schwarzenegger's reelection campaign in 2006.

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