Northern Californian Now State ‘Rubbergate’ Leader

The list of the top overdraft check writers from California continues to change.

Former Rep. Douglas Bosco (D-Sebastopol) so far leads the list of current and former California congressmen caught up in the House bank scandal with 124 checks totaling $537,985 in overdrafts, according to a list of Democrats leaked to the Washington Times this week.

That same list published by the Washington Times shows former Rep. Tony Coelho (D-Merced) as having had 316 checks totaling $292,603.

The new listing moves former San Diego Democrat Jim Bates into third place. He has admitted writing 89 bad checks totaling $170,686. Other members of the 45-person California delegation have come forward with varying amounts of overdrafts.

In San Diego County, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Coronado) has said he wrote 407 checks for $129,000; Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego) wrote 300 totaling $104,000; Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) wrote four totaling $1,963, and Rep. Randy Cunningham (R-Chula Vista) wrote one for $15,000.

Larry Remer, a campaign consultant for Bates who is running in San Diego’s new 50th Congressional District, said Thursday that the average amount Bates had outstanding on his House bank account during the period of overdrafts was $3,436, with a high of $9,300.

The longest time Bates used the overdraft protection was 31 days, Remer said.