Jesse Unruh

Last week California state assemblyman, Michael Duvall , resigned after he was caught on tape over sharing about his sexual activities with lobbyists.

This brought back memories of growing up in California, before term limits , in the time of Jesse Unruh . Unruh was Speaker of the California State Assembly from 1961 to 1969. Here is a 1961 Time magazine profile of Unruh as he prepared to become speaker. And here is another 1970 Time profile of Unruh as he ran for Governor of California against Ronald Reagan. Unruh lost of course and lost another race for Mayor of Los Angeles before being elected California Treasurer in 1974 serving until his death in 1987.

Unruh is best remembered today for two quotes about politics. From the second Time profile:

... He is remembered for two harsh dicta from his assembly days: "Money is the mother's milk of politics," and, speaking of lobbyists: "If you can't take their money, drink their booze, screw their women and look them in the eye and vote against them, you don't belong here." ...

By most accounts Unruh personally was not shy about screwing their women. It appears times have changed.