An Orange County Republican resigned from the California Assembly Wednesday after a videotape surfaced of the lawmaker bragging about his sexual exploits with two women, one of whom reportedly is a lobbyist.
Assemblyman Mike Duvall, R-Yorba Linda, resigned soon after Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Baldwin Hills (Los Angele County) stripped him of his committee assignments and ordered an Ethics Committee investigation of the two-term lawmaker.
Duvall was recorded making lurid comments during an appropriations committee hearing in July when he apparently thought his microphone was turned off. The meetings are regularly recorded and archived by the Assembly.
Shortly after his resignation, Duvall released a written statement saying he was “deeply saddened” that his comments had become a distraction to other members of the Assembly.
“I have come to the conclusion that it would not be fair to my family, my constituents or to my friends on both sides of the aisle to remain in office,” said Duvall, a second-term Assemblyman who is married and has two children.
In the video, first broadcast by the KCAL television station in Los Angeles Tuesday night, Duvall talks with a Republican colleague about his sexual activity with two women, one of whom lobbies for Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based utility, according to other media reports. That company often has business before the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee that Duvall vice chaired until his removal Wednesday.
In the recording, Duvall bragged about having several sexual encounters with the women. At one point he makes explicit comments about their sexual activity, adding: “So, I am getting into spanking her. Yeah, I like it. I like spanking her. She goes, ‘I know you like spanking me.’ I said, ‘Yeah, because you’re such a bad girl!’”
Duvall made the comments to fellow Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona (Riverside County), also a member of the Assembly Ethics Committee. Miller said he “really wasn’t paying attention” to what Duvall was saying and did not alert the Ethics Committee about it. A spokeswoman for Bass said Miller will be removed from the Ethics Committee.
Bass said the ethics investigation would proceed even though Duvall resigned his office. “The resignation does not remove the responsibility of the Assembly Ethics Committee from reviewing the matter,” Bass said. She said she had met with Duvall and said he was “remorseful and regretful.”
Sempra Energy released a statement saying company officials were investigating the matter but said the lobbyist employed by the company has denied the “speculative media reports.”
“Our investigation will be conducted to ensure not only that our policies on employee conduct are strictly adhered to, but also that our employee is treated fairly,” the statement said.
Duvall’s Republican colleagues stopped short of condemning him for his actions.
“Mr. Duvall recognized his inappropriate comments would be an endless source of distraction for this institution and out of respect for his colleagues and love for his family decided to resign,” said Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, adding that he respects “(Duvall’s) decision to put his family first at this difficult time.”
Miller called the situation, “An unfortunate circumstance for Mike.”
Besides the utilities committee, Duvall was also a member of the Rules Committee. Prior to joining the Legislature in 2006, Duvall was a Yorba Linda city councilman and was twice elected mayor by his colleagues while on the city council. He also was president of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce and was awarded the Ethics in America award in 2000 by Chapman University for his “demonstration of the highest standards of ethical integrity,” according to his campaign Web site.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has 14 days to call a special election to fill Duvall’s seat, which would be either Nov. 3 or Dec. 1 depending on when the governor acts.
Original Story: sfgate.com
