Governor Schwarzenegger paid out almost $250 thousand dollars to four top aides. This was paid for political work done during the Governor’s campaign for reelection. The money came directly from real estate developers, oil companies, insurers, etc that contributed to the campaign, knowing full well that some of the money would be passed along to those who work most closely with the Governor; Chief-or-Staff Susan Kennedy, Communications Director Adam Mendelsohn, Maria Shriver’s Chief-of-Staff Daniel Zingale and the governor’s personal assistant, Clay Russell.

There is no gray in this. It is wrong and unethical, completely and at a high level.

When private businesses can directly pay the salaries of government employees, the danger is almost unimaginable. It strikes me that the only reason this hasn’t reached the crisis level for the Governor is that people just can’t see it for what it is. Where do we draw the line? How many hours are they putting in for these companies, rather than the work they are on the government payroll to do. The danger of conflict is so obvious as to be missed.

Does anyone really believe that those companies that paid Susan Kennedy’s $100,000 bonus will not have direct access to her and the Governor, that they won’t receive the benefit of the doubt on any difficult decisions? Is it possible for this to not cause splintered loyalty?