As she's risen to finalist in Joe Biden’s veepstakes, Karen Bass has styled herself as an activist and a reluctant politician. But in Sacramento, she is remembered neither as a radical nor as a crusading reformer.
Bass’ history of raising and spending money looked much of her contemporaries’. And she took part in the culture. She was let off with a warning by the state’s campaign and ethics commission after holding an April 2009 fundraiser at the home of Sacramento lobbyist Kevin Sloat, who hosted dozens of lavish events for politicians at which he provided drinks and refreshments, cigars, and floral arrangements.
“I remember her as a competent legislative leader who in some ways seemed less transactional and devious than some of her predecessors, but also not like, ‘I’m going to come in here and really clean house,’” said Derek Cressman, who was then Western states regional director for the advocacy group Common Cause. “To be fair, I’m not sure I would say that of any legislative leader in California. That’s not how you ascend to leadership in the California Legislature.
"I felt like being speaker was advanced boy management. That's what I called it," Bass said. "The other thing that came out of that experience was, how on earth did we [women] get the rap of being hysterical? I spent all my time managing the emotions of the male members.” Years after Bass’ departure, the Capitol was shaken by a public push by women in Sacramento to change the culture from within, particularly around sexual harassment. Adama Iwu, a Sacramento lobbyist who helped lead the movement, said while the activity had long existed, “It wasn’t discussed.”
Today, just 56 percent of Democrats in Bass’ home state are able to offer an opinion of her potential selection as Biden’s running mate, according to a Berkeley IGS Poll released Tuesday.
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