In an event that hasn't occurred in over 20 years, Monday saw the California State Senate reject the governor's reappointment of Wendy Mitchell to the California Horse Racing Board. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mitchell had a 29-5 vote for confirmation at 2:30 p.m. that turned into a 17-20 denial by 3:30 p.m.
No individual senator claimed responsibility for the lobbying that occurred in that intervening hour, though one anonymously speaking senator indicated Mitchell's role as a consultant was a concern. However, she has no clients connected to horse racing.
“Change is hard,” Mitchell told the Los Angeles Times. “I get that. It's slow and sometimes painful for those accustomed to the status quo. Sadly, it would appear that [Monday's] confirmation vote was the old guard of the industry fighting back against reform — reform of horse racing and reform of being implemented by a woman who is not beholden to the old boys' network.”
Mitchell's case is expected to again be taken to a vote at an undetermined time in the future. She has served on the CHRB since 2019.
She is the principal of WM Consulting, described on its website as a firm which “translates how government operates to companies that are working to achieve specific business goals.”
Read more at the Los Angeles Times.
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