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Nov 4, 2009 11:31 pm US/Pacific
Insider Breaks Silence On Capitol Sex Scandal
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
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Michael Duvall, former California Republican Assemblyman from Orange County (File Photo)
California State Assembly
A Capitol insider is breaking his silence about the sex scandal that cost Assemblyman Mike Duvall his job.
Utilities lobbyist Lenny Goldberg says he has no personal knowledge of a relationship between Duvall and energy lobbyist Heidi Barsuglia, but he says it was clear when she was hired by Sempra Energy that Barsuglia didn't know anything about energy.
Duvall's infamous, sexually explicit comments about having sex with lobbyists brought down the lawmaker in less than a day, but both Duvall and Barsuglia deny having a relationship and no investigation has been launched.
Goldberg now says it was clear to him that Barsuglia was not hired for her understanding of energy. He says she simply was not qualified for the job.
"At the time, I knew people applying for the job, and I thought, 'Why did they hire somebody that doesn't know the issues?'" Goldberg said.
Goldberg says the alleged relationship should have been investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Business inside the Capitol is actually less tied to personal relationships as a result of term limits, Goldberg says, but he admitted he's not always proud of how his colleagues operate.
"We all know what we do," Goldberg said. "Some of it's good and some of it isn't. And some of it is straight up and above board, and some of it is not."
The Capitol sex scandal raised questions about ethics and how business is done here, but Goldberg says little has changed because of it.
"I don't think you can show a whit of change in public policy, of an impact of this quote 'scandal' unquote ever had," he said.
Goldberg says he has no personal issues with Barsuglia, and he expects he will end up working on policy issues with her if she continues her work with Sempra Energy.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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