Wide-Ranging Interests

Rodney Blonien is a former corrections official who is Sacramento’s most active lobbyist on behalf of companies, cities and associations with interests in California’s prison system.

He was second in command at the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency under Gov. George Deukmejian, leaving in 1987 to work for a law firm that represented Wall Street investment houses that underwrote bonds used to finance two California prisons. He now is affiliated with another law firm, and heads a small lobbying firm representing entities with interests in gambling, construction and prisons. Since 1989, his corrections clients have paid him more than $600,000. Among his clients are:

* Client: Wackenhut Corrections Corp.

Background: The Florida firm has a contract with the California Corrections Department to run a private low-security prison.

Payments, 1989-94: $220,260.

* Client: Assn. of California Construction Managers

Background: The group of firms manages construction of prisons. Blonien says his duties for this client extend beyond prisons.

Payments, 1989-94: $62,071

* Client: Fricot City Partnership

Background: The private group has tried to persuade corrections to locate a prison in this Mother Lode town.

Payments, 1991-94: $56,240

* Client: Eclectic Communications

Background: The firm has contracts with corrections to operate two low-security prisons and halfway houses.

Payments, 1991-93: $22,645 (no longer a client)

* Client: Walt Miller

Background: Developer in Hanford built apartments in cities where prisons were being built.

Payments, 1989: $11,473 (no longer a client)

* Client: Kitchell CEM

Background: The Sacramento subsidiary of a Phoenix firm has exclusive contract with corrections to oversee prison planning and construction program:

Payments, 1991-92: $2,321

City Business

Here are cities represented by Blonien that have prisons or contracts with corrections to operate “return-to-custody facilities” for low security-risk inmates:

* Folsom: Has two prisons. Blonien says his duties for this client extend beyond prisons. Payments, 1989-94: $183,931

* SB 1591 Cities: Association represents Shafter, Taft, Coalinga, Adelanto, Folsom and Delano, all of which operate return-to-custody facilities. Payments, 1993-94: $44,857

* Shafter: Has a return-to-custody facility. Payments, 1992: $19,147

* Adelanto: Attempting to get a prison; has a return-to-custody facility. Payments, 1991-93: $15,130

* Soledad: Has one prison, second under construction. Payments, 1989-93: $11,110

* Corcoran: Has one prison and one is being planned. Payments, 1991-1992: $5,246

* Taft: Has a return-to-custody facility. Payments, 1989: $2,406

* Blythe: Has two prisons (no longer a client). Payments, 1991: $1,461