Former Lieutenant Governor Abel Moldano has been vocal in his opinion of Governor Jerry Brown’s Realignment program, making it clear that he feels it is a bad idea and nothing more than an “early release” program. Moldano is a part of a campaign to end the realignment program that began in the late part of 2011 in order to meet the Supreme Court’s order to reduce the inmate population in California prisons.

Moldano attempted to win a Republican seat in Congress last year but, failing that, he now has his eyes set on being Governor of California. During a news conference, Moldano stated that he was prepared to end Brown’s “early release” program. He said that he will create a political committee and begin to gather signatures from citizens that support the end of realignment and want to see a measure for its repeal put on the ballot next year.

The governor hopeful will be using the controversy that has been created by this plan- which has shifted many low-level offenders to county jails for the duration of their sentences- to push his bid for the spot. Abel admits that he does not have a plan of his own that will deal with the issue of prison overcrowding but supports the idea of adding additional facilities.

Building new facilities was a solution supported by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Moldano had served as Lieutenant Governor alongside him from 2009. During that period, the state legislature had endorsed $4.1 billion in funds to be borrowed for new projects. Most of those were canceled when Brown took office because of the budget crisis.

Republican Moldano blames the Governor and the Democratic-controlled Legislature for an increase in violent crimes because of the realignment plan. Many inmates have had to be released early because of jails that are already at maximum capacity. Moldano points to this as the reason that there has been more crime in some areas of California. There is no statistical evidence to support these claims, however.

A corrections department spokesman from Governor Brown’s administration appeared at the press conference to listen to what was being said and he was displeased to hear the Governor’s realignment plan being referred to as an “early release” program. He stated that early release was not a part of realignment and that it should not be painted as such by those who oppose the plan.

Source:  Governor Brown's Realignment Plan Disapproved