GOP legislator muzzled as California Dems jam through parole board reappointments

California Democrats confirmed the reappointment of five parole board commissioners backed by Gov.Gavin Newsom despite fiery objections from Republicans, who accused colleagues of putting violent criminals — including convicted child sex predators — ahead of victims and public safety.Republican legislators focused the confirmation fight on several high-profile parole cases involving inmates convicted of child molestation, kidnapping and sexual assault, including David Allen Funston, Roberto Antonio Detrinidad and Gregory Lee Vogelsang. The GOP legislators argued the board has repeatedly shown poor judgment by finding violent offenders suitable for parole under programs that allow elderly inmates and people who committed crimes at a younger age to seek early release.“Our work to combat human trafficking and protect California’s children is actively undermined when parole commissioners entrusted with public safety prioritize sympathy for predators over their core duty to protect the public,” Sen.

Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) said in a statement.Commissioners up for reappointment Monday included William Muniz, Michael Ruff, Rosalind Sargent-Burns, Mary Thornton and Jack Weiss.However, Democrats took the unusual step of preventing Grove from reading excerpts from Funston’s parole board hearing transcript while she was speaking Monday on the Senate floor.Funston, 67, was sentenced to 20 years in prison plus three consecutive life terms for kidnapping and child molestation involving several children younger than 7 in the Sacramento region.He admitted to pedophilic fantasies as recently as 2021, according to KCRA. Grove persisted in her floor comments by noting she had memorized much of the transcript and recalled Funston saying he still had sexual urges for minors and dealt with it by splashing water on his face.“So part of Mr.

Funston’s plan to reduce his urges is to simply splash water on his face, so he doesn’t sexually assault a child,” Grove ...