Meathead Takes a Leave

It's clear that the pressure on Rob "Meathead" Reiner has finally gotten his attention, and he's taking a leave from his State duties until after the election which involves his "soak the rich" Prop 82 (h/t Hugh):

Facing pressure from legislators and others, producer Rob Reiner said Friday he is taking a leave as chairman of a state commission that spent $23 million for ads touting the value of early education while he is promoting a statewide preschool initiative.

Reiner took the action in a letter addressed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The leave takes effect immediately and will last until June 7, the day after voters decide the fate of Proposition 82, a Reiner-backed initiative to raise taxes on wealthy Californians to pay for preschool for all 4-year-olds.

Reiner has said that he and the First 5 California Children and Families Commission he has chaired since its inception in 1999 have done nothing improper but that he will step aside for the good of the commission.

His disclosure, however, came on a day when state Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman of Irvine and Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Glendale), a candidate for state controller, urged Controller Steve Westly to audit the commission, citing concerns that the panel had used tax money to aid the preschool initiative. Tony Strickland, a Republican also running for controller, called for an audit earlier this week.

There is no reason for this guy to still hold his appointed position. His term actually ended in 1999, and from that point on he serves at the pleasure of the governor. Gov. Arnold doesn't need any more reasons for conservatives to feel less than enthused about his campaign, and leaving Reiner in place is not going to help him build the support he needs to win reelection. As Hugh said, we have to assume Reiner is Arnold's guy until Arnold says otherwise.