Here is a tidbit that has not been disclosed to many. Ricardo Lara ran for Insurance Commissioner in 2018. His Treasurer, the person responsible for taking the money and spending it, while reporting it to the FPPC? Ricardo Lara. In other words he can not claim someone made a mistake—he knowingly took insurance company money. I wonder why that part of the story has not been in the media—it is easy to research, it is public record.
Is it time for an investigation? Ask for him to resign? Start a Recall
“Among the donations: $15,500 in April from Theresa DeBarbrie, administrative coordinator of Barrow Street Nursery School in Greenwich Village.
- New York nursery school administrators aren’t regular sources of campaign money for California insurance commissioners.
- However, she’s married to Carl DeBarbarie, of Remco Insurance in New York.
Looks like they were hiding the real purpose of the donation.
Dan Morain, Whats Matters, CalMatters, 7/12/19
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has promised to return $53,000 in insurance-related donations to his 2020 reelection campaign.
Among the donations: $15,500 in April from Theresa DeBarbrie, administrative coordinator of Barrow Street Nursery School in Greenwich Village.
- New York nursery school administrators aren’t regular sources of campaign money for California insurance commissioners.
- However, she’s married to Carl DeBarbarie, of Remco Insurance in New York.
The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff McDonald, who ferreted all this out, reached Carl DeBarbrie, who acknowledged that his firm does business in California. When pressed on details about the donation, DeBarbie said:
“I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
After initially brushing off McDonald, Lara issued a statement: “I pledged not to accept insurance money during my campaign, and it is a pledge I intend to keep. I appreciate The San Diego Union-Tribune bringing this to my attention.”
Lara has been here before. During his 2018 insurance commissioner campaign, he took money from Doctors Company, a medical malpractice carrier. After CalMatters pointed it out, Lara returned it.
History lesson: Chuck Quackenbush, once a rising Republican star, took insurance industry campaign donations while serving as insurance commissioner and acted on issues related to those donors.
- Amid investigations and press scrutiny, much from my former colleague, Virgnia Ellis, Quackenbush was forced to resign, effective 19 years ago on Wednesday.
- Ever since, insurance commissioners have shunned insurance money.
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