Jerry Brown lets CNBC have it

[DrToast]

Yesterday, California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced an enormous, $200 million lawsuit against Boston-based State Street Bank. But, when Brown went on CNBC to discuss the lawsuit, he ran into some serious -- and extremely odd -- skepticism about his motivations for bringing the suit.

Brown alleges that State Street overcharged California's two largest pension funds by $56 million and is seeking millions more in damages.

CNBC's Michelle Caruso-Cabrera offered a rather half-baked implication regarding Brown's intentions, suggesting that Brown was bringing the lawsuit only because he plans to run for governor. (Brown says that the lawsuit was initiated by whistleblowers who had inside information on State Street's actions.)

Caruso-Cabrera said: "What do you say to people who look at this who say this is a perfect example of the demagoguery of attorneys general when they want to run for governor?"

Here's Brown's response:

"OK, first of all, if you don't want the interview, shut it off," Brown said, covering his face with a piece of paper. "It was your idea, so that's pretty silly. You feed off this just like any other media outlet....It's kind of symptomatic of the insensitivity and the arrogance of the Eastern financial elite that you would say, 'Oh, $56 million, why don't you suck it up and forget it?'"

Later, Brown added: "Are you guys pimping for the defendant in this case? I can't believe it."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/jerry-brown-california-ag_n_329011.html

Jerry:
:yourock:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

1. Good for him

besides he's already been the Gov........

[lunatica]

6. He was Mayor of Oakland for one more term than the Constitution allows

He simply took it to the people. To paraphrase, "Do you want to elect me one more time in a one time election in which the Constitution is suspended for only one term, and then goes back to it's decrees?" The overwhelming answer was "yes".

He pulled Oakland out of a black economic and crime hole. He wasn't too kind to protesters but he did much more good than bad. And he never lives high on the hog at the public trough. I like him because he's outspoken and frank and no one bosses him around, though I disagree with some of the things he does. Alan Grayson reminds me of Jerry Brown a little. I would definitely vote for him as Governor.

[mulsh]

22. He failed to clear Oakland's gov. of the Elihu Harris damage.

The city auditor just released a blistering report or the incompetence and nepotism stemming from his predecessor and infesting his administration. Unfortunately Brown and his people did very little to stem these problems.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/21/MNU11A8NRI.DTL&type=politics

here's a link to the city auditor's site with the report and a couple of other reports

http://www.oaklandauditor.com/

I voted for him for Governor, Mayor, Attorney General and will vote for him for Governor once again. He certainly knows how to handle media blow hards, too bad he didn't do so well cleaning up our city government. He's been a much better Governor and Attorney General.

[tularetom]

2. If there was ever any doubt in my mind who I would support in CA gov race

that doubt is gone now, big time.

Wish he would have been in office the past 6 years, we would not have bent over and spread 'em for the banks.

[David Zephyr]

15. Thanks tularetom!

Jerry needs our support. He certainly has earned it. I'm in with both feet for Jerry. :hi:

[zbdent]

3. how often were "serious" news outlets asking Arnold if he was just running for

governor to boost his DVD sales?

[NYC_SKP]

4. I love Jerry, he's tough in front of a camera. He's gonna be CA's youngest and oldest Governor...

After we elect him again.

:yourock:

[David Zephyr]

16. Go Jerry!

"youngest and oldest". Too cool.

[Trillo]

5. Perhaps CNBC is as bad as FOX.

The CNBC folks made it sound just like a normal, typical occurrence, but if the allegation of fraudulent record keeping is true....

[ej510]

7. My cousin used to live by him when he told in loft in Jack London Square before he got married. This

is when he was mayor of Oakland, Ca. One of my hometowns.

[LuckyLib]

8. "You feed off this just like any other media outlet" YES, Jerry has nailed it.

The bullshit attempt of the media to spin this is typical. Jerry's frankness and calling them out is refreshing.

[Thrill]

9. Typical CNBC. That network is really disgusting

Its like they all live in a bizarro world, where nothing else matters but the rich getting richer

[indepat]

10. MC-C can and does pimp with the best of them imo: a pimp extraordinaire

imo, one of the best at what she does and that is pimp for Wall Street, again imnsho. :P

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. I am SO looking forward to his being our Governor AGAIN!

He's a take-no-prisoner kind of guy, and I admire that.


K&R

[David Zephyr]

17. I cant' wait, CaliforniaPeggy, to have Jerry as Governor

AGAIN! :hi:

[demosincebirth]

12. No Governor "moonbeam" here!

[David Zephyr]

13. That's my Governor Jerry Brown speaking!

Thanks DrToast for this story.

[Cha]

14. Wow~! I can see now why

he has a lot of Support! Go Jer!

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. His aura smiles and never frowns

[depakid]

19. Maybe Eric Holder could learn a thing or two from Jerry Brown and Andrew Cuomo

[Vidar]

20. Go Jerry!

[femrap]

21. Jerry Brown....

I love the man. I wish he would become CA's Governor again.

[quiet.american]

23. So, ClownNBC is at again. Good on Brown. nt

[Myrina]

24. I was for him in the '91 primaries ...

...just about the time I started to get seriously interested in politics.
Good to see, warts and all, he still gives 'em hell when they need it.

:-)