RISING STAR NO MORE… It’s been a rough summer for California Sen. Abel Maldonado, Squid’s local assembly member, who lives far away in a place called Santa Maria. On June 6, the former rising star of the Republican Party lost the primary for state controller to Tony Strickland, 40.7 percent to 37.0. Earlier this month, Maldonado reportedly solicited an interview with the Los Angeles Times to question Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s support for Latinos. “Our governor cares about one thing only, and that’s Arnold Schwarzenegger,” Maldonado told the Times, adding that Schwarzenegger showed “a lack of respect” for Latinos. “When he needs Latinos, Latinos are always there for him. When Latinos need him, the answer’s been no.”

Squid finds this funny. Abel was once a big fan of Arnold’s. He co-chaired the Schwarzenegger For Governor Campaign and plastered photos of Schwarzenegger all over his own Web site. But then Schwarzenegger didn’t endorse Maldonado for controller.

Another reason Squid finds this funny is that while Abel refuses to speak to newspapers in his Central Coast Senate district—he lets spokesman Tom Kise do the talking to the Weekly, the Monterey County Herald, and the Santa Cruz Sentinel—he opened his mouth to the Times, and inserted his foot.

The next day, a contrite Maldonado blasted a high-priority e-mail to the media.

“I apologize to Governor Schwarzenegger for my public comments to the Los Angeles Times,” it read. “The Governor and I have worked together for the past three years on important issues beneficial to California’s Latinos. I will continue to support the Governor in his efforts to strengthen California.”

Schwarzenegger got an apology. So when is Maldonado going to say he’s sorry to Squid, the Weekly and the other rags for not returning calls?

Oops, Squid gets it now. The Times interview illustrates why Maldonado doesn’t talk to directly to the media. When he does open his mouth in the presence of a newspaper reporter, Maldonado ends up making political enemies. At least his handlers can rest assured that their jobs are safe—until Maldonado alienates the rest of his district, that is.

JUMPING SHIP… Speaking of Maldonado’s handlers, at least one isn’t taking any chances. On Saturday, July 15, a few days after Maldonado gave Schwarzenegger the verbal lashing in the LA Times, Maldonado spokesman Tom Kise sent out an e-mail to the media. “After two and a half years as Senator Maldonado’s Communications Director, I will be moving on. As of this coming Monday, I’ll be working at Governor Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign, where I will be doing coalitions and communications work.”