Quackenbush’s Judgment

* Re “Quackenbush Letter Strikes Out at Critics,” May 14: I was astounded by state Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush’s response to the mounting calls for his resignation. He suggests this is primarily a conspiracy of Democrats seeking to oust him from office. I’d like to know if there are any other members of the state’s Republican Party who have also been victim to this conspiracy. If so, will they stand beside the commissioner for a photo op in a show of support?

As for the $6-million settlement that he touts as a “unique opportunity,” the inadequacy of his deal is obvious by the many people left without sufficient assistance. The real bottom line: Either he made this deal to curry favor with the insurance industry or he actually thought this was a savvy agreement. Either way, it only underlines his poor judgment.

JAMES COHEN

Los Angeles

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Re “Quackenbush Secretly Routed Funds to TV Ads,” May 12: Shame on members of the Fair Political Practices Commission! They buried their bipartisan heads in the sand, even after receiving high-level complaints years ago that Quackenbush was double-dipping from the insurance companies’ settlement cookie jars. California’s conflict-of-interest laws are clear; “no public official shall in any way attempt to use his official position to influence a governmental decision in which he knows or has reason to know he has a financial interest.”

Poor, pitiful consumers--it’s business as usual at Tammany Hall West.

TAD MALONE

La Canada

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If Quackenbush were really protecting the public interest instead of playing footsie with the insurance companies, he would have gotten rid of our Band-Aid California Earthquake Authority insurance and told the insurance companies, “If you won’t write earthquake insurance here, you won’t write any insurance in California!”

S. DELL SCOTT

Encino