A Day for Coming Clean

This is a critical day for state Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush as he seeks to hold on to his office and salvage whatever may be left of his political career. The embattled state officer is scheduled to testify before the Senate Insurance Committee, which is investigating allegations that Quackenbush’s office grossly mishandled policyholder complaints against insurers from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. If he continues to deny any responsibility for the conduct of his office or to profess ignorance of actions taken by aides in his name, pressure for his resignation is bound to increase. The push is coming not just from majority Democrats in the Legislature but from Quackenbush’s fellow Republicans, although mostly in private so far.

It’s difficult to imagine what Quackenbush could do to restore any credibility or honor to his office. Our position remains that the damage is irreparable and he should leave the office immediately. But at least something useful can come out of this scandal if Quackenbush acknowledges what went wrong and why.

Quackenbush could offer some constructive suggestions for fixing the problems, specifically a way to reimburse aggrieved homeowners and perhaps even reinstate fines against insurers if that is still possible. A survey of department records reported in The Times today documents thousands of violations.

Quackenbush must give up his defiant attitude and his insistence that the investigations are all a result of a political vendetta launched by his partisan foes. That tactic isn’t working with anyone, including fellow Republicans.

A series of investigations into Quackenbush’s office began shortly after The Times first disclosed in late March that he was still collecting large campaign contributions from insurers even though he cannot run for reelection; that he had diverted some of the money to pay off debts from his wife’s failed state Senate campaign and had brushed aside a staff recommendation that insurers be fined up to $3 billion. Instead, Quackenbush allowed the firms to donate $12.8 million to private foundations set up by his office.

Democrats quietly are researching the subject of impeachment, an action that hasn’t been brought against a statewide officeholder since 1857. If it comes to that, so be it. But it’s not in the interest of either party, or the public, to embark on a long, bitter effort to remove Quackenbush from office. Only Quackenbush can spare California that ordeal--by resigning now.