Good for them. I know the Riverside Sheriff’s Union are a bunch of pretty conservative guys who understand everything. When they endorse, I pay attention to it. Unlike other unions they think about more than their pay and benefits. The RSA as they are called, unloaded on her and unendorsed her. 

Marie Waldron has been a disaster as an Assembly Minority Leader and this is the latest in a string of consequences for her feckless leadership. 

October 2, 2020
The Honorable Marie Waldron
Assembly District 75
Republican/Minority Leader
350 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 110
Escondido, CA 92025

Dear Assemblymember Waldron,
At its regular meeting convened on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association voted to withdraw its endorsement of your candidacy for re-election to the State Assembly, District 75.

Due to our Board’s action, you are no longer permitted to assert or imply in any way that you have the support of the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association.

As you know, the COVID-19 epidemic hit Riverside County especially hard. This past April, our association lost two outstanding members, Deputy Terrell Young and Deputy David Werksman. They became the first COVID-related law enforcement deaths in California.

You’re an Assemblymember representing a portion of Riverside County and you also serve as the Assembly Republican (Minority) leader. A couple days after these officers died, you sent a personal budget request to Gov. Newsom. Did you seek additional funding for peace officers in your district? Did you request needed PPE or financial assistance for first responders in AD 75? No.

Instead, you sought $35 million in taxpayer dollars to develop disaster readiness plans to protect convicted, serious and violent state prison inmates from future outbreaks. Convicted felons – inmates who had harmed the innocent most immediate priority in response to the pandemic.

In justifying your $35 million budget ask, you wrote that, “Incarcerated persons have higher rates of underlying health issues than members of the general public.”

You then concluded your letter pleading, “I respectfully request your approval of this important budget need.”

To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. Regrettably, your $35 million budget request was not an anomaly in choosing to support criminals instead of their victims or law enforcement.

Just four days later, you tweeted about the need to also make small business loans available to felons just out of prison.

And just nine days later, you advocated for the criminals and NOT for the crime victims they terrorized nor the law enforcement personnel risking their lives every day to keep Californians safe.

The goal of #Cut50 is to reduce prison and jail population by 50%.

No longer content with merely sharing your position with others, you now encourage others to follow you. “Join me in pledging @cut50”

If this was just an effort by you to raise awareness about prison and jail overcrowding or the lack of adequate services for those with mental health or addiction issue, we could surely find some common ground.

Unfortunately, your voting record this past year left no doubt in our minds that you no longer share an interest in improving public safety, supporting law enforcement or holding accountable those who seek to harm our members, our families or our communities.

AB 1950 (Kamlager) Early Probation Waldron voted AYE

reduces misdemeanor probation to one year maximum – even for DUIs. For felonies, the cap is lowered to just two years. Neither cap provides adequate time for the offender to successfully complete recidivism-reducing rehabilitative programs. This new law does nothing to help these criminals and removes the ability of the courts to monitor any progress they could have made while on probation.

AB 2342 (McCarty) Early Parole Release – Waldron co-authored and voted AYE

In our opposition letter, RSA wrote this bill would have created a program to reduce the length parole for inmates already provide early-release from prison. Participation – NOT successful completion – is all that is required for parolees to get their term reduced. PORAC weighed in too, opposing the bill and noting that, “Oversight, education, and vocational assistance reduces recidivism, not simply letting a parolee off supervision because they managed to not reoffend within 180 days.” Gov. Newsom thought this measure so flawed that he vetoed it.

AB 1196 (Gipson) Carotid Ban Waldron Co-author, voted AYE

This bill bans the authorization for law enforcement officers from using a carotid hold on any suspect, even the officer’s life is in danger. You signed off as co-author
and voted for the bill, despite law enforcement opposition.

As a result of your actions, the membership of the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association can no longer support your re-election efforts.

We hope to rekindle the positive relationship that we once enjoyed, but for now, our trust in you has been badly shaken.

Sincerely,
Ian Anderson
Vice President & Chair, Political Action Committee
Riverside Sheriffs’ Association