Carol Migden quits Cal Senate's No. 2 post

[davidinalameda]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/13830562p-14671262c.html

In an unusual move two months after she angered Republicans by voting on behalf of a GOP assemblyman to pass her own bill, Sen. Carole Migden said Monday that she will leave her leadership post in the Senate's powerful Appropriations Committee.

Migden, a San Francisco Democrat and former assemblywoman, said in a statement that she instead has "decided to dedicate most of my waking hours" to working on state Controller Steve Westly's campaign for governor through June. Her campaign role has not been defined, said Eric Potashner, her deputy chief of staff.


The move was rare considering that Migden was chairwoman of the Senate's second-most-powerful committee. After Senate leader, the appropriations chair is the upper house's most attractive post, largely because its occupant has huge influence on any bill that requires significant state funds.